No matter how fickle a mistress restaurant ownership can be, Sonoma County restaurateur Nino Rabbaa just can’t stay away. After closing two high-profile Santa Rosa eateries (Rendez Vous Bistro and Flipside Steakhouse) and selling a third (Flipside Burgers & Wings) in the last few years, he’s returning to the food biz with a two ambitious plans.
In February, Rabbaa plans to open Kitchen 707 in the former steakhouse location (138 Calistoga Rd, Santa Rosa). The restaurant, which he describes as “cuisine without borders” will be focused on a mashup of Armenian, Lebanese, French and California dishes — many of which come from his life experiences and heritage.
“It’s a marriage of all the food I liked growing up, said Rabbaa, whose mother is Lebanese and father is Armenian. “It’s what I like and what I represent,” said the former Parisian, who has made Sonoma County his home for more than a decade.
The Rincon Valley restaurant, he said, will be very focused on families and may even include a return of karaoke — a popular weekend attraction when the location was Rita’s Lounge.
Additionally, Rabbaa said he has plans to reopen the former Rendez Vous location on Fourth Street as, “Papa Nino’s”, after some renovations to the space. His goal is to have a seafood-focused restaurant with a beer garden and craft beers. No word yet on that opening.
Rabbaa told the Press Democrat in November 2015 he was getting out of the restaurant business after plans fell through for a proposed Rohnert Park brewery project and his New York investment partners put the brakes on further funding. Rabbaa said he is now without financial partnership and is, “doing it on my own”.
“I did not lose my appetite for opening new eateries,” said Rabbaa on his Facebook page in January.
More details as the opening of Kitchen 707 gets closer.
Comments temporarily closed until the pool-poopers get out and let the rest of us enjoy our afternoon swim.
This guy should become an investment adviser or sell real estate. He should take his amazing ability to talk investors out of their money and try another business.
Santa Rosa is better off without this guy.
Can this guy scratch his ear without the PD breathlessly giving us an update?
Um, we cover news. Nino is a newsmaker in this town.
Nino is obviously a friend of yours, therefore your opinion of him being a newsmaker is more than slightly skewed. Heather stick to your regular restaurant bashing instead of trying to protect egotistical individuals such as Nino Rabba.
Shows what you know. I don’t have friends.
*snort*
Must be Friday. I smell fish. On the other hand, if this guy will settle down, I agree that Rendez-Vous Bistro was a great addition to the square, with it’s outdoor seating. I hope he will reopen that location.
Where will the homeless sleep if he does that?
It used to be a nice outdoor spot. Now with the lane(s) of cars and parking and many trees gone it will be terrible. The calm of the square in that spot will be undone with reunification of the square.
Yeah, sure, make announcements, try and get new investors etc etc. There’s good reason his former investors cut him off…
Absolutely agree. I’d not even invest my enemy’s money in this guy’s ventures…
This guy needs to sell off all of the other locations and focus on the RVB spot in downtown. He’s helping to keep Courthouse Square blighted until he gets that open. Keep the crepes.