It scratched, it struggled, it tried to hang-on but the little restaurant that was Halite finally got clubbed in the middle of May. Owners Ricardo Sandoval and Jack Anfang finally “stopped the bleeding” in order to concentrate on future ventures. Location being the culprit for less than steady business.

This sucks big time. It’s kinda like the look you recognize in your nephew’s eyes before he kicks you in the balls the moment you peer elsewhere.

I was at Halite the last Saturday in April celebrating a friend’s birthday and had a great meal, attentive service and a nice buzz for less than a buck including gratuity. She had the duck confit always a superb choice at any of the Cool Places to Eat Trio (now duo), and I had the chicken scarpiello which is something I never order at a restaurant because I think I can do it better myself. I scarfed the scarpiello and chased the last of the broth with a piece of bread around and around the bowl until the enamel came off. I hope Jack kept Hope (the server) and stashed her somewhere else in the line-up.

It’s been whispered that Jack is going to collaborate with Raj Singh, the owner of The Wine Room in Cleveland Heights but that has yet to be verified. Like Halite, The Wine Room is a cool, little place but never seems to garner more than a handful of people at any one time. I’ve volunteered to stand outside in nothing but a Wine Room sandwich board, but Raj was fairly confident that would drive away business faster than a sewer main break under the bar. Hmpf.

Good luck to Raj and Jack both and let’s hope The Wine Room soars into the stratosphere. The fact that it’s staggering distance from my house not withstanding…

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