507514 Tue Apr 08 17:29:50 -0700 2008 14 10 Florida 0 3575120 My roommate got a call this afternoon letting him know to look for another reservation for when his family comes in town, as Mark's is closing. Sounds like the economy got to them. Tue Apr 08 17:29:50 -0700 2008 117906 mikek 1 3575698 The place has always sort of flown under the radar and never exactly been a hot reservation, even though I've always found the food to be very good. Truth is I've only infrequently gone myself as well. Tue Apr 08 20:55:29 -0700 2008 3575120 35525 Frodnesor 2 3579100 Aw, this is a shame and I feel somewhat guilty. I liked the food but would typically only go once a year. Something about the location made the place less interesting and memorable. Wed Apr 09 18:14:18 -0700 2008 3575698 156746 jessierandall 3 3579357 +1 what a shame though... Wed Apr 09 19:42:12 -0700 2008 3579100 50328 tpigeon 1 3587848 FYI all the Mark's are closing. The investors have pulled the plug. Sat Apr 12 14:15:09 -0700 2008 3575120 183001 clickthese 2 3588620 Whoa. Sat Apr 12 20:25:57 -0700 2008 3587848 12101 lax2mia 2 3589200 You certain he is closing the Las Olas restaurant? Sun Apr 13 07:06:13 -0700 2008 3587848 144856 The Chowfather AKA sobe 3 3593915 Las Olas and the Boca location are to remain open according to the Miami New Times... JessieRandall you got quoted in the piece LOL. http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2008/04/marks_closes_shop_in_south_bea.php#more Mon Apr 14 15:46:48 -0700 2008 3589200 136768 dmo305 4 3649286 "Las Olas restaurant becomes third in Mark's group to close in recent weeks - Group recently shut down two other sites" By Jaclyn Giovis - South Florida Sun-Sentinel 10:15 PM EDT, May 1, 2008 Mark's Las Olas, a Fort Lauderdale foodie favorite since 1994, unexpectedly went out of business Thursday. (more...) sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flzmarks0502sbmay02,0,6656295.story Fri May 02 04:55:49 -0700 2008 3593915 85951 CFByrne 5 3649307 Quote from Militello from the article: "This whole thing is so unimportant". Surprisingly insensitive thing to say for someone who just put dozens of people out of work. Probably pretty important to them. Fri May 02 05:16:21 -0700 2008 3649286 35525 Frodnesor 6 3651324 Agreed - see my reply to the entire post: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/507514#3651316 Fri May 02 14:12:58 -0700 2008 3649307 135798 blisskat 5 3651478 Did anyone else think it's strange that the Boca location features "sushi offerings by Roy Villaicrusis" and that they're planning on reopening the Las Olas location as a sushi restaurant as well? From the article - "The owner is working on a concept for that [Las Olas Boulevard] location," Zerboni said. Those plans likely will include sushi by Villaicrusis, she said, though Freundlich "wants to make sure the quality and execution of the sushi is flawless" at the Mizner Park location before opening a new Fort Lauderdale restaurant." According to the article Freundlich is the Managing Partner of Mark's restaurant group. If he plans to turn Mark's into sushi restaurants featuring Villaicrusis then where does Mark Militello fit? Has anyone heard about a falling out among the partners? It might explain Militello's "unimportant" quote. Fri May 02 15:12:04 -0700 2008 3649286 18845 RickL 1 3594337 I used to see Miletello all the time at Calypso in Pompano. I was a hard-core regular in early to mid 90's. He lived nearby and he'd come in for a snack at 4 in the afternoon before heading to his place on Las Olas. It was foodie heaven with him, Chuck or Mike, and myself sitting at the counter talking about which small town in Maine had the world's best scallops... and similar things that don't excite most normal people. I hope his places stay open... I don't go as often as I should but now perhaps I will. In 1995 I went to Emerils in New Orleans, he had been in FL for an event a year earlier and knew Mark. I had told Mark I was going, So I'm at a table with some friends and Em walks by and I go "Mark Miletello says Hi". Emeril stopped and we chatted SoFla food for about 5 minutes! Mon Apr 14 18:07:38 -0700 2008 3575120 85951 CFByrne 1 3651316 My husband got a job at Mark's SoBe about a month before they closed, worked 7 days/week for them when their other new server for the new breakfast/lunch service didn't work out and STILL has not received his final paycheck from there for two weeks of work. VERY shady & disappointing considering Mark's good rep up until now. Fri May 02 14:10:43 -0700 2008 3575120 135798 blisskat 2 3652131 dmo, thanks for the heads up! My guilt has apparently been immortalized. Fri May 02 19:54:09 -0700 2008 3651316 156746 jessierandall