Nashville Food Blog

Aw, crap. So far in 2009, we have seen 1 or 2 local restuarants close every week. This is getting depressing.

"Two Thousand and No Place To Dine"

I always felt Alleycat was the heir to the old 12th & Porter (original incarnation) vibe, and I mean that in the best way. So it makes me sad a little that they're closing.

Seem Amerigo is circlin' the toilet too?

http://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2009/1/15/courtappointed_receiver_takes_over_amerigo_chain

super bummed. no more chicken sandwich? that's some bullshit. don't go alley cat!

Customer service was consistently horrible. I know of at least three instances where they misplaced/lost customers credit/debit cards. Sorry, but some of this was their own doing.

When Alley Cat owners decided to go 21-up it was a decision to become just a bar. A bar for smokers. No one wants to eat good food -- and the Cat had good food -- in a haze of stinky smoke. If the Cat's owners had decided to build on the direction of the neighborhood -- more young non-smking professionals and more families with young children -- its future would be a better one. . And that's too bad.

Oh where oh where will I get deliciousness, now?!

are they serving food tonight?

dear lord,

please don't let the alley cat close

thanks

sean

another harbinger of doom for those that choose smoke ? Why wouldn't they at least try non-smoking and all ages (even if all ages only to a certain hour, non-smoking throughout) just to see if there's a difference? I don't get it...

Ryan, your point isn't without merit.

But there's a difference: I don't think anyone ever went to 3 Crow or Red Door for the food. Alley Cat had good enough food to be an actual dining destination, and smoking can be a turn-off for people eating lunch or dinner.

I'm not a militant anti-smoker, and respect an establishment's right to make its on policy. But I know from reading the East Nashville listserv that a lot of people loved the food but would only go in the summer when they could sit outside, because it was too smoky inside.

It's hard to say what impact that had, and of course maybe some smokers would have stopped going if they had a non-smoking policy. But it's all a moot point now, I guess.

Unless you're on a pineapple juice diet, I don't know many who go to Red Door for food...

Alleycat's website has an "Adieu" page up now, with the news that they closed. You can also sign the guestbook and leave a note for the owners and staff. http://alleycatlounge.com

I understand, and I would never go to Gold Rush, 3 Crow, or Red Door just for food, I just don't agree that it's the smoking policy that's causing the place to shut its doors.

I would think it would be worth a shot to see if it makes a difference. Even though I smoke, I would not want to eat at a restaurant that allowed smoking. If I owned a restaurant, it wouldn't be a 21 and over restaurant. I definitely think it makes a difference. I was just beating the point to death that I didn't think it made much of a difference in this particular case.