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Saturday, August 21, 2010

Hot Potato Cafe: Dropped
Interior of Hot Potato, from Craiglist ad.

Even Gordon Ramsay couldn't save Hot Potato Cafe in Fishtown.

The disconnected phone number, a sign on the door, and plaintive comments on its Facebook page show that the three-year-old BYOB on Girard Avenue has closed. Management confirmed the closing Monday as its lease expires Aug. 31.

A Craiglist ad, posted Thursday, advertises the business as a "turn-key" operation because  management is moving on.

The charismatic Ramsay visited the eatery last year for a makeover for Fox's Kitchen Nightmares that included decor and menu. Here's critic Brian McManus' take on the changes he observed after the makeover, which he compared to his visit in 2007. 

Updated

Previously:
The scene at Hot Potato Cafe
Hot Potato Cafe's new look and menu
 
Posted by Michael Klein @ 11:22 AM  Permalink | File Under: TableTalk | 6 comments
6
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:47 PM, 08/21/2010
    That place never had restaurant caliber food from day one. Best of luck to them.
    — frank_the_tank
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:03 PM, 08/21/2010
    The food there sucked even after Ramsey
    — SpeakPhilly.com
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:21 AM, 08/22/2010
    I kinda felt sorry for the young cook. She was under sooo much pressure to make something happen out of that ill planned operation. I hope she finds something outside of food, it is evident she doesn't have heart to cook for a living. It's a tough game to play in.
    — Appleman
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:59 AM, 08/22/2010
    Ramsey's flirting with bankruptcy himself, so this comes as no surprise.
    — Wilhelm Von Humboldt
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:06 PM, 08/23/2010
    Is a tough business. Without risk there is no reward ! Glad they gave it a shot. Location was not great either as they were the first that far up on Girard ave. I think another place could make a go of it due to Kraftwork's success.
    — thesomersteam


6 comments
About Michael Klein
Michael Klein, the editor/producer of philly.com/Food, writes about the local restaurant scene in his Inquirer column "Table Talk." Have a question? Email it! See his Inquirer work here.
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