Showing posts with label Babbo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Babbo. Show all posts

Sunday, November 8, 2020

Former Batali Bastianich restaurant Otto has Closed

 
Where is Mario ?

OTTO has CLOSED
You know things are bad when once very popular, former Mario Batali, Joe and Lidia
Bastianich restaurants close. This is the case with Otto Enoteca, created by Mario Batali and
partner Joe Bastianich back in 2003, another victim of Covid 19 Pandemic of 2020. It's a sad day for me, someone who loves Italian Wine and Italian Wine Bars, as to begin with, there are not that many in 
New York, and now we've lost another. I know what it's like. I myself created with my partner 
Tom T
America's 1st ever Venetian Wine (Bacaro) Bar Cichetti way back in 1998, right around the time that Joe Bastianich joined forces with rising celebrity chef Mario Batali and opened Babbo. This is were they started growing their restaurant empire. They followed Babbo with Lupa Osteria, specializing in Roman Cusisine and Italian Wine. Today Lupa is the only former Bastianich / Batali restaurants operating at this very moment 
(Novemeber 2020). Babbo has not opened and there is rabid speculation that Del Posto will not survive the Pandemic and in all likelihood will shutter it's doors permanently. Eataly remains opened.
 
Yes I will miss Otto. Joe and Mario set it up quite nicely, especially the bar, which though the prices were quite a bit more than most wine bars in Italy, I really liked the place. My cousin Joe and I went there on numerous occasions and had some good times there. We'd order some nice wine and have a few antipasti plates, and maybe a pasta or two. 
 
Anyway, as the smoke has cleared with the whole ting with Mario, and him leaving B&B Hospitality.
One would have to say Mr. Batali got out just in time. He was paid off for his share in the company which has now lost a great deal of its former total value. Who knew we were going to have a Pandemic that would change the whole world, killing people, and destroying many businesses in its wake. Otto is a victim of the Pandemic and has closed for good. Babbo has been closed and has not re-opened yet, though we suspect it will re-open one day, and most likely will not fall victim. Del Posto is another story, most feel that it will end up closing for good, though we could be wrong on this thinking. Lupa is a great restaurant and we are happy to see them open, and hopefully for a long time to go. We just got a new President, Joe Biden. We are all hoping and praying and wishing this horrible nightmare of the Covid 19 Pandemic would just go away (as Donald Trump said it would) and die. All everyone wants is to get back to normal. Well as normal as can be? We know many things will change for good, but we all want to go back to work full time and have things go the way they were going before this horrible Pandemic hit, "can we please?"
 
 
 
 
OTTO
 
RIP
 
"Well Miss You"
 
 
 
SUNDAY SAUCE
 
 
MEATBALLS
 
MARINARA
 
BRACIOLA 
 
and More ....
.
 
 

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Mario Batali Exonerated from Sexual Harassment Charges NYPD





Celebrity Chef MARIO BATALI



Celebrity Chef Mario Batali has been Exonerated of all Sexual Harassment Charges. Three investigations into sexual assault allegations against the celebrity chef Mario Batali have been closed because detectives could not find enough evidence to make an arrest, a New York Police Department official said Tuesday.
Three women had come forward to report that Mr. Batali sexually assaulted them years earlier at two Manhattan restaurants where he was an owner or an investor. In all three cases, the victims said they had been drinking and could not fully remember what had happened.
Charges could not be brought in two of the cases because they were beyond the New York State statute of limitations, which was lifted in 2006 but not made retroactive. Those investigations were closed sometime last summer, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of remaining anonymous as the official is not authorized to discuss the cases.
Prosecutors could not bring charges in the 3rd case because cold-case detectives in the Special Victims Division were unable to find enough evidence to prove that a crime had occurred. The case was closed in August 2018 , the official said.

The third woman claimed that she was raped 8 or 9 years ago after visiting the Spotted Pig Restaurant in Greenwich Village where Batali was an investor. The woman said that she had been drinking, and the next thing she recalled was waking up in the restaurant’s third-floor V.I.P. space, the infamous room that some of the employees dubbed The Rape Room.
“She couldn’t put the pieces together,” A New York City Police official said, "She couldn't put the pieces together," of her allegations. The police official also said, “Something happened to that victim in that room, but we don’t know if it’s criminal or not.”
Although the statute of limitations prevented Mr. Batali from being charged in the two earlier cases, prosecutors could have tried to use them in the third case as evidence of a pattern of sexual misconduct.
Mr. Batali is not completely off the hook; the cases could be reopened if more evidence emerges, the police official said. The New York City Police Department said Tuesday that it declines comment on details of any particular investigation.






