If Dominick Restaino, owner of Cuban Pete’s, has anything concrete planned for the building next door, he’s not exactly making it clear. For months, the Bloomfield Ave. store formerly known as Fantastic Finds has been plastered with bright yellow-and-green signs promising “Coming Soon: Baby Pedro’s.” Calls to Restaino over the last few days have yielded an array of interesting responses. Sometimes it’s going to be a baby and toddler restaurant, other times a “beautiful retail shop.”
For the time being, the space appears to be used for storage. Right after snapping this picture last week, I saw a worker leave the premises with a box of lettuce or cabbage and head into Cuban Pete’s.
Meantime, we can only speculate…
I eagerly await the “kids’ versions” of sangria and mojitos this place will vend. Baby formula with a kick to it will be familiar perhaps to anyone who’s spent a fair bit of time in either Jamaica or other parts of the Caribbean, but should prove a definite treat to would-be scenesters in Baristaville.
Seriously, though, this guy is still in business? And/or being taken seriously? This, too, is going to jumpstart Montclair’s somewhat moribund retailing milieu?
I remember Dominic from the old ‘Mexicali Rose’ days, I’m talking 20 years ago. He used to greet my wife and I like we were family members. He was always smiling, solicitous, friendly, quick with a funny line, all in all the perfect restauranteur. The food at the ‘Rose’ was delicious, in large portions, and incredibly fast service even with a line of patrons waiting for a table out the door.
It’s no wonder that Cuban Pete’s is doing well. I wish Dominic well in all his endeavors. In my opinion, Montclair is lucky to have him.
I don’t know if I’ve ever so completely agreed with one of cathar’s posts before.
If I can add: I just can’t wait for someone to call out a “Baby Pedro’s” employee for improperly using a permit space. The poor sap will probably come out to find 50 pounds of dirty diapers (maybe filled with chili?) covering their car.
Who is to say, MellonBrush, that Cuban Pete’s is really “doing well?”
The last coverage I recall on this site of Restaino concerned his being yanked out of his establishment in handcuffs, the result, I believe, of charges re his selling alcoholic beverages without a license. (But, as is typical of Baristanet, I recall no follow-up here as to the actual adjudication of the matter.)
And, MB, if you really think Montclair is lucky to have such a character on its restaurant scene…
I honestly think Montclair is lucky to have his business. The tax revenue must be significant. It’s a beautifully done establishment inside and out.
Just drive by on a warm evening, the front is abuzz with patrons and activity. It enhances the ‘vibe’ and creates an urban cache which is one of the things that attracts people to Montclair in the first place.
Whatever this new establishment turns out to be, it will mean one less empty store front and more tax revenue for Montclair and the state.
So, MB2, to recap: you went to Mexicali 20 years ago, and have driven by CP’s.
I wouldn’t give Dominick a dime.
We LOVE Cuban Pete’s — and we take our 4 year old kids there often. It’s loud (so we don’t have to worry about them bothering patrons), they have boxes of dominoes to entertain (which the kids love) and the food appeals to them (try the sausage appetizer & black beans/rice). A new baby version would be great too!
IMO,
The first time I met Dominic was 20 years ago. My wife and I were regular customers at Mexicali Rose. The place was great. I loved the Margarita ‘slush’ they’d serve and the BYOB was perfect because you could have 3/4 pitchers of Margaritas for about 25 bucks. The atmosphere was festive. The female wait staff were, largely, spectacular looking and very attentive and friendly. Dominic always came by our table at least once and spent a few moments chatting. He was great.
I love Cuban Pete’s too. We don’t go out as much as we used to and I don’t drink anymore, but the food and atmosphere at CPs reminds me of the good old days at MR.
I hope Dominic’s new establishment does well and I sincerely wish him all the best in all of his endevors!!!!
5 stars for the Grabowsky and Plofker zinger!
