Comments on: Pigall’s closing, Jean Robert leaving group

By: Losing Pigall’s … and Jean-Robert « My Wine Education

Losing Pigall’s … and Jean-Robert « My Wine Education — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:06:17 +0000

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By: Heather Smith

Heather Smith — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:21:35 +0000

Has anyone here who’s speaking with authority on Martin Wade and what he’s like ever met the man? I have, and have spent time with him here and there over the last 20 years, and he’s a) extremely intelligent b) funny and c) disarmingly honest. He also seems to really love and admire Jean-Robert, despite all the crap that’s flying around on these blogs. I feel like it’s important not to drag someone’s reputation through the mud based on hearsay. I realize this is an old thread, and few will see this, but I feel it’s important to say. Does anyone else here feel that way? Does anyone realize how many people in the community Martin and Marilyn Wade have helped? I’m just tired of listening to rage and gossip on this issue.

By: CincyCapell

CincyCapell — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 02:55:22 +0000

I apologize if I was wrong about the food at Lavo, and apparently I was. A close friend of mine has a son that cooks at Jeanro and has worked at chalk as well. My information at least in part, comes from that person.

By: Sam

Sam — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 16:09:07 +0000

CincyCapell: While much of what you have written regarding the respective roles of Martin Wade and Jean-Robert in the company may be true, the following quote from one of your comments here is patently false:

“Plus most of the food is prepped or even completely cooked at the Wade’s central commissary. So all of the restaurants are essentially serving the same food from the same kitchen. Just like a chain. Pigall’s is the only restaurant that JR oversees, and where the food is bought, prepped & cooked on premise.”

I cannot speak for all of the restaurants in the former Jean-Robert Group, but I can say with complete certainty that Lavomatic, for one, buys, prepares and cooks ALL food on premise. The only thing at Lavomatic that comes from the commissary are the baguettes. While Lavomatic is owned by the Wades, its menu is entirely its own.

Yours,
A faithful employee of Lavomatic

By: Lesley

Lesley — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 04:21:03 +0000

I have a feeling the place will be booked pretty solid from now til then….

By: Sara

Sara — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 01:59:27 +0000

Like many who’ve posted before me here, I’ve had mixed experiences at a number of the Jean-Robert Group restaurants – including Jean-Ro Bistro, Greenup Cafe, and Pho (in its Oakley incarnation, not its short-lived Covington one). However, without fail, each and every experience at Pigall’s has been outstanding and among the top restaurant experiences I’ve had (and certainly at the very top of the experiences I’ve had in Cincinnati). In fact, my husband and I loved Pigall’s so much, we had our (very small) wedding there in October of last year. The staff were exceptional, the meal was unforgettable, and Jean-Robert himself came upstairs after the meal to introduce himself, thank us for having our dinner there, and to make sure everything was to our satisfaction. I was grateful for the staff at Pigall’s – and certainly for whatever role Jean-Robert might have helped play in the evening – for an absolutely flawless evening.

Because my husband and I had planned to celebrate our anniversaries at Pigall’s, we felt we had to commemorate its closing in some way. So we have made a reservation for the second seating (8:30) on February 28 as our way of making one last visit there – and as our way of showing Jean-Robert that we are grateful for what he and his restaurant did for us personally and, more generally, for those who love good food in Cincinnati.

If other people are similarly inclined, perhaps we can have an informal strong showing of support for Jean-Robert at Pigall’s on his last night there. We could crowd the place, with every table full, showing him how we appreciate all he’s done to elevate the food culture in Cincinnati and to show him that we will follow and support him in whatever his next venture may turn out to be.

By: Lesley

Lesley — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 22:59:21 +0000

Thanks for the clarification cincycappel. I didn”t know that. BUT, I had a pretty bad meal at JeanRo Bistro in August. When I said something to the waiter, and mentioned how surprised I was because the food there had always been great, his reply was;
“Well, the people behind you really like this dish, and they are big time foodies.”
Rarely have I ever been so insulted by a waiter. He had NO clue what my credentials are, what kind of “foodie” I was, if I was there with Bon Appetit magazine, etc. Just insane.
I wrote the manager, never got a reply.
That’s when I thought “What is UP with this?” Now I get it.

Anyone who has ever met Jean Robert knows what a gracious and unassuming man he is. Over at the Enquirer a bunch of people who don’t know JR from a hole in the ground are talking about what an “EGO” he has. They have no idea what they are talking about. He’s done so much for Cincinnati, and there will be a big black hole in the dining scene should he not reopen something.
Think about how much he has raised the bar for all the other restaurants (Boca, Daveed’s, Honey, etc.) …. he has totally put dining on the map around here and made these chefs prove themselves.

By: vudutu

vudutu — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:20:28 +0000

The posts here are much more civil than over at Polly’s Food Fights and pretty much as I hear it. Bottom like is MW has made life miserable for JR by over saturating the market, (MW is really in the real estate not food biz), watering down the quality and dragging his name through the mud. The good news is it looks like we will get a new more affordable place to eat and JR will be happier. We all need to thank JR for what he has done for this city and support him in what ever his next venture is. JR rally on the square anyone?Julie, you need to do an interview with JR, get his side of the story.

By: CincyCapell

CincyCapell — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 04:52:28 +0000

Holy Crap, did you see Polly campbell’s follow up article?

Food fight: Tensions lead to Pigall’s closing

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090123/ENT01/301230091

Wade is a lying sack of sh!t, BTW. His restaurants are all going to die in the vine without the panache of JR’s name attached to them.

By: R

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 22:55:49 +0000

I used to work for Pigall’s and I have lots of fond memories of the people I worked with, the food, and the drama (Lamar Cheatham, anyone?)

Sad to see that it’s going the way of the buffalo, but I am not at all surprised. The economy the way it is (and it’s the current scapegoat, warranted, of course) has lots less people eating out at pricier joints. I do know that if a place isn’t in the black by December, then things aren’t looking at all rosy, and that was the name of the game at Pigall’s.

Can’t blame the food, though. Always amazing.