In the News

Restaurant Report
After Saturday night, Mezzaluna will close its doors after 16 years of serving Austinites. The restaurant, which is located in the Warehouse District, hasn't been able to recover from September 11 and the technology bust, owner Reed Clemons said in the Statesman . Capitol Brasserie will replace Mezzaluna, serving French cuisine in November. We'd like ours snail-less, please.

And now for the topic everyone loves to talk about, the smoking ban. As the deadline creeps closer, some restaurant and bar owners are taking measures into their own hands. The Backroom General Manager Sean McCarthy says they are building an air conditioned outdoor patio with an outdoor stage and televisions in a report by KVUE . But not every place has that option, and the fine for violations range up to $2000. It will be interesting to see if this really affects businesses, and how smokers will cope.

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By Jen Rodosta in News on August 3, 2005 7:30 AM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

Shanna

Last time I went to Mezzaluna, the service was godawful, and the food was just mediocre... 9/11 and technology bust my arse... they need a better chef and better waiters.

Don't get me started on the smoking ban...

Herman

Waitaminute... how was Mezzaluna affected by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks? That makes no sense whatsoever. I don't live in Austin anymore, but I was under the impression that area of town was jam-packed with restaurants and bars -- and was still quite successful.

jsamantha

what about during SXSW, when going outside to smoke a cig means having to get back in the wristband or badge line? that's gonna suck.

modam

re: the first piece of news, if a decent italian joint can't make it, what makes them think a french place will? just due to it's proximity to lance's bar? good luck, kiddos

Summer

An [irony] html tag, that is. A girl can dream.

Summer

Damn, I wasn't that serious... I voted against the ban but I could honestly care less about the whole thing and I agree that the businesses will be fine. When are we going to develop an html tag?

Sam

Listen, it is not the end of the world to ban smoking. Nor are you going to be forced to walk through some sort of "vertical tunnel." As a person who used to smoke and lives in NY, it is really not a big deal for bars to be smoke free. Smokers simply go outside, smoke and rejoin the fun indoors. And this might come as a shock, but businesses survive. Most people will not choose not being able to smoke over going out to drink. Alcohol is in our system.

It seems that some people can never be pleased. Dear Summer, if you are one of these people, cope with the fact that I have to deal with people like you. If the worst thing that happens to you is that you have to walk around a group of smokers, consider yourself fortunate. Life could be so much worse.

Jen

Damn, hit a nerve, eh?

Summer

"It will be interesting to see if this really affects businesses, and how smokers will cope."

Smokers will cope by forming in large herds all along sixth street until there is a veritable tunnel of smoke, and then we'll see how non-smokers will cope.