So I’ve finally gotten the scoop on the shuttered Third St. restaurant directly from Suzan Fleissner, and at this point she’s just not ready to throw in the towel on her dream. Long story short, the location wasn’t working out for her, financial issues arose and ultimately, Fleissner vacated. Currently she’s seeking out a new location to re-open the restaurant, but when and where are still very much up in the air. Here’s the long and short of it from her:

“For a variety of business reasons 3rd St. just wasn’t the fit, as they say location, location, location…so I am on the look out.  It’s certainly not easy, but there is some genuine support for this restaurant and people get it.  The green light is on sustainability, I tell myself “don’t give up”.  When I was reviewed on the 4th day of being open I thought, hmmm, I followed the 3 rules for what make a great restaurant according to that reviewer, simple food done right, a pleasant atmosphere and great service.  We did it!  And we will again.  GG’s is looking for that ideal location.”

UPDATE: I heard from Dino D’Argenzio last Friday evening, whose family trust owns the property. Dino wrote me a long note outlining his thoughts about why the location didn’t work out for Suzan, saying it was more about business practices than the space itself. “There is inaccurate information being thrown around and it is time for a reality check about Susan F, and this property…the location is very good for all kinds of business as is proven by all of the long term established business in that area of downtown.”

At this point in the story it seems like a moot point to continue the debate just for an ongoing “he said, she said.” Suzan feels slighted. Dino feels slighted. There are bad feelings on both sides. You work out the math.

In the end, though, it’s just an all-around shame. Best of luck to both sides. I’ll keep you posted.

Just in from Nashville, I heard about the weekend’s Great American Food & Music Festiva disaster. Apparently it was epic. Which makes me feel a whole lot less upset that I couldn’t go. But a bit sad nonetheless…

Here’s the long and short of it: A bunch of foodie folks decided to bring great food finds from around the nation to Shoreline Amphitheater. On the list…

• Katz’s Deli, pastrami sandwiches (New York)
• Pink’s Hot Dogs, chili dogs (Los Angeles)
• Tony Luke’s, cheesesteaks (Philadelphia)
• Barney Greengrass, bagels with smoked salmon and cream cheese (New York)
• Southside Market & Barbecue (Elgin, Texas)
• Graeter’s Ice Cream (Cincinnati)
• Anchor Bar, home of the original Buffalo chicken wings (Buffalo, New York)
• Junior’s,cheesecake (Brooklyn)
• Zingerman’s Deli, curating (ha ha) the ultimate bacon plate (Ann Arbor, Michigan)

Understandably, people got pretty stoked about the lineup and paid up to $500 per ticket to attend the eat-fest, which also featured Food Network celebs Bobby Flay and Guy Fieri along with music (whatever, just bring on the food). Thousands showed up (including something like 8,000 who had special bracelets to jump long food lines) and that’s when the trouble began.

Apparently folks were waiting in lines for hours just to get in, the bracelets didn’t work, some of the vendors didn’t have power and/or quickly ran out of food and tempers starting flaring. Foodies don’t tend to take kindly to being kept from their pastrami and Pinks weenies.

The Twittersphere and blogosphere exploded. The San Jose Mercury news picked up the story. And at this point there are mea culpas happening all over the place, as well as refunds for some. You can read through a bevy of blasts on the seriouseats.com site (founder Ed Levine was an organizer of the festival).

Can’t get enough of the train wreck? Here’s Ed’s sort-of apology that made folks even madder.

Here’s the thing, though…Thousands showed up. Thousands. In this crap economy. Why? People are dying for this kind of gastronomical Candyland. It’s cheap(ish) entertainment. So, okay it was a bit of a disaster out of the gate. The good news is that many of us are willing to pay for food experiences that might otherwise be out of reach (ie: going to Brooklyn for cheesecake or LA for a hot dog). Hopefully goodwill toward the folks who tried to put on this event will prevail after the immediate frustration subsides.

UPDATE from RUDY…
I heard from a very upset Rudy Mihal this morning who wanted to set the record straight on what was recently printed in the Chronicle. Here’s what he told me:

“The Chronicle switched my words around and tried to make this story juicier than it was. I’m definitely not trying to burn any bridges here. We have had good, strong local support of clientele over the years. I was frustrated with a lot of the negative comments (in BiteClub). And I’m sorry if I offended anyone.

Mihal told me that it was a real challenge trying to run a restaurant by himself, but that it was a learning opportunity he really wanted — from running the kitchen to doing the books. He wanted locals to know that he’s still figuring out what he’s going to be doing in the coming months, after a few weeks in New York and a trip to Europe. But Sonoma County is still his home. “I really enjoy living in Sonoma County and hope I can have another opportunity to better embrace the locals.”

+++++++++++++++++

EARLIER: Rudy Mihal isn’t leaving Windsor without a few last words in Wednesday’s San Francisco Chronicle…

Change of scene: Between the wrecked economy and the weak reception he’s received in his Windsor location, Odyssey (426 Emily Rose Circle) chef-owner Rudy Mihal says he’s “taking the hint” and closing up shop the second weekend of July, with plans to relocate to the “big city.”

“They didn’t like me much here,” he says of his 2-year-old tiny, but ambitious, French-Italian restaurant. “To these people, fine dining is Applebee’s.”

Now, I’ve long been a supporter of Rudy, because he’s a talented guy (if not always the most tactful). A lot of us were really excited about having him in Wine Country, though obviously not all of us. There were some very heartfelt comments in a previous post about his closure, as well as some downright nasty ones.

But regardless of the vitriol, the bottom line is that the whole thing just doesn’t look good for any of us in Wine Country — and that’s too bad. This region desperately needs young, talented innovators who aren’t afraid of taking risks, and they often don’t get a warm reception. At the same time, diners do want a little love from the kitchen, consistency and food they can identify with. Goodwill to the locals goes a long way. 

Maybe Windsor wasn’t ready for Odyssey. Maybe Odyssey wasn’t ready for Windsor. But in the end we’re all losing something. And that sucks.