Mellon, I agree with you about Dominic. My husband and I went to Mexicali Rose often enough but were not regulars in the true sense of the word. Each time we arrived Dominic greeted us like long-lost friends, people he knew and liked and was happy to see again. He was a very gracious and congenial host and he was a major factor in our going back. I haven’t been to Cuban Pete’s yet but it’s nice to know he’s still the same.
Count me, too, as a fan of Dominic’s and Cuban Pete’s. I often dine at Cuban Pete’s with a friend who was born in Cuba and she is blown away by his cuisine.
And yes, Dominic “gets” what customer service is all about. He would always greet me and guests as if we were long lost family members or personal friends, whether it was at Mexicali Rose or Cuban Pete’s.
As for the liquor brouhaha: Yes, he screwed up. But there are people who’ve done a lot worse things in town (not to mention names) and they haven’t been drawn and quartered in the town square over it. Who among us hasn’t screwed up on their job at one time?
Vote for Baby Pedro. And all your dreams will come true.
Mrs. Martta, for all your general good sense in posts here, there is a great deal of difference between soneone somehow “screwing up” on the job and conscious violation of state and local liquor laws and ordinances via the spiking of fruit punches (as I recall Restaino apparently agreeing he’d done on this very site). Quite a difference, and such a violation plays hob with the business of local establishments which unlike Cuban Pete’s actually paid for their on-premises licenses. I’d also bet that Restaino would have then been loath to pay his proper tax bite on the altered potions.
MellonBrush, I note that above you praised the waitstaff of Mexicali Rose back when Restaino ran it for their comeliness. By that very silly standard, one might also guess you a regular at Hooter’s branch near Willowbrook. Or better (or worse), at either of those two “twinned establishments where they really know how to offer patrons the very warmest of welcomes, Stiletto and Lace. (And also as someone who would thus not properly appreciate the staff at the Great Notch Inn.)
I’ve always believed that there must be TWO Cuban Pete’s.
There’s the wonderful place with great service and great food that I’ve read about in some reviews. And then there’s the place with horrid food and unimaginably poor service.
We’ve found the second but have given up looking for the first.
By reading the conversations about Cuban Pete’s all I can say is good food and congenial service should not overshadow bad business practices.
This past Sunday we drove past Cuban Pete’s and saw the yellow and green signs in the vacant store’s windows. Having eaten at Cuban Pete’s, and conversing with others who patronize the establishment, many stories and questions arise in our coffee clutch. Some of us think he did a nice job creating the atmosphere of the restaurant and some of us thought a man pictured in handcuffs has something brewing in the kitchen.
We heard of the owner boiling the wine in the Sangria to burn away the alcohol. That sounds kind of risky and my husband said, especially next to a paint store. Where does he do that honestly? On the roof? We didnt notice that much space when we were there.
When we did eat there it was quite uncomfortable waiting for our table looking over people eating. There was no waiting area. My friends said he always wanted the back of the clothing store for that reason. He himself tells his patrons of having a room to serve Sangria and to expand his courtyard. Some say he made promises to some and other promises to others to get that store.
We also noticed he owned the music store on the other side where the men would come out with tubs of lettuce and chopped vegetables. Once we saw that we didnt feel comfortable eating there again when food is passed on the streets to get to the kitchen.
Well if he is opening up a baby’s clothing store, if that’s what the title implies, our circle of friends are hoping there not made in a sweat shop illegally. Too many bad stories are popping up at that long dinner table he has in the front window and I hope he has good explanations.
We also heard about the land LORDS of Bloomfield Ave and their dreams of monopolizing the area. Well I hope for Montclair’s sake they do something because other than Church Street, that avenue has nothing worth the stroll. It seems small business owners are going quickly to help the “Lords” dreams of bringing in the bigger names like Anthropologie.
By the way, where is Fantastic Finds, since you showed it in the picture? We miss their beautiful windows and enjoyed popping in before or after our movie. Just not the same.