Maisonette (Cincinnati) CLOSED

Very bad news for Cincinnati (not to mention those who worked there), in a culinary if not really Roadfood-ish sense

http://www.channelcincinnati.com/news/4766386/detail.html

That's a shame. I don't know about those Comisars. They owe more than that to their long-time employees.

Wow! I'm stunned. I thought for sure they'd make the move to the new locations eventually.

Never got there, but it was always one of those 5 star places mentioned in Mobil Guide. How was the place?

quote:

Originally posted by signman

Never got there, but it was always one of those 5 star places mentioned in Mobil Guide. How was the place?

Ah, the veal.
I have a Maisonette story. My wife and I were there having dinner one night. We were in a banquette. At a table in front of us was a group of businessmen, mostly drunk, loud and disusting. At one point, one of the people at that table turned in his chair and crushed out a cigar in a plate on our table. With that, a captain strode over to our table, removed the plate, and apologized. At the same time, a manager approached the table with the offenders and told them to leave. Although they put up a slight argument they did leave, and we were comped on a dinner that would have totalled an easy $300. We also were asked to please return at anytime at no charge.

A week later there was a knock on the door of our home and when my wife answered there was a chauffer-type with a bottle of Veuve Cliquot and a handwritten invitation from one of the Comisars asking us to please return for dinner at any time that was convenient.

That's a helluva story!!

As I recall the Maisonette was the top restaurant in Cincy. I was at a meeting in downtown Cincy and I almost had the opportunity to dine at their establishment. Sadly, I missed it. Nothing is forever.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

It's sad. But once again, the Jack McKee Theory of Next-Generation Restaurant Owners holds true.

Nat Comisar has been trying to strong-arm the city into funding the Maisonette's transformation into an "entertainment complex." Like the owners of the Bengals before him, he has taken the "do this or we leave" angle. Unlike the Bengals situation, the local elected officials didn't roll over and play dead for him.

Finally, he decided to move to a northeastern suburban location in 2006. The choice of location was good, because it would be close to all of Cincinnati's wealthiest suburbs, which, as you might imagine, provide most of the Maisonette's business.

Obviously, he overextended himself. There have been some zoning problems with the new location, and cashflow has been affected.

The real shame is that the string of five-star ratings is over. As I recall, any move requires an automatic "no review" for a year from Mobil.

Sad. Just sad.

I guess chef Jean-Robert Calvel got out and started his own places in perfect time.

A local report today in Columbus quoted a couple of industry publications as saying the loss of business as a result of "urban unrest" was the cause of the shutdown at the close of business Saturday.

In an interview, the owner pointed to slow summer sales.....

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

In an interview, the owner pointed to slow summer sales.....

Mayor Charlie Luken was quoted in the Post today as saying that Nat Comisar has been obsessed with selling the building that houses the Maisonette and La Normandie in order to pay off the debt he owes his parents for buying the company.

The problem is also a zoning variance request in Sycamore Township. Basically, Comisar was hoping for a variance in the required buffer zone in the township. Government officials in Sycamore Township are quoted as saying that Comisar never ran his plans by them before he announced where he was going to build. So his plans are not in keeping with their zoning. And the wider required buffer zone makes his plans not feasible.

The Maisonette's chef is putting his house on the market and hunting for a new job, as are the rest of the 90 employees.

Latest news about the Maisonette is that it is never re-opening....

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050923/NEWS01/509230325

Very sad for Cincinnati

What a shame. I enjoyed some memorable meals at Maisonette. And I can't say I've ever had better service anywhere.

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050923/NEWS01/509230325

It's Official. Nat Comisar's short-sightedness, bungling, and greed have combined to destroy the longest running five-star restaurant in America...... The Mainsonette is not coming back; the contents of the building will be auctioned off, including the valuable art work. Gee. Why am I not surprised that he would never think of donating them to a museum?

Here's a link to the Maisonette auction happening today and tomorrow. Everything's being sold.

http://www.greatamerican.com/APCM/APCMviewer.asp?a=339&z=6

Oldest bottle of wine is from 1924.

Art collection appraised at $250,000.

It's interesting to look through the pictures of all the items.

You can't just bid on one plate or a place setting of silverware. I'm hoping whoever buys the dinnerware and the flatware, etc., is local and offers it for sale by the piece.

This is so sad.

Nat Comisar says he isn't sure what career path he's going to follow next. Would you hire the guy who ruined a legend in the restaurant industry?

What a pity. I fondly remember the Maisonette while growing up in Cincinnati. It was the first and best of the great places to dine.
Cincy52

quote:

Originally posted by dmerten

What a pity. I fondly remember the Maisonette while growing up in Cincinnati. It was the first and best of the great places to dine.
Cincy52

Did anybody else notice that one of the items auctioned was the Maisonette name and logo? It was bought by an anonymous purchaser.

In the absence of any hard facts as to who the person or corporation was, I officially open the floor to speculation and hearsay.

Who in town do you think bought it, and do they intend to rebuild the Maisonnette?

I have no idea.

How much did these two "ethereal" items cost?

I believe a fellow named DAVE bought the Logo and Name. He promises to make the name FAMOUS in the near future!

ouchie

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

I have no idea.

How much did these two "ethereal" items cost?

From the Enquirer news story:

The most expensive item sold during the two-day Maisonette auction wasn't a piece of art, a bottle of wine or a chandelier.

It was the name itself.

The name of Cincinnati's iconic 5-star restaurant went for $35,000 Saturday afternoon.

Maureen Haney, an attorney from the Frost, Brown & Todd law firm, bought it on behalf of a client she declined to identify.

As bidding opened on the name - which includes the trademark "M" logo - the first bidder held up five fingers.

"If that's $500, you're leaving," quipped Mark Weitz, the auctioneer and president of the Great American Group auction firm.

It was $5,000.

The bidding quickly escalated.

Haney had to raise her bid four times before winning.

She said it was exhilarating to be part of the drama. "What really made it exciting is that it wasn't my money," she said, adding her client's plans for the name will be revealed soon.

quote:

Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen

I believe a fellow named DAVE bought the Logo and Name. He promises to make the name FAMOUS in the near future!

Danger! Danger, Will Robinson! A chain has been secretly named! Stealth chain usage! Danger!

You are SOOOOOO bad.....