The weird tale of Five Points Cafe -- which closed a couple of weeks ago in advance of what was described as a forthcoming grand opening -- has taken another odd turn.
First, the Steve Matherly joint was expected to reopen on July 12, with a day of celebration to include community theater. Then, we had the reopening set for July 19, per the Five Points Cafe web site (see at right.) Or perhaps Monday, July 21, as the construction paper on the windows said for a while.
As of this weekend, the construction paper's still there, but the gig's different. Signs now herald the coming of F.M. Bistro. F.M. stands for "Farm to Market," and the plan's described as a "warm embrace of locally-owned food, art and culture."
Matherly is still involved, and according to the signs in the windows has engaged one Boo Kaufman as a chef. Kaufman is best known of late on the local scene as a music man, having booked shows at The Basement (a club at what became Ooh La Latte, and which is now Broad Street Cafe) and at his eponymous Boo's Hideaway in Raleigh.
A source notes Kaufman, who'd also been involved in the old Fowler's restaurant (predating Parker & Otis) has moved back to the Triangle and will be connecting with Matherly on the new, new plan for the restaurant. Kaufman does bring kitchen experience to the table, something that may not have been a strength in the first at-bat for the establishment.
No word yet on opening plans or dates. The sign in the window does note that new employment listings will be posted this week, and that current Five Points Cafe applicants will need to "re-apply" for jobs, with "skilled and experienced kitchen and barista" staff being hired by appointment only.
"The Basement (a club at what became Ooh La Latte, and which is now Broad Street Cafe)"
not quite. The Basement used to be "Under the Street" which closed right around the time i got here in 93. It was located below the old Seventh St. Cafe (i think), which is the Joe van Gogh's/Palace Restaurant building, not the Broad St. Cafe. The stairs to The Basement are directly in front of Joe van Gogh's.
Posted by: barry | July 21, 2008 at 10:25 AM
The building that currently houses the Broad Street Cafe used to be a Revco drugstore, or was when I came here in '81. The space above "Under the Street" was alternately Somethyme Restaurant and Seventh Street (hence the name, Under the Street).
Posted by: Steve | July 21, 2008 at 11:27 AM
Barry beat me to it. :) It was under what was Randy's Pizza and the adjacent space.
Posted by: Valerie | July 21, 2008 at 11:29 AM
The basement was an excellent club, I went there often. Yes, it was under the present day restaurant/coffeehouse.
Posted by: dkuz | July 21, 2008 at 12:04 PM
"The Basement" and "Bully's Basement" are the same thing, right?
Underneath what is now The Palace (was Randy's Pizza)?
I remember in, oh 2002?, going to Bully's one evening. It always was a wreck; I think there was about an inch of beer flooded on the floor, 90+ degrees inside, really dark, really loud. I remember I almost slipped on some beer, put my hand out to catch myself against a support beam, and ended up cutting my hand on some sort of nail or sharp metal piece in the wood.
Ahhh college.
Bully's closed in, what, 2003? 2004?
Posted by: Ela | July 21, 2008 at 03:44 PM
What's going on with the restaraunt now? there had been a bunch of stuff on the walls that were gone about a week or so ago and just today i drove by and see that its open as the Five Points Cafe....?
Posted by: Sonja Wilson | September 05, 2008 at 12:05 PM
Hey DKUZ, sorry about the mess. We tried to clean it up as much as possible but it did flood down there often. I am sure I served you a few cold ones down there. I miss it like crazy. We appreciated and enjoyed y'all. And The Basement and Bully's Basement were the same thing.
Posted by: Bulldog | December 15, 2008 at 11:13 PM