Highway 61 Closing

[kwass]

Just read that Highway 61 is closing. IMO it's about time! For a restaurant as consistently horrible as that one, I find it shocking that they lasted as long as they did.

[TexSquared]

What's more puzzling is how Memphis Style Smoke House (Yonge/Sheppard) is still in business.... they're definitely in the high rent/poor product (and also poor service) categories.

[TorontoTips]

I couldn't agree more.
'Memphis Style' is just a block from me - I was SO excited when I first moved here, and my utter disappointment at the unbelievably poor food was just as intense.
That said, I also agree with Kooper, I am never joyful when a place closes - jobs losses, dreams die, etc. Most (not all) independant restauranteurs think they have a great idea/product and if the food ends up being bad they have either fallen victim to poor execution, poor staff, poor food cost/quality decisions, or sadly, dsitraction of running the business.
That's not to excuse all the mercenary investment types who don't 'get' and don't care about food, hoping just to ride the wave of novel marketing, or a food trend, and make a fast buck via franchising.
But either way, I don't celebrate others' misfortune, I just go have a good meal :-)

[ylsf]

There is a discussion thread on this in the "closing" thread.....

I agree that the food was not very good but at the same time I do feel a bit bad for the staff/etc. I am not sure why they never managed to get their act together. BBQ is still very popular and they could have profited on the trend especially since they were around before a lot of the newer spots.

[Davwud]

High rent and poor product is a recipe for disaster.

DT

[hski7]

Glad it is closing too. Even though the food has been horrible, it does seem fairly consistently busy, so not too sure what happened there (or why people kept eating there).

[hal2010]

For some reason, mediocre restaurants thrive on the Bayview strip. There's not an excellent one among the lot.

[CocoaChanel]

The new L'Avenue (been twice) I would say is an exception, ,but I otherwise agree with you

[hal2010]

Thanks for the tip! I'll have to try it.

[Davwud]

I like Duff's and Hollywood Gelato. So I'd say it's not a complete wasteland.

DT

[MeMeMe]

Agreed - how can you slam patisserie la cigogne?

[CocoaChanel]

I was thinking more along the dinner restaurants - Satay by the Road, Amaya, Riz, Kamasutra, the Mexican joint etc. Cigogne had not even entered my mind :)

[terrycar]

Is there anything else worthwhile on Bayview? We are moving to that area this weekend.

[hal2010]

Alex's Cheese. Whitehouse Meats and Cumbrae if budget is not a concern... Passion Fruits has a limited but well-presented selection of produce. Cobbs for sliced bread and Rahier for croissants and baguettes. Lot's of good specialty food shops, but great restaurants are scarce.

[terrycar]

Thanks hal. I guess I'll be mostly eating at home & going to our old reliables when the mood strikes.

[hal2010]

The nice thing about this area is you can be downtown, midtown on the Danforth or in Markham in about 20 minutes so you're never that far from some good choices.

[terrycar]

Which is going to be a welcome relief from trying to get there from Long Branch.

[tochowchick]

Love the bagels at Bagel House and they are open 24 hours...yum.

[terrycar]

Me too, and just a five minute walk away.

[Kooper]

I have been there a couple of times and found the food good (not great but good) and the staff friendly. I am sad to see it close. If we lived closer it would have been our local because for 14$ form meat and a side was quite a good deal.

What makes me sick here is that glee that some people seem to find when a place they don't like closes. If you don't like it don't go. I don't understand why people keep going back to restaurants they don't like or hold a grudge against one bad meal or bad service that one time they went on a busy night. We are blessed to live in a city with hundreds or restaurants of every style, price and quality.

[jamesm]

I know, that's just weird. I don't get the delight either. It's obnoxious. Often times they don't even go or have any intention of doing so. It's just pathetic schadenfraude.