Cafe on 5th ave in 1999
Hello, I remember going to a cafe on 5th ave in 1999, and I'm trying to remember its name.
- I'm pretty sure it was somewhere between 1st st and Union, on the west side of the avenue
- It may have had a large colorful sign, and for some reason I'm thinking its name was "Ouzo" or something vaguely like that
- The interior was quite large, and had tables in a grid across the whole room. There were waitresses (and maybe waiters too, but I remember the waitresses)
- It was pretty empty, at least when I remember going in summer '99, which may be why...
- ...It closed sometime in 1999 or early 2000
Does anyone remember this place? I remember thinking that it seemed neat and unusual. Would like to hear anything about its history, its real name, a quick sentence about how boring and pedestrian it was, etc. Thanks!
- I'm pretty sure it was somewhere between 1st st and Union, on the west side of the avenue
- It may have had a large colorful sign, and for some reason I'm thinking its name was "Ouzo" or something vaguely like that
- The interior was quite large, and had tables in a grid across the whole room. There were waitresses (and maybe waiters too, but I remember the waitresses)
- It was pretty empty, at least when I remember going in summer '99, which may be why...
- ...It closed sometime in 1999 or early 2000
Does anyone remember this place? I remember thinking that it seemed neat and unusual. Would like to hear anything about its history, its real name, a quick sentence about how boring and pedestrian it was, etc. Thanks!
Comments
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Think it may have been BESO. Near Union on 5th Ave.
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Cucina?
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Vox? Although the location is off by a few blocks
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It might have been Firebird Café. That´s what Beso was before. It would make sense, because Beso opened exactly when you say this place closed, end of 1999 or beginning of 2000. The space had a cement floor, like a garage. It's been absorbed into the Associated Supermarket on that block.
There was also Rising Café, but that was on the other side of Union, where the Lobo restaurant is today. -
I'm pretty sure he's thinking about the Beso location, but I will just mention another spot on that exact corner that I still miss..
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Flexichick wrote: Vox? Although the location is off by a few blocks
This sounds right, although I think it was spelled Vaux if we're talking about the same place. Only a little off, location-wise it was right next to Blue Ribbon, which I think is on a first street block. I liked that place, has it really been gone that long? Cripes... -
Vaux as in Calvert Vaux perhaps, who along with Frederick Law Olmsted designed Central Park and Prospect Park.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvert_Vaux -
jeffrey wrote: Vaux as in Calvert Vaux perhaps, who along with Frederick Law Olmsted designed Central Park and Prospect Park.
you are right. It was Vaux for that exact reason
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvert_Vaux -
To quote another recent post by a modern-day feline-warrior-poet:
"I think my work is done here." -
jeffrey wrote: To quote another recent post by a modern-day feline-warrior-poet:
way to go out on top, Jeffrey :-)
"I think my work is done here."
- sent from my iPhone at Riis Park. Don't hate! -
Ozzie's?
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Jamzer wrote: Ozzie's?
Ozzie's on 8th Ave and 9th Street? Um, not quite close to 5th Ave between Union and 1st street. -
No, Flexi. There is an Ozzie's coffee shop on 5th Avenue between Carroll and Garfield.
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Ozzies is on 5th ave too, close to Union
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booklaw wrote: No, Flexi. There is an Ozzie's coffee shop on 5th Avenue between Carroll and Garfield.
Shit. I was thinking of Dizzy's. I'm a spaz. Carry on.
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[quote=Mamacita]I'm pretty sure he's thinking about the Beso location, but I will just mention another spot on that exact corner that I still miss.. I miss this place too!
-
Thanks for all the replies! Beso sounds like a possibility name-wise, although I'm pretty sure I went there in the hot summer of '99, and from Zebra's post it sounds like it would have been the Firebird then, and that name does not ring a bell. Also I'm fairly sure it closed before I moved out of Park Slope in spring '00. Ah well, I might be confused. I checked some pics of Beso online and it does look familiar, both the sign and the interior.
I think I remember the Ozzie's, but if I'm not mistaken it was on the east side of 5th, not the west side. And it had a completely different vibe from the Beso (if that's what it was) -- Ozzie's was like a modern coffee place, while the Beso was a somewhere between a cafe, a restaurant, and a garage. -
Beso was also frequently empty. Except for brunch when it was always completely full. I used to think they should've just offered brunch 24/7.
HANG ON... it wasn't called Firebird, it was called Café Fuerte. Here's the oldest mention of it on Chowhound, from just after it became Beso:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/235577?tag=search_results;results_list
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