Tosca update: Italian fave open, negotiating sale to Cinelli's or 2011 winddown

We've had a lot of comments on the report last week that a sign at Bull City Market's Cinelli's described the restaurant as moving out of their Broad & Main location and into the digs of Tosca Ristorante Italiano at West Village come August.

That's not exactly right, the folks at Tosca called to tell BCR today -- though it's something that could happen.

Tosca and Blue Corn Cafe owners Antonio and Danielle Rios have been in negotiations with the owner of Cinelli's to sell off their establishment, ahead of what Tosca's GM describes as an uncertain future for Cinelli's in their current home.

Should that deal fall through (and it is not a done deal yet), Tosca would likely wind down mid-year 2011 when the restaurant's lease is up at West Village.

But it's business as usual, Tosca general manager Clarissa Kussin tells BCR -- and any closure would be a business decision driven by family concerns, not the health or success of the eatery.

Kussin notes that the Rioses started Blue Corn Cafe in the mid-1990s when they were young (Danielle just 21 years old), and that with small children getting older, they've contemplated letting Tosca close down at the end of ten years of life downtown come 2011.

Family is a big part of Blue Corn and Tosca, Kussin says, noting that the Rioses' children and her own are often found at both restaurants in the evening. And the owners may be at a point of life where balancing family and restaurant demands is easier to do with one restaurant instead of two.

"We're not going out of business," Kussin told BCR by phone today. "Nothing's pushing us out of business. This is a personal decision that's made on the personal needs of a family."

She added that the very-public sign at Cinelli's announcing that establishment's migration to Tosca was premature, and said that situation had been handled privately between the two businesses.

"They [Cinelli's] are supposed to be bringing us back an offer to the table which we can all agree on," Kussin said, calling it an "amicable" discussion. "The main thing is we have a year left on our lease at Tosca."

Kussin said that it would be a nice ending for the restaurant to find the existing equipment, upfit and the like in new hands, but that regardless, the restaurant remains open and welcoming to customers.

She said the management and owners of Tosca very much "want that space to always thrive," noting that they had to really believe in Durham and downtown ten years ago to open up a restaurant there when no one wanted to walk east of Brightleaf Square at night.

One party still to weigh in on the deal: West Village, whose management would apparently need to review and sign off on any deal between the two restaurants.

Kussin expressed her frustration that this matter entered the public discourse via third parties -- a public sign at the counter at Cinelli's, and this blog report -- rather than being announced once a deal was signed and fully committed to.

And while we have not verified this with Cinelli's management, Kussin's comments lend credence to the report of a commenter at BCR that a Whole Foods expansion into at least some more parts of Bull City Market might be in the works.

Stressing that Cinelli's and Tosca are both smaller, local businesses, she expressed wariness at ongoing national chain expansion that could impact small businesses that are deeply ingrained in communities.

"We [Durham] were known to be old-school, independent business-owners and entrepreneurs, and that's not what's happening right now," Kussin told BCR.

And if there's one restaurant that's not going anywhere, that's Blue Corn Cafe. Kussin noted the recent significant renovation of a part of the space, which expanded into the adjacent High Strung guitar shop pad a while back.

The Rioses may be planning to go from two restaurants to one, but they're nowhere near done with dining in Durham.

Comments

[NaT]

Glad to hear that Tosca is not closing! Love the food, love the atmosphere and would hate to see it close!

After reading this, am now craving their spaghetti alla carbonara...mmmmm

[Bull City Rising]

@NaT: Correct, it is not closing (pending a deal with Cinelli's), but from my conversation with the restaurant's GM, it seems pretty clear they're likely to shut their doors next year when their lease runs out.

Too bad from a downtown perspective -- and kudos to them for being pioneers in the downtown dining scene -- but it seems very understandable and sympathetic family reasons are ultimately the reason why.

[Jonn]

I really would love. to see some Mediterranean, Thai or Indian restaurants downtown.

[Rob Gillespie]

I'm with John. I love Thai Cafe, but it would be nice to have more Thai options, especially downtown. Same goes with Indian; I've got my favorite spots, but none of them are sit-down kind of places.

Seeing that the DPAC drew some 250,000 attendees in its first year of operations, there is probably more room for eateries downtown, whether in-the-loop, near Central Park, or surrounding Ambacco.

[John Martin]

I'd like to see something open at Golden Belt. They've got an absolutely gorgeous spot just waiting for a great restaurant.

[Erik Landfried]

Ditto that John. I feel for the LabourLove Gallery - they have been the only retail in Golden Belt since it was redeveloped. Golden Belt not only has a great restaurant space, but also a place for a biergarten and music venue (which I have heard is all but dead at the moment).

I also love the idea of a Mediterranean or Thai place downtown.

Speaking of restaurants, I noticed Dame's Chicken and Waffles while walking down Main St. this evening. Does anyone know anything about it? Is it open? Does it have anything to do with Blue Mountain Catering?

[Jen]

Dame's Chicken & Waffles is a new restaurant in downtown Raleigh. They offered free samples on July 30th and I must say.. It was wonderful!!! The place was really nice and it's in a great location. The food was delicious and all the waffles are homemade. I hear they will be open for lunch starting August 3rd. I think these guys are on to something big.

[Franklin Wheeler]

I agree with Jen, I was luck enough to be downtown on friday and tasted one of the samples. Which turned out to be a full size waffle and chicken breast. The food was amazing, but I have to correct Jen on one item. Dame's Chicken & Waffles is located on Main St in downtown Durham, not Raleigh... Check it out.