Closing Time...

April 2010....

We knew it was coming. The owner decided he was done with the restaurant and honestly the staff was kind of relieved. K and I worked the final night. It was total chaos. We ran out of much of the wine-list halfway through the night, the owner and managers started drinking around 9, by 10 the rest of the staff showed up to finish off the alcohol inventory, leaving just K, N (food runner extraordinare) and I to actually work the floor. I never hugged so many regulars in my life. I mostly stayed sober, at least until the very end. After the money was counted of course. It was a great night financially for K and I. A little bittersweet though. I spent five years working there. Five years of craziness, dealing with an owner that didn't usually know what he was doing, customers that would sometimes drive me to drink, a great kitchen staff I'd occasionally have to describe orders to as if talking to a small child.... maybe I sound bitter. I'm not. I am glad to have had the employment. I'm glad to have met and befriended K. And honestly as far as NYC restaurants go, it really wasn't so bad. I am ready to move on though.