Recently I started following city blogger Jeremiah Moss's Vanishing New York and discovered that he really has a lot to blog about and for very good reasons.
Not too far from my neighborhood, Shea Stadium is being demolished to be replaced by the new one. To my dismay and to the rest of the faithful New York Mets fans and great lovers of landmarks (or such), the new name is Citi Field, in keeping with part of the deal made with the financiers which is Citigroup, Inc.. Or so I heard. Why we need a larger capacity stadium I understand but changing the name is a disgrace.
Many more venues are either leaving town or are being replaced by upscale ones. Neighborhood gentrification is on the rise and at a pace as fast as they can build high-rise, high-priced condominiums.
In August my friends and I tried to meet at Cafe Mozart on the Upper West Side for brunch , but when we got there it was CLOSED. There was no sign at the door except that it's "closed". It looks like it's been gutted or was quickly shut down. I brushed off the thoughts that this will be permanent. Maybe they will be renovating the place. To my surprise, as I was getting ready to make reservations for this coming Saturday's brunch before the opera, I got the same message that their number has been disconnected with no further info. Their website obliterated too!
Cafe Mozart was one of the finest reasonably-priced European style restaurants in the city with the closest proximity to the Lincoln Center . It seems like a place out of old New York or Vienna charming with its antique decor and furniture. The display case filled with pastries and cakes of all sorts was deliciously inviting.
Coffee and dessert was what I originally knew it was famous for. That was when our friend Mila introduced us to this place one evening for a taste of its scrumptious plate of melted Camembert and fruits. I also heard they served the best chicken schnitzel in town. Of late we've gone there for their brunch my favorite of which was the eggs Benedict. Some days we also enjoy the music from a piano player playing either jazz or some classical arrangements.
The food spectacular and the place with its relaxed atmosphere was the closest thing to a Viennese cafe. What a shame that it closed down. You'll be surprised, there are only a few good places to eat around the Lincoln Center area and this was one of the best.
I'm truly saddened by this. My friend Jerry from California will be very disappointed too. Does anyone know what happened and when they closed? And if Cafe Mozart will reopen?