Now, as this country (America) is supposed t be a just one, let's hope that the media spends as much time reporting the Exoneration of all Allegations against Mr. Batali. He has not been found guilty or even been charged of any criminal activity, yet his reputation and career have been Ruined, unjustly so. Isn't a person supposed to be Innocent until proven Guilty in The United States of America? Mario Batali has already been humiliated and persecuted in front of the entire World and especially in America, though he has committed No Crime., his reputation has been tarnished, and it is unlikely that though he has not been convicted of any crime at all, or even been charged, he has suffered greatly in the Court of Public Opinion. Is this just? We think not.

After these Sexual Harassment Allegations against Mario Batali, Mr. Batali was immediately fired by ABC from the show The CHEW where he was one of the hosts, Batali was humiliated in front of the World, and forced to remove himself from being present in any of his restaurants of which Batali, his talents and personality was the primary reason for the huge sucess of the Batali Bastianich Restaurant Empire who also own Eataly in New York, as well as restaurant around the country. Mario Batali has not been convicted of any crimes or even charged with any, yet he has beem Prosecuted in front of the general public of The United States of America, and the World. Batali has been exonerated by the New York City Police Department and the New York City Prosecutor, yet he has been ruined. Is this fare?






Wednesday, May 8, 2013

CARBONE vs CARBONE








THE RIGHT CARBONE!
OR IS IT WRONG?



Alessandor Altigieri (Owner Carbone Restorante 38th Street) has been getting a lot of extra business lately at his restaurant 
Carbone Restorante (aka The Wrong Carbone) in Hells Kitchen New York ... The source or root of the extra business is coming from an unlikely source, a rival New York restaurant, Carbone, New York's # 1 Hottest Restaurant of The Moment a.k.a. "The Right Carbone" down on Thompson Street in Greenwich Village.
Altigieri says he has been getting reservations request and delivery orders from people thinking they are ordering from the hot Carbone of the moment ... Altigieri also says, "Many people from Long Island or other places (New Jersey & Westchester) come by Limo, they "Eat" at my restaurant (by Mistake) and when they are finished they are very Happy ...











THE WRONG CARBONE!
OR IS IT RIGHT?














ROBERT DiNERO
as YOUNG "VITO CORLEONE"
THE GODFATHER PART II

Friday, March 8, 2013

BATALI NOT THE ONLY MARIO IN TOWN



Yes Boys and girls "Mario Batali" is no longer the only Mario in Town ! The town of Greenwich Village that is where Mario Batali has been The King Mario for some years now with such renowned restaurants as; Po', Babbo, and Lupa .. Here comes Mario, Mario Carbone that is, a former employee of Mr. Batali at Del Posto where Mario Carbone was a Sous-Chef before opening two renowned restaurants of his own, Torrisi Italian Specialties and "Parm" both side-by-side in 
Noho / Little Italy ...
Mario Carbone is now opening his namesake restaurant "Carbone" in the old Rocco's space on Sullivan Street across from Mario Batali's Roman Trattoria "Lupa." Mario Carbone with Co-Chef and Business Partner Rich Torrisi unlike Batali who mostly serves hard-core-authentic Italian Cuisine (of Italy) with Batali twists here-and-there will be serving Italian-American Classics. Mario Carbone that is. Carbone promises old New York Italian Favorites like; Baked Clams, Meatballs, Linguine Vongole (Clam Sauce), Lobster Fra D'Avlo and other Italian and Italian-American Classics. Carbone also says that they are looking to evoke 1950's Downtown New York Italian style restaurant.
Torrisi and Carbone have done a fine job with their two previous restaurants Parm and Torrisi Italian Specialties and we're hoping they will continue, and expect they will at "Carbone." These guys are loved by their followers, yet disdained by some and have already receive quite a bit of negativity on the Internet it seems from the mainly fans of Rocco's who don't want to see these guys at Rocco's and in the neighborhood. I for one used to go to Rocco's and loved the place. I also like what Torissi and Carbone are doing, and I'm looking forward to Carbone being quite good. If I can't have Rocco's, I'll take Carbone, and am hoping and betting this Mario is gonna be a Winner in The Village, and Greenwich Village Italian and the long honored history it has. good Luck boys!




Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

Friday, September 14, 2012

La TAVOLA "A MUST READ"


 As I've said and written before, Daniel makes probably the finest Bolognese Sauce in the country, among other dishes. Daniel besides creating America's first ever Venetian Wine Bar, has now created and given America another great wonder, in his marvelous new book "La Tavola" Italian-American New Yorkers Adventures of The Table, a wonderful book with wondrous stories of Sunday Sauce, Meatball Parms, The Feast of The 7 Fish and much more. La Tavola is one of the finest books ever written on Italian-American Food and Cuisine, with some excellent wine info and stories as well.
    This book take the read on a journey through the Italian-American culinary world; the Food, Cooking, people, and time spent at the table with wonderful stories of all the great dishes, rituals, and the realm of Italian America.
    This book is a "Must Read" for anyone interested in Italian food and food in general.





Robert Roma

article from JOURNAL of ITALIAN FOOD WINE and TRAVEL