Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Holy Basil closed, space for rent

Two weeks ago, we reported that the DOH closed Holy Basil, the second-floor Thai eatery on Second Avenue near Ninth Street... According to their outgoing message, they were closed for "technical difficulties."

Now the restaurant has closed for good — there are for rent signs in the window...


Interesting that the realty sign says "retail" and not "restaurant."

In any event, the DOH handed Holy Basil an ugly 110 violations points, including for evidence of live mice and roaches in the "facility's food and/or non-food areas."

11 comments:

JM said...

This is terrible. What a great place, somehow managing to retain a lot of the vibe of the way the space existed many years ago. Really a big loss.

AC said...

The last time I thought about going here, the mob was so huge outside the 13th Step (drunken asswipes smoking on the steps), that I skipped going up. Wondered if the 13th Step kept away any potential business like me.

Anonymous said...

Had some really good times and memorable occasions at Holy Basil over the years. Great food, great vibe and nice people.

Anonymous said...

A shame, I remember having dinner there over 20 years ago. Also miss the great Telephone Bar. Now that bastion of Douchebaggery The 13th Step is there, what a joke! Keep counting your customer's daddy's money! How do the folks who own that place sleep at night, let alone the people that live around there. 2nd Ave Deli gone. Burritoville now a Subway. Wtf is going on people? The Suburban Idiots that we came here to get away from are encroaching and suffocating us with their awful ways and squareness. Btw the horrible SantaCon is promoting themselves on Facebook & Twitter, that is the frat douche's Super Bowl, let's fight back. NYC was supposed to be a place where ideas were created and found and likeminded folks from all over America would come and make this city the best and hippest, things like SantaCon are lowest level, stupidity induced that would make the people who made NYC great cringe.

evflip said...

I'm embarrassed to even walk past the 13th Step, let alone enter the very building where it is housed. That doesn't explain why I didn't go to Holy Basil's before, but I definitely pick up the pace on that block these days.

Marty Wombacher said...

Too bad about Holy Basil and I know it's been said, many times, many ways, but what a cruel sight that 13th Step sign is with the worst font in the world.

francesca said...

Aside from the bad font, I find it in bad taste to mock 12 step programs with a bar. (I'm guessing the name is a reference to the 12 steps of AA. I could be wrong.)

I just get sick of the disregard people have for local residents. I should be able to walk my dog without dodging drunk college students who want to hug her because they miss their dogs back home.

Jeremiah Moss said...

this is too bad. and the 13th Step thrives. seriously, walk past there on a busy night--the air is heavy with hot-wing vapors, enough to burn your throat just by breathing it in.

when will something be done about these places?

Occupy the 13th Step!

Anonymous said...

That's a crying shame. I enjoyed many meals at Holy Basil. I guess it's better that I did not know about the mice and roaches.

Anonymous said...

@francesca the 13th step is kind of an in slogan among AAers, meaning to hook up romantically with the newly sober (and consequently considered a slippery slope). Whether or not this is where the bar poached the term, i dunno.

Arthur said...

Holy Basil was always a little on the expensive side, but the food was great, and it was my go-to Thai.

It'll be missed.