It appears the wrangling between owners of the building that last housed Azalea Restaurant (3612 Brownsboro Rd.) and the residents of nearby Mockingbird Valley are finally agreeing on what should be done with the 140-year-old building: Reopen it as a restaurant named Monterrey.
Fox41 News reported that two years ago, the Bauer family wanted to raze the old structure so a Rite Aid pharmacy could be built on the site. Nearby residents objected vigorously and threatened a legal battle to stop that.
Personally, I think the owner should get to do what he wants with the building—especially one that's 140 years old and will cost a fortune to update. And that's what owner Skee Bauer told Fox41 he's going to do.
But don't expect this project to happen anytime soon. Plans for the refurbishment, which include a much smaller footprint for the restaurant and a smaller Rite Aid built on the same site, have to be submitted and approved. Worse, as owners of Corbett's and Selena's will tell you, aligning old buildings with modern codes is an arduous process, and gutting such facilities always reveals hidden and expensive-to-fix problems.
Anyone want to lay odds we won't see this finished before year's end?
The best news in the report is Monterrey will be operated by the owners of 211 Clover Lane. Here's to hoping they can work the same magic at a great site just two miles away.
New pizza joint in the Highlands: Visit the Papalino's Pizza web site and see its owners—whoever they may be—are claiming they'll open a new pizza shop on 947-949 Baxter Ave. on March 1. Well, there's really nothing else to see on the site, so just take my word for it.
Last year Boombozz Pizza and Taphouse opened in May, and Pizza Roma late last fall—and this among neighbors like Spinelli's, Wick's Pizza, Za's Pizza, Impellizeri's Pizza and Fat Jimmy's Pizza. And those are the pure pizza players. That doesn't even count restaurants selling pizza, like Café Lou Lou.
Do we really need another pizza joint? Sales will answer that question. I know I'll be ready to try it.
The generosity keeps flowing and flowing: Still looking for ways to help Haiti? Then get a seat the Haitian-themed Gusto Latino Dinner for Haitian Earthquake Relief, Feb. 24 at Seviche (1538 Bardstown Rd.) Profits from the event will be donated to The Lambi Fund of Haiti.
Among the menu highlights (as if an Anthony Lamas menu ever had lowlights): Accra (a mix of malanga, black-eyed peas and sofrito), and Picklese (a dish of red snapper, cabbage, carrot and smoked bacon). A total of four courses will be served and paired with wines. The evening begins with a wine reception at 7, with dinner following at 7:30. Call 473-8560 to make reservations.
Rocky's hosting Bell's Brewery night Thursday: Rocky's Sub Pub (715 West Riverside Drive in Jeffersonville) manager Thomas Kapfhammer has done a heck of a job cobbling together one of the area's strongest draft beer lineups for a non-brewery. So it's no surprise he's put together some terrific programs of late that beer folk from some top-notch breweries to Rocky's for special events.
On Feb. 11, this week's turn at the tap goes to Veronica Sanders of Bell's Brewery in Kalamazoo, Mich. This is the brewery behind first rate foamers like Two-Hearted Ale, Hopslam and Exposition Stout. If you like getting up close and personal with the people behind your favorite beverages, you don't want to miss events like these.
You're right, J.S. Just look at Manhattan: I believe there are 700 pizzerias in that borough alone. In all of the boroughs it's more than 2,100.
It's one thing to think that, when it's good, people will always buy it. But, heck, people buy crappy pizza all day long and by the boat load. Bring on more of the good stuff, I say.
It appears the wrangling between owners of the building that last housed Azalea Restaurant (3612 Brownsboro Rd.) and the residents of nearby Mockingbird Valley are finally agreeing on what should be done with the 140-year-old building: Reopen it as a restaurant named Monterrey.
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