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Originally Posted by Slewbopper
I don't understand why the Balsamo family does this. I originally went to Villa Balsamo in '78 or '79. Then it was closed for years and then reopened and then closed again. Then Paradiso opened about 5 or 6 years ago and now it is closed.
I remember back when I first went to VB, they closed Don Peppe's in Queens for the one month meet and the entire staff, waiters and all, went with them and was housed upstairs.
Regarding the prices, it is on the expensive side, but when you saw a $24 salad, it is probably because it is a family style Italian place and the salad is meant to be shared by the table.
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Expensive is of course a relative term. If a $24 salad feeds 3 people, and this one has, it's not so bad all things considered.
Anyway, Joe (I think that's his name) B. is no longer involved in the Queens restaurant so the entire shift upstate is not neccessary any longer. As far as going back and forth between the two, every year or two, I have no idea why that's going on. As I said, in recent years it's been every year or two. In 06 Paradiso was open and when I called a friend of mine who is a local food industry guy he told me that for 07 they were going back to VB. Maybe there is something to it or maybe there is no method to the madness, I have no idea.
Eric