paesans??? con't...

[birdy30]

Guess what? The inevitable happened. Paesan's has closed for good. The owners will continue with the other location. As I have said before, I genuinely feel bad but I can't help to think how this restaurant stuck out like a sore thumb. Wonder what is going to go in there now?

[Ralphie_in_Boston]

I'm not one to dance on anyone's grave either....I also feel bad that they invested so much in that place, but if they couldn't drum up substantial business from summer foot traffic on Salem Street, then it wasn't in the cards for them. I sometimes have lunch in the N.E. and I often walked by to see what was going on there. In about 6-8 passes midday by that place this summer, I've seen a table occupied by customers only one time.

I also wonder what's going there. If it's something that is more similar to the existing establishments, how will it differentiate itself. If it's something overly different, it'd have to be different in a popular way. Maybe a small market would be good...didn't a produce place recently close nearby? What if a market that had a little bit of everything opened up there (produce, meat, staples, etc) so that residents could do some grocery shopping and visitors could pick up a few things too. I know easier said than done, but good luck to the next establishment there (no chains please!!!!)

[Joanie]

Maybe City Feed should open a 3rd location. I had one of their arancini at a festival and it was pretty heavy. What was in that space before they came, D'Amore's?

[MC Slim JB]

That space was D'Amore's for many years, then La Brace for maybe two years, then Paesan's.

[pierce]

If they had closed a few months ago I'm sure the circus on government center plaza would have bought the sign off of them.

I'm waiting for more restauranteurs to realize that the few non-italian places in the neighborhood do very well (and have done very well for a long time), and to find a niche to fill that way.

[Joanie]

North St. Grill does okay at best, unless things have changed. Goody Glovers seems to get a bit of a crowd, and that Beantown Beans or whatever that non Italian cafe on Salem St. is called is always jammed. What else is there?

[9lives]

Neptune, Volle Nolle, Billy Tse's all do well.

[pierce]

also Waterfront, Anthony's, Cozy Corner, Sail Loft.

These and those 9Lives mentioned are the places that people who live in the neighborhood go when they don't want to cook. Funny enough the one that I have not been to is North Street Grill, despite living closest to it of all. For whatever reason it just has never sounded best on any given night, and while we've heard the breakfast is good, it seems to attract a rather asshole-ish crowd

[Bostonbob3]

China House (despite the average food) is crazy busy too.

[9lives]

Are you sure? They were wheeling in cartons of Pastene tomato sauce this AM.

[phatchris]

They are probably setting up another cart at the feast.

[9lives]

That explains it. I saw them set up 2 weeks ago at the Fisherman's ? Feast.

[Ralphie_in_Boston]

Walked by there today. Looked deserted inside, sign on the door said "vacation Aug 11-21" .

[marcusnaz14]

As an Italian American who lives in the North End I refuse to go there based on it's tacky exterior and confused menu. Call that whatever you may I just find it to be an eyesore to my neighborhood. It looks cheap and silly....

I would expect to see it in say Hoboken New Jersey where they cannot pronounce Mozarella. I have nothing against Hoboken, but I just cannot stand Americans who butcher a beautiful language.

[Ralphie_in_Boston]

As an Italian American who can't afford to live in the North End, but loves the area, works nearby and visits whenever possible, I agree with you. The very name of the place is the first thing that turned me off, then it only escalated from there once I saw the place and what they had on the menu.

But I do still feel sorry for the people who must have lost their shirts investing in it. Even though I disagreed wholeheartedly with nearly everything about that place, local folks losing money is nothing really for me to celebrate. If it were an out of town big corporation or chain, then I'd be dancing the Tarantella (not the spider-bite version, but the happy one) out in front.

Speaking of the Jersey analogy, which I also agree with, this is the main reason I couldn't bring myself to ever watch a single episode of The Sopranos (well, that and I also can't afford HBO). The way those guidos butcher the language is beyond pathetic.

From a chow standpoint, there were one or two things on the menu I thought might have been interesting enough to try (the calamari dish, a couple of their specialties). But it didn't stay around long enough for me to get around to trying it.

[pemma]

Yes, if they are bastardizing the language with a name like that what does that say about the food? Cabeesh!?