Too Much Sushi
Sushi is a staff favorite here at Chowder. We don’t care if it’s prepared in a fancy high-end restaurant or a tiny storefront; as long as the fish is fresh we’re there. But as a former resident of Brookline’s Washington Square, I was depressed to hear that another high-end sushi place may be heading for the long-vacant space that was formerly the B&D Deli.
Kazuhiro Aotani, the owner of Shino Express Sushi is behind the proposed restaurant named Bon, according to papers filed with the town. If Bon gets the proper permits, it will be the 16th sushi restaurant in Brookline.
This smacks of the oft-discussed burrito blitz that hit Somerville’s Davis Square earlier this year. I’m just not sure Brookline needs more sushi, especially when other types of restaurants are in such short supply. Like breakfast joints. On Sunday mornings, it was nice to be able to stumble to the B&D for some coffee and eggs. Once that diner closed, the only other quick and easy breakfast option was the kosher Dunkin’ Donuts, and that closed last month.
Of course, Bon’s boosters argue that their restaurant will be superior to Brookline’s other sushi joints. But unless they pioneer some kind of bacon-and-egg breakfast maki, I’m not holding my breath.
January 12th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
If you read the Vinny T’s spot in the Brookline Tab you find out that Vinny T’s is gone! What Brookline needs is that buildings stay rented and supported by the people around it and outside the comunity to also help the other restaurants and shops in Brookline. Sushi or no Sushi that is not the question. If you supported the B&D deli maybe it would be still there!
January 12th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
I agree with Todd E. in order for local establishments to suceed; the neighborhood must support the business. The B&D owner Stephanie Maharis indicated to me her business was not doing well and business sales declined the last five years she was in business in Brookline and she was not able to pay her bills and staff. If people supported her business the B&D would still be in open today.
January 13th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Click on the blue “High-end Sushi place” Read the comments on that page!To stay in business in Brookline you need support from inside and outside the neighborhood. Proof of this is the Dunkn Donuts that just closed. If Dunk’s didn’t make it, it had no support from the neighborhood. That is what survives on.
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:55 pm
As a resident of Washington Square I’m both amused and annoyed by the assumption that the B&D, Vinny T’s and Duncan Donuts closed because of a lack of support from the neighborhood.
Vinny T’s was packed on weekend nights, with people waiting for tables crowding the sidewalk outside. They were also busy on weeknights and benefited from college teams visiting BU and BC. Whatever Bertucci’s reasons were for closing the location, it was not a lack of customers.
The B&D also did steady business until shortly before it closed, with long waits for a table on weekend mornings. In their final weeks quality went rapidly downhill as they ran out of money and dropped items from the menu. We walked out on one occasion when it became apparent that the air conditioning was not working on an 80+ degree day. IIRC, local news reports indicated that the failure of the B&D was connected to bad business decisions by the owner.
I’m not a regular DD customer, but the Washington Square location was full whenever I walked by. Our downstairs neighbor and friends would meet there every morning.
I somehow doubt that Todd E and Dave H have spent much (or any) time in the neighborhood they condemn.