Sad. I have fond memories of the place through grad school, Viaweb, and the beginnings of Y Combinator.
It was notable for unreliable service. About 70% of the things you ordered would actually arrive at your table. But the atmos was great, and the ibrik coffee was strong.
While I've never lived in Boston Cambrigde, my friends would take me here every time I visited them at Harvard. It was a place with an unique atmosphere. Sad to see it go. Woodside bakery and cafe is now gone after 40+ years (landlords wouldn't even give them the chance to renew). It's sad to lose community gathering spots.
When institutions die, they take some of our memories with them. Without any cues to recall the old memory, it becomes a sort of neural dark matter that lingers within us but can never be accessed. Because people strongly tie their identities to their memories, in a way we lose a part of ourselves. Old friends and family can help here, providing throwbacks that revive memories on the brink.
>It's just a restaurant.
As opposed to being what, a nuclear reactor? I'm curious what type of institutions you consider important, and see if there are any parallels between those and a restaurant.
It was notable for unreliable service. About 70% of the things you ordered would actually arrive at your table. But the atmos was great, and the ibrik coffee was strong.