So what was happening? As it turns out, a last-minute problem with Cielo's liquor license was serious enough to keep the whole joint shuttered through the weekend. According to Colantonio, there was some confusion over the modification of the premises -- namely, the big outdoor patio that's a focal point of the restaurant's new design -- and the current license didn't cover that addition. There were also issues with the way the paperwork had been filed, listing Sims as the landlord for the space. Suddenly it looked like Cielo had no owner, and that made the City's Department of Excise and Licenses suspicious, Colantonio says.
"I won't lie to you: It was nice to have a Saturday off," he continues. "But there are people here who've been out of work for three weeks, waiting. People who left other jobs to come work here -- and having to send them home was tough. Even though I'm only an employee, this is my name that's on the line here. Sometimes I sit down and wish I wasn't doing day-to-day restaurant work anymore. I'm a creative person. I much prefer opening restaurants and developing concepts. But when you're involved with just one place, all of a sudden you have to worry about the busboy who didn't show up or the manager who just called in sick."
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But as of this past Monday, at least he doesn't have to worry about when Cielo can start serving. On June 30, the restaurant did finally open -- with the patio still off limits. But some butts in the seats are definitely better than no butts in the seats, and -- with a little luck and a lot more headaches -- Colantonio says they hope to have the patio open this weekend.
I'll drink to that.
Leftovers: The holy spirit may fill the Sunday gospel brunches at Pierre's Supper Club (2157 Downing Street), but Lawrence J. Pierre himself is no longer in the house. In January, Pierre sold the venerable nightspot -- which has been around since 1947 -- to John Lewis, who's trying to get some fresh action going without interfering with any of the joint's historic charms (for more on the gospel brunch, see Night & Day). But other than the name on the dotted line, not much else has changed at Pierre's. The kitchen still sends plenty of great catfish out to the muted upstairs dining room, and the downstairs bars are still dimly lit and cool. The decor in all of the rooms is that same combination of rounded, earth-tone '40s hip and jazz-club swank, modernized only by the occasional flier for some local DJ throwdown and a sign in the lobby prohibiting customers from coming in flying gang colors. And pictures of the former owner are everywhere -- including on every bottle of Pierre's signature hot sauce. That sauce will never change, I've been assured.
But in case you're the cautious type and want to guarantee your own private stash, you can buy the stuff retail at Pierre's spice shop, now called The Spicy Shop and apparently sharing its space at 3445 East 28th Avenue with a Save A Dollar discount store.
That's where I found Pierre last week. Even without his flagship restaurant, he has quite a little enterprise going, with Pierre's Food Products -- still based at the 2157 Downing address-- selling hot sauce and spice mix over the Internet. And if you'd rather let someone else do the cooking, there's always Pierre's on Madison(3435 East 28th Avenue), which serves up that same catfish and barbecue, and another eatery outpost -- Pierre's in Luling -- down in Louisiana.
Sadly, there's no more MexiDan's.The little storefront at 2101 Larimer Street closed abruptly on June 27, leaving behind only a note from Dan thanking his patrons of the past 25 years and offering tamales at $5 per dozen if interested parties would just drop a note through the bars that now block the eatery's entrance.
