Greg Morey, the perpetually upbeat publicist for Cafe Trio, sent out an e-mail yesterday saying that the new Plaza location for the restaurant -- which officially closed up shop in the old 3535 Broadway space on May 9 -- probably won't be opening until June 8.
Cafe Trio partners Chris Youngers (right) and Tai Nguyen had hoped to have the new place open for business by June 1 at the latest, but a heat sensor in one of the kitchen hoods needed to be replaced to meet city codes. "We've ordered it," said Youngers. "It's on its way."
Youngers and Nguyen (and their third partner Al Ritchie) have sunk a ton of dough into the former Frondizi's space and, honestly, the place looks very posh, very sophisticated -- lots of gold, Mandarin red, shiny black, mirrors and in the Starlet Lounge, an array of photographs of old movie stars like Hedy Lamarr, Lana Turner, and Kansas City's very own queen of all gay icons: hanger-wielding legend Joan Crawford.
When I stopped in yesterday, there were a half-dozen wanna-be servers filling out applications (I recognized one; he had been a fixture for years at Skies at the Hyatt Regency) and there was still mechanical work taking place in the kitchen, which is nearly three times larger than the old kitchen. Chef Leon Bahlmann -- husband of former Frondizi's chef Linda Duerr -- and his crew will need the extra kitchen room since the new Cafe Trio will be able to seat, with every table on the outdoor deck occupied, twice as many patrons. And that doesn't count diners eating in the bar or in the upstairs "overflow" dining room that looks down, mezzanine-style, on the main room.
A friend of mine has been wringing his hands over Cafe Trio's ambitious move, fearing that what was so unique and charming about the original restaurant -- the intimacy, the congenial serving staff, the lively bar -- will be lost in translation to the newer, glitzier digs. But I think the new space has tons of potential. Youngers and Nguyen are bringing along most of the staff from the Broadway location (including veteran server Richard Strong, who has already e-mailed postcards to all of his call customers reminding them to request his services when they come in for dinner) and have hired a veteran manager, Robbie McGowan, who came to Cafe Trio after a long run at Cafe Sebastienne.
The new Cafe Trio will also serve lunch, beginning in July, which Youngers and Nguyen didn't offer in the original venue. That's another reason for an expanded staff.
Youngers feels the old Frondizi's space -- which was completely gutted to accommodate the fresh, new flowing interior design of Cafe Trio -- will be a good fit for his restaurant's concept and a clientele that's fiercely loyal, but was vocal in expressing a fear of too much change. To avoid first-time culture shock, chef Bahlmann introduced the newest menu two months ago, in the old space. Youngers and Nguyen would like to change a few culinary standbys from the restaurant's repertoire. The pita bread, for example. "We're thinking of a selection of breads, rolls and crisps," Youngers said.
Most of the longtime regulars showed up to pay homage to the now-closed 3535 Broadway location, including the final night. "It ended very late," Youngers said, "with a lot of water and whipped cream being thrown."
I'm sorry I missed that.
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