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Geoffrey's in Roslindale re-opening, but with new management
By adamg on Tue, 10/19/2010 - 3:29pm
Roslindale bistro fans rejoice: It turns out that Geoffrey's on Washington Street actually is not closing and is, in fact, re-opening tomorrow, just like the sign in the window now says.
Beth McNichols, owner of the Spring Street Cafe in West Roxbury - and, it turns out, still owner of the Washington Street restaurant and bar - says she's taking the place over again, three years after she agreed to let the owner of the original Geoffrey's in the Back Bay and South End take over operations of her restaurant, then called Salute.
Now that that Geoffrey's has moved back to the Back Bay, McNichols said she's resuming direct control of the Roslindale establishment, but will keep the name.
Got that?
A caller to the new Geoffrey's in the Back Bay yesterday was told the Roslindale Geoffrey's was closed forever. But in a phone interview this afternoon, McNichols said she never had any plans to close Geoffrey's in Roslindale. She said she still has financial ties to the new Geoffrey's - she said they still owe her quite a bit of money - but that otherwise, Boston will simply have two places named Geoffrey's.
McNichols, who ran a restaurant in the North End for 12 years, said she is not planning any major changes at the Roslindale Geoffrey's, although she said she is remodeling the kitchen and will add some "basic" Italian dishes to the menu, such as chicken parm and chicken, broccoli and ziti.
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Just talked to McNichols again. She said the decision to shut the Roslindale Geoffrey's was as much a surprise to her as it was to everybody else - from the landlord to customers to neighbors. In fact, she said the first she knew the old "owners" were not going to run two Geoffrey's was when she got a phone call last week from a broker who wanted to know if she would be interested in leasing the space.
McNichols, who lives in Roslindale and so has been getting an earful from people upset about the apparent sudden demise of Geoffrey's, says she's now on the hook for back rent payments and that the Back Bay people walked out of Roslindale with pretty much everything that wasn't nailed down - pots, serving spoons, even salt shakers.
So she's been busy the last few days restocking the place and hiring new help for tomorrow's re-opening. She adds that although she's keeping the Geoffrey's name for now, if only because that's what's on the front of the restaurant, but that she may wind up changing the name.
She adds one of her priorities will be to do something about the quality of the food, which had been getting less than rave reviews.
Meanwhile, Michael Aplin of the Back Bay Geoffrey's, who lives in Roslindale as well, has apologized to Roslindale patrons on his Facebook page:
More Scuttlebut
Rumor has it that after Salute failed (in this and other diners' opinions, largely because of colossally rude staff), Beth rented the restaurant to Michael for three years with option to buy. At the end of three years - largely because of great regular business - Geoffrey's was worth far more than the failed Salute was. Beth wanted to profit off Michael's hard work and asked for an exorbitant purchase price, refusing to negotiate a reasonable price based on the physical value of the location. The price was so out of scale that Michael was able to buy a larger space in the Back Bay for less money. That's right - Beth was asking more per square foot for a mid-block location on Washington Street in Roslindale than Michael paid for a corner on Berkeley Street in the Back Bay.
Bad feelings all around here, and poor prospects for both restaurants, IMHO. Geoffrey's has great staff and a real neighborhood feeling, but their food is, frankly, mixed. Some truly excellent things (the cupcakes, the burgers, the hash), some rather good dishes (the calamari pomodoro, the eggplant milanese, the steak tips), several things one would not likely order twice (the chicken and biscuits, the pizza), and some things the chef was too embarrassed to keep on the menu (breakfast potatoes). In the Back Bay, the competition will be much, much steeper as far as food quality. Michael will have to step up his game (and I sincerely hope he does).
On the other hand, if the people who liked to go to Geoffrey's in Roslindale on a regular basis, and who enjoyed the camaraderie and kindness of the excellent Geoffrey's staff, are both deprived of delicious cupcakes and confronted with the abusive, rude, and negligent creeps who staffed the failed Salute, they will never go back, and the ex-Geoffrey's will fail even faster, leaving Roslindale with another empty storefront.
I ask you: why can't people just get along? This is why we can't have nice things.
I couldn't agree more with
I couldn't agree more with this comment. Your take on this is perfect. Sad, but true.
If you could only combine the two.
Geoffrey's has a nice location and physical layout. The staff, as mentioned, is awesome. The food, to be generous, has been substandard the last three or four times I've eaten there.
Spring Street has an awful location but the food is better. Why not bring the good food from Spring Street and keep everything else at Geoffrey's the same?
No idea what your issue with
No idea what your issue with the chicken and biscuits is. Hearty, filling, down-home dish perfect for a cold New England day
Broccoli and ziti? This is
Broccoli and ziti? This is not sounding very good.
Whit
Poor Service and Food
I had high hopes for Salute when it opened but those dreams were quickly dashed by lackluster food and indifferent waitstaff. I went once (and only once) to Spring Street Cafe and that too was terrible - poor service, bland food and a staff that didn't seem to give two hoots about the customers. As much as I would love to have another thriving restaurant in the square, I won't hold my breath.
I recall indifferent, diner style service at Spring Street.
But I think the food is more consistent than Geoffrey's.
spring street cafe
i tried to go there once with my son- it was pretty empty- the staff ignore me for too long while chatting and checking on the customers still eating- plenty of tables and my son was hungry- we waited - no one even looked at us! We waited... and waited- 15 minutes at least and nothing- there were two tables seated! I finally left- never seated never acknowledged- and have never tried to go back! Guess i won't be going to geoffrey's anymore.
strawberry margaritas...
but will they still have the same phenomenal cocktails?
I think Roslindale has
the chicken parm and the chicken broccoli ziti market covered. Please let's not go back to that.
Yes, no more chicken parm or broccoli ziti
Amen to that. What Roslindale Village really needs is a Dogwood Cafe type of place. Whoever opens up an upscale pub with good beers on tap and reasonable food done well - a real, neighborhood hang out where everybody goes and everybody knows your name - is going to clean up.
Birch Street Bistro is not that?
I'm not a bar type, so I'm asking, not making some kind of statement.
Nope
The food at Birch Street is resolutely mediocre. One step up from Denny's. I honestly don't understand why it's still open. I'd love to see a decent place open there.
Have you checked out...
Cafe Railto?
The pizza at Rialto
The pizza at Rialto is really quite good. Maybe in a couple years they could move into a better space. It's a bit too much like the food court at a train station.
Cafe Rialto isn't far from
Cafe Rialto isn't far from the Dogwood concept, just smaller. Good beers, amazing pizza, and other good pub fare. Also, I disagree that the Bistro is mediocre, though I haven't been there in a while. I've had some enjoyable dinners there.
Geoffrey's cafe
She adds one of her priorities will be to do something about the quality of the food, which had been getting less than rave reviews.
I hate to make a comment. Are you kidding me? the quality of the food was great. Same with the drinks. Enough said. Your pettiness of it all is very inmature. Sorry you can't or won't admit to defeat. and you have no right to the name .. the customers will want the satisfaction of Geoffrey's service & it just won't be there. Again Good luck with that ..