Thursday, November 10, 2011

Cucina di Pesce closed for 'emergency repairs'

Cucina di Pesce, the solid Italian standby on East Fourth Street west of Second Avenue, has been closed this past week... sign says for emergency repairs...


Unfortunately, the DOH closed them last Thursday with 51 violation points for the usual "evidence of" stuff...


While standing there the other evening, this couple walks up for dinner. The woman is quite perturbed to find it closed. She peppers the carpenter out front with questions. Why are you closed? What happened? The carpenter explains that the place is closed for repairs. Nothing he says sinks in. Was there a fire? I don't understand why you're closed! Losing patience, the fellow finally snaps, "They're closed lady."

She harumpfs and says something about having already paid for parking...


Anyway, this reminds me that I haven't eater here in years... As New York put it: "Cucina di Pesce is the type of unpretentious, comfortably lived-in Italian restaurant that ruled New York before Mario Batali and his ilk turned the town upside-down."
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13 comments:

  1. AdamNovember 10, 2011 at 10:04 AM

    This place isn't what it used to be years ago. I don't know if its under new management or if the owners just decided to cheap out on everything, but the quality has declined. Worse, they sell a gift certificate on restaurant.com... and don't honor it. (Instead, they force the waiters to give up some of their tip money to offer a small "discount"). To me, that's a borderline scam. Not surprised that DOH shut this down. They need to seriously pick up their game.

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  2. esquared™November 10, 2011 at 10:24 AM

    plus they have complimentary mussels and buy one get one free appetizer and drink during happy hour at the bar

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  3. abrodNovember 10, 2011 at 10:59 AM

    the "emergency repairs" seem to be a new door or something, it looks to me as if they may be closing in that terrace area. this place was O.K. at best, nothing special. heard good things about the happy hour but it's never been compelling enough to go

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  4. bowery boyNovember 10, 2011 at 12:40 PM

    years ago I was a waiter here and Frutti de Mare, and their other place that was on Bleecker St. surprisingly even to me, after that time I still ate there once in a while. like most restaurants, once you know what goes on behind the scenes, you never wanna eat the food. odd place though: Yugo' owners, doing italian food, cook by asians, served by anglos, bused by hispanics - and no crossover. The place was a better value back even every pasta was $5.95.

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  5. VH McKenzieNovember 10, 2011 at 6:45 PM

    I guess a "Closed for Repairs" sign is the equivalent of a DOH grade below a B.

    Just guessing. Either way, nobody's coming in to eat.

    So cut your losses until you can get the traffic coming back.

    ReplyDelete
  6. ShawnNovember 10, 2011 at 7:02 PM

    I agree it used to be wonderful... late 90's early 2ks, I went all the time. Went a year or so ago, wasn't quite as I had remembered. Need to give it another shot. I once loved this place!

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  7. AnonymousNovember 10, 2011 at 8:46 PM

    Yes. Haven't been there since very early 90's (maybe late 80's). It was in the heydey of "THE Yuppie", Neighborhood Gentrification, etc. Yet this place was unpretentious, reasonably priced, and good. Very unusual for that time ...looooong time ago.

    As per the current status; they've been closed doing this work for many weeks as far as I know.

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  8. blue glassNovember 10, 2011 at 10:20 PM

    there was a time when there were no real restaurants in this area except for the polish and ukrainian coffee shops, the italian restaurant/pizza place on second avenue and 9th street and the second avenue deli.
    i think pier nine on second avenue was the first real yet inexpensive restaurant here followed by cucina di pesce, which i think opened in the late 1970's.
    there has been so much change around here that it is sometimes hard to remember where things were and when.

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  9. AnonymousNovember 10, 2011 at 11:37 PM

    Their red sauce sucks, but the pumpkin ravioli and the seafood linguini are on point. We go there other week. Early bird special and all that...

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  10. daniseanNovember 11, 2011 at 3:52 AM

    I am disappointed to read this comments. I had my first date with now husband at cucina di peace. We go there for special occasions and are always pleased. There is something so comfortable about the place, the food and the waiters. Like going home.
    I think the nasty comments come from jealousy. Can't copy the atmosphere cucina has mastered.

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  11. AnonymousNovember 11, 2011 at 10:20 PM

    Didn't really see the "nasty comments" you are referring to(?)

    They opened around '82 - 84"?

    Was always a great place to take the parents. They would be blown away by the price to quality quotient.
    (ah, those were the days.)

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  12. glammaNovember 14, 2011 at 12:18 PM

    really hope to see these guys come back.

    ReplyDelete
  13. EV GrieveNovember 14, 2011 at 12:29 PM

    Hi Glamma,

    They are back open... been meaning to note that...

    ReplyDelete

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