Sources close to ELV have told him that Woo (in the Palazzo), Full Ho (on Jones) and Ciao Ciao (the 34-screen-sports-bar-posing-as-a-pizzeria) have all closed.
The only one ELV is sad to see go is Full Ho. 18 years ago, it was our favorite neighborhood Chinese, and we still have fond memories of its orange beef and hot and sour soup.
Ciao Ciao was never as good as its devotées insisted it was. It served passable pies but mediocre everything else. And all those screens were just friggin’ annoying.
Woo never had a chance. A dated concept in a terrible location in a disaster of a mall. What were the odds?
Woo’s been closed a while, and tragically, was a muddled concept lost in the shuffle and kerfluffle of Palazzo Shoppes. But wasn’t the fault of the food. Tragic that Mayflower Cuisiner died for it.
ELV responds: We once prematurely reported Woo’s demise, causing the owners to raise all kinds of hell — even though we knew it was just a matter of time. (That’s why we waited awhile before going public with this closing.)
Insider fact: The mall owners offered to buy out Woo’s lease almost two years ago (at what we heard were fairly gentle terms) and Woo’s owners turned them down.
Insider opinion: We respectfully disagree with EG. Mayflower’s food was dated ten years ago. We’ll just have to argue it out tomorrow at lunch!
Woo always offered great food. And the fact you don’t understand why someone would be upset that you declared their restaurant closed on television is crazy. (BTW — I think they stayed open well over a year after you declared them dead.)
As for Ciao Ciao — in a town with very few good pizza places, its pizza will be sorely missed. (Hell, I even liked their roast beef and sausage sandwiches — if I wanted to immediately clog my arteries.) Since it’s down the street from my house, I can tell you it always drew a crowd. Unfortnately, the owner has decided to concentrate on a Forum Shops location.
ELV responds (channeling J.J. Hunsecker*): “You’re dead to me…go get yourself buried.”
* A reference Mancini won’t get, since his knowledge of American cinema begins with Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Ciao Ciao’s closure is only mildly more inconvenient than its operation. It’s greatest attribute was its easy location as an accessible spot for a quick dinner. The pizza was okay – far better than franchise slop but nothing special (I think Grimaldi’s is the best in town). I stopped taking advantage of it, though, because of their refusal to give you a grown-up-sized water glass. I often choose to drink water (listen closely restauranteurs) because I WANT TO DRINK WATER, not because I’m too cheap to buy another drink. Ciao Ciao served water in 6 oz. glasses. I asked on several occasions for one of the adult-sized glasses I saw the soda drinkers enjoying but was told that it was against policy. I quit going. It’s a shame because it was decent food in a convenient spot.
Settebello at the District is the best pizza in town…..check out Siena deli
Is it true that Caio Caio is looking to open a Forum Shops location?
I hope he will make quadruple the business because he will be paying triple the rent….
Best pizza in town, hands down……Gramaldi’s in Boca Park!
I say 1. Settebelos
2. Ciao Ciao
3. Grimaldis
4. Mark and Rich’s
The top 3 are all coal fired/specialty-really-hot-oven, but Mark and Rich’s is excellent if you’re dying for some NY-larger-sliced pizza. Grimaldis is good, but Im not smart enough to select ingredients and create anything tantiluzing; i would rather choose from a selection of creative options than make my own. That’s why I believe Settebelos is the best in town because every week they have a unique specialty pizza. Last time I went there I had their cauliflower purée, Parmesan and Speck pizza. Game over!
John- I’m surprised you know any films made after those damn talkies ruined cinema!
Ciao Ciao out of business is no surprise. Their pizza sucked, the servive sucked and their policy’s were bound to put them out of business. I am from New York and we never had pizza like the crap served at Ciao Ciao. The servers were arrogant and they wanted to charge for things that made no sense. How about $3.00 for a little extra salad dressing to mositen up a totally fry salad and they refused to bring us the bread early even though it came with the dinner we ordered.
The idiot that owned that place could never hace been in the restaurant business before and if has half a brain, he wil never try again.