The Maisonette Explained
The Maisonette (1949-2005) was North America's most-highly-rated restaurant before it closed.[1] [2]
History
The Maisonette was opened by Nathan L. Comisar in 1949 in the basement space beneath La Normandie, also owned by Comisar, in the Fountain Square Building in Cincinnati. Comisar named the restaurant after a club by the same name in the St. Regis Hotel in New York City.[3]
In 1964 it was awarded its first Mobil 5-star award. In 1966 both restaurants were moved to East Sixth St, with The Maisonette at street level and La Normandie in the basement.
The Maisonette was a fine-dining restaurant, but in the mid-1990s it relaxed its dress code.
Owners
- Nathan Comisar (1949)[4]
- Vallie Karrick Comisar and Lee Comisar (1949-1964)[5]
- Lee Comisar and Michael J. Comisar, the sons of the founder (1964-xxxx)
- Nat Comisar and Michael E. Comisar, the sons of Lee Comisar and Michael J. Comisar (xxxx-2003)
- Nat Comisar (2003-2005)
Chefs
Cuisine and recognition
Serving French cuisine and owned by the Comisar family and located since 1966[9] at 114 E. 6th Street in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Maisonette received the five-star award (the highest designation given by Mobil Travel Guide) forty-one years in a row, the longest streak for any North American restaurant.[10] [11]
Closure
Opinions vary on the cause of Maisonette's decline. There were fewer customers who wanted to dress for dinner, fewer corporations willing to cover expensive business lunches, operating costs increased, and the City of Cincinnati refused to offer it a tax break. The Maisonette had plans to move to Cincinnati's Kenwood suburb, where it hoped to attract a younger crowd; however, the Hamilton County Planning Commission rejected zoning for the proposed Sycamore Square project, a $60 million development that was to include a relocated Maisonette as the anchor tenant.[12]
The Frost Brown Todd law firm purchased the rights to the name The Maisonette for an unnamed client for $35,000 after the restaurant closed in 2005. In 2013, the Phoenix Restaurant Group acquired the trademark.
Space
In 2013 David Falk's restaurant Boca moved into the space formerly occupied by The Maisonette and Sotto into the space formerly occupied by La Normandie.
Noted dishes
The lobster bisque, chateaubriand jardiniere, brill en croute, Dover sole, raspberry chicken and cafe brulot were noted dishes.
Awards
See also
Notes and References
- News: June 9, 2004 . Who is Nat Comisar? . 1,8+ . The Cincinnati Enquirer . 15 December 2012. .
- News: Comisar Returns to Maisonette (Michael E. Comisar) . https://web.archive.org/web/20140929212316/http://business.highbeam.com/409700/article-1G1-17776026/comisar-returns-maisonette . dead . September 29, 2014 . November 27, 1995. 15 December 2012.
- Book: Woellert, Dann . Historic restaurants of Cincinnati : the Queen City's tasty history . 2015 . 978-1-4671-1764-7 . 910530663.
- News: Franklin . Stephen . 1987-08-11 . In a city that loves chili, some people still prefer it haute . 18 . Chicago Tribune . 2022-12-29.
- Web site: Faherty . John . Maisonette owner Michael Comisar dies at 79 . 2022-12-29 . The Enquirer . en-US.
- Book: Campbell, Polly . Cincinnati Food: A History of Queen City Cuisine . 2020 . Arcadia Publishing . 978-1-4671-4152-9 . en.
- News: Mosby . Aline . 1966-05-26 . Nation's Greatest Chefs Feted at Gourmet Dinner . 15 . The Belleville News-Democrat . 2022-12-29.
- Web site: Cincinnati was capital of fine dining, and Maisonette was its brightest star .
- Web site: The Rise & Fall of Maisonette . Cincy Magazine . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141107014553/http://cincymagazine.com/Main/Articles/The_Rise_Fall_of_Maisonette_2006.aspx . November 7, 2014.
- Book: Insiders' Guide to Cincinnati . Globe Pequot . 2007 . 2013-05-08 . Felix Winternitz & Sacha DeVroomen Bellman . 13. 9780762741809 .
- Hume . Scott . 2005 . Suburban renewal . Restaurants & Institutions . 115 . 9 . 93–94, 96 . . proquest.
- Web site: Aldrich . Ian . Nov 2005 . Final Course . 2013-05-08 . Cincinnati Magazine . 66+.
