Expect the only crowds outside Kudeta restaurant on weekend nights to consist of people waiting to sit down to fusion-Asian dinners. And, maybe, some late-night soft jazz.
That expectation arises from a letter the 27 Temple St. restaurant’s lawyer has sent to Mayor John DeStefano.
The restaurant’s management came under fire from the cops last week after an alleged brawl erupted on the sidewalk by the front door the evening of Oct. 13. A crowd had shown up for an advertised private Sweet Sixteen party being held at the restaurant. Cops swarmed to the area in response to complaints, and neighboring restaurants locked their front doors in fear of trouble spilling into their premises.
Accounts differed about what actually happened that evening and why. The restaurant’s manager, the cops, and the mom reserving the space for the party pointed fingers at each other. Read about that here.
Amid the recriminations, police discovered that under the terms of its lease, Kudeta wasn’t supposed to be holding any parties or entertainment events, period. The city sent a message that it planned to keep after Kudeta.
That prompted an Oct 15 letter from Kudeta’s attorney, Dominic J. Aprile of Lakewood, N.J.
“I am writing to advise you, Chief Esserman and other interested parties that, in light of the unfortunate occurrence caused by the conduct of others outside of Kudeta on the evening of Sunday, October 13, 2013, commencing immediately Kudeta will remain operating solely as a restaurant and will not allow its premises to be used by third parties for the hosting of parties or other entertainment events,” Aprile wrote.
“Kudeta has enjoyed a well-earned reputation as one of New Haven’s finest restaurants. Kudeta’s management and staff will strive to continue to provide area residents with a unique dining experience in beautiful surroundings.”
Click here to read the letter.
So far Kudeta has kept its word, according to Lt. Jeff Hoffman, the police department’s patrol supervisor.
Restaurant manager May Lin said Kudeta will launch a late-night menu with half-price food and drinks, running Wednesdays from 10 to midnight and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
She said the restaurant may want to hire jazz musicians to play in the background at the bar. In a separate conversation, attorney Aprile said that there are no definite plans to do that at this point.
At question is whether that would violate the promise to avoid “entertainment events” or “parties.”
“‘No entertainment’ means hip-hop” or advertised events with cover charges, Lin said.
“We don’t want to touch hip-hop. We want a more classy way” to promote the restaurant, she said, “a comfortable way for people to drink” with music in the background at the bar.
It turns out that the language in the restaurant’s lease is “very vague” — and would probably allow for live soft jazz at the bar, said David Panagore, who heads the parking authority. The parking authority holds the lease for the restaurant, which is buried beneath the overhanging concrete decks of the Temple Street garage.
The leases state that “under no circumstances may the property be sublet to or used by adult entertainment” or “nightclub” establishments, or “by any business that may generate obnoxious odors or conditions not easily abated or controlled,” according to Panagore.
He said that latter language is archaic; it refers to “canneries or lye factories.” The “nightclub” ban refers to heavily promoted shows with cover charges and lots of noise, he said. Jazz in the corner at a brunch or late-night bar seating would appear to be OK, Panagore said. He said officials intend to keep a close eye on the situation in coming weeks.
