Sporting News Cafe Gets a Double Play
“Universal Studios heard about us and so did Disney, and they both wanted us,” says Minnesota restaurateur Stephen Ringler. “But Universal said, ‘Well, we’ll give you two-for-one. You do one out in L.A. at this new project called Universal Citywalk and then we’ll have you come to Universal Studios in Orlando as well.’ ”
Ringler, who has a long-term licensing agreement with the nation’s oldest and largest sports publishing house, the Sporting News Publishing Co. (a subsidiary of Times Mirror), originally wanted to launch his sports-themed restaurants in Orlando, Fla., which has become a theme park haven since Disney World opened 20 years ago. But Universal made Ringler an offer he couldn’t refuse, and Universal City will get the first Sporting News Cafe, which will open this fall.
Ringler is hoping his place will become “a sports media mecca.” “We will have Hall of Fame-quality stuff relating to pro football, baseball, basketball and hockey, such as athlete-of-the-year trophies, bats, rare autographed balls, commemorative issues of the Sporting News, even Walter Alston’s Dodger jacket,” he says. The restaurant will have its own radio and television sports show and a sports-related retail store.
“If I can emphasize one thing,” adds Ringler, “it is that we are not a sports bar. We want to be the extreme opposite of the rah-rah, romper-room type of thing. We are a restaurant, first and foremost. We are food-focused.” The menu will offer moderately priced salads, poultry and fish dishes.
The 300-seat restaurant is being designed by Chris Raleigh, who designed the Hard Rock Cafe at Universal Studios, Orlando. Future Sporting News Cafes are planned for St. Louis, Chicago and Canada. And, says Ringler, “We are looking at Japan and parts of Europe.”
COUNTDOWN: “I think I have put together a restaurant that is adult, grown-up,” says Eberhard Mueller. “I like the younger generation but I think we are tired of noisy restaurants where you can’t sit down and can’t have a conversation. I think we took care of that problem.” The former chef at New York’s Le Bernardin is talking about Opus, the seafood restaurant he is about to open in the Water Garden complex in Santa Monica.
“I have put a lot of effort into this restaurant,” says Mueller. “I am organized to the point that this has been the culmination of my experience over the last 23 years.” And has the effort been worth it? “What I have sacrificed is my private, personal life,” explains Mueller, “I can’t say I am upset about it. I just hope that one day my personal life will be perfect, that’s all.”
On April 7, Mueller will host a party for his investors. “About 60 for a five-course meal,” says the restaurateur. On April 9, he will feed American Express platinum card members a five-course dinner. “I am very excited about this,” he says, “because American Express has sent out about 250,000 announcements about us.” On April 11, Mueller will prepare food for 300 at a benefit for Heal the Bay, an organization dedicated to improving the water quality of Santa Monica Bay. “I would like to be able to eat the fish I catch down at the beach,” says Mueller. “It’s not the case at the moment.” And finally, on April 14, the restaurant will open. Reservations will be accepted starting Monday.
HERE TODAY . . .: Remember Hearth, which opened last month on Beverly Boulevard? A spinoff of the Authentic Cafe, it replaced the Authentic’s short-lived Homemade Kitchen? Now it too has closed. It will reopen Wednesday with yet another name: Authentic Takeout. “It didn’t work out. Hearth just kept getting compared to Authentic all the time,” says owner Roger Hayot. “I could see the handwriting on the wall, and didn’t want to wait eight months for it to kick in.” Authentic Takeout, a takeout/market, will feature fresh tortillas, Yucatan rotisserie chicken, pupusas and some of Authentic’s own salsas and sauces. “I was going to open a takeout next door to Authentic last year,” says Hayot, “but I had to do two handicapped bathrooms and I didn’t want to get into the cost. Now I’ve got the equipment already there, so it’s a better time than ever.” Authentic Takeout will also open for brunch and late-night jazz on weekends.
A NEW CHAPTER: Last November, Stringfellows filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code. Now, the Beverly Hills restaurant/nightclub has closed its doors, and is in Chapter 7 (liquidation). According to industry sources, the glitzy 12,773-square-foot restaurant just never took off. Weekend receipts barely paid the high operating costs, and the rent was astronomical (we were told rental on the property was $72,000). Its sister clubs in New York and Miami have both filed for Chapter 11 protection.
MAKING MOORE RACQUET: The Rangoon Racquet Club, which closed its doors last fall and put itself up for sale, now has new owners and will reopen mid-April. Aside from minor cosmetic changes, the brick building on Little Santa Monica will remain unchanged. Not so for the meaty menu: An expanded version will include light fish and vegetable dishes.
DELI NEWS: David Singer, owner of K’s Delicatessen on National Boulevard, will keep his deli open an hour past its normal 5 p.m. closing time on Tuesdays through April 14. Singer, a CPA with 10 years tax experience, will be giving free advice. “I won’t be doing tax returns,” he says, “but I’ll be available to answer whatever questions anyone has.” Singer offers this important tip: If you have a bite to eat, don’t forget to save the receipt.
GOOD BUY: Dinner at Sarno’s, 1314 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, available weeknights from 5 to 7 p.m. For $6.95 you get coffee, tea or a half-glass of wine, soup and entree.
GOODBY: After 17 years on Santa Monica Boulevard, Les Pyrenees will close on Wednesday . . . and Damiano’s, across from the Westside Pavilion on Pico Boulevard, has closed.
