It was maybe inevitable, but sad nonetheless. The cafe that served luncheons at WDVX's Blue Plate Special has closed. The Blue Plate Special continues unabated, unhindered, uninhibited--and there's still soda pop and coffee, if you want it--just no more food.
Since it started about eight years ago, WDVX's wonderfully eclectic noontime live-music show earned its name partly by serving lunch in the Visitors Center cafe. That was the idea, and we thought it was a pretty charming one: it's lunchtime, come get some lunch and eat it while you hear some great music. One vendor after another, including some well-regarded restaurateurs and caterers, ran the place, from Calhoun's in the early years to, most recently, Ms. Cock-a-Doodle's, who under the rubric Coop Cafe served some wonderful paninis and chicken-salad sandwiches. The food was always great, and not badly priced, by downtown standards.
But the concept may have been confusing to many music fans, who most typically ignored that option, perhaps opting to take their luncheon in some less public place. And there was always the issue of matching people who did buy meals and drinks with the tables ostensibly furnished for them. Many non-diners who arrived early each day perceived the tables to be primarily for the purpose of offering them the appearance of substance and gravity. Meanwhile, the people who did buy lunch stood beside the esteemed table nobility, experimenting with ways to juggle a drink, a fork, a box, and a sandwich.
In any case, it was not turning out to be a profitable deal for the vendors. The music will go on, and the WDVX authorities assure us we're welcome to brown bag a lunch to see the show, and still get a Coke with it, if you want to.
Since it started about eight years ago, WDVX's wonderfully eclectic noontime live-music show earned its name partly by serving lunch in the Visitors Center cafe. That was the idea, and we thought it was a pretty charming one: it's lunchtime, come get some lunch and eat it while you hear some great music. One vendor after another, including some well-regarded restaurateurs and caterers, ran the place, from Calhoun's in the early years to, most recently, Ms. Cock-a-Doodle's, who under the rubric Coop Cafe served some wonderful paninis and chicken-salad sandwiches. The food was always great, and not badly priced, by downtown standards.
But the concept may have been confusing to many music fans, who most typically ignored that option, perhaps opting to take their luncheon in some less public place. And there was always the issue of matching people who did buy meals and drinks with the tables ostensibly furnished for them. Many non-diners who arrived early each day perceived the tables to be primarily for the purpose of offering them the appearance of substance and gravity. Meanwhile, the people who did buy lunch stood beside the esteemed table nobility, experimenting with ways to juggle a drink, a fork, a box, and a sandwich.
In any case, it was not turning out to be a profitable deal for the vendors. The music will go on, and the WDVX authorities assure us we're welcome to brown bag a lunch to see the show, and still get a Coke with it, if you want to.
Comments » 0
Be the first to post a comment!
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.