The magic number for Upper West Side eclectic fast-fave Pair of 8's turned out to be 18 months, as the news comes into us this week that the restaurant has closed. A glowing one star review from the Bruni and installation of Matthew Hamilton as chef in February couldn't keep the place afloat. In fact, ground-level intel suggests that this was shuttering of significant messiness, too:
This news comes from very reliable sources. As in more than one. Ron Didner has sold his restaurant after some conflict with his investors. It seems he had the kitchen crew pack it in during prep service on Thursday the 31st. Out of the blue. The chef was in California attending a wedding and wasn't even informed that the place was (sold) closed. One of his line cooks had to call and tell him. Now for the bad news. It seems that he has not paid anyone and is not even returning his former employees phone calls. New nick name Ron (the dick) Didner. Open table seems to be up and running but I hear there is a sign in the window stating they have closed.Upshot: Upper West Siders go down a serviceable dinner option. And for the right management team, there's a still-warm corpse of a restaurant space 568 Amsterdam to be had.
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