The Purple Fig, a restaurant on 72nd Street between Broadway and West End Avenue, has been closed since late August. At first, a phone message at the restaurant said it was shut down for the summer until September 7. More recently, the phone was “temporarily disconnected.” That came after a couple of negative reviews by food reviewers Gael Greene and Steve Cuozzo. (Cuozzo later added via twitter that the day after his review, the restaurant’s refrigeration “conked out.”
So after just a few months being open, this is the end, right?
Not so fast, said Conrad Gallagher (right), the Irish chef who opened the restaurant and then stepped aside to let one of his deputies run it.
In an email to us he wrote: “Spoke with [owner] Paul Hurley. It will reopen Friday for dinner.”
Asked to elaborate, he wrote:
“I have not been involved since mid-June simply due to being over committed on a few other projects, and early into the project realizing that small restaurants sometimes needed as much time as large ones and I could not commit to being in new york every week. The restaurant will reopen on Friday as The Purple Fig with a more simple menu and offering that I assisted the chef and owner with drafting.”
Anyone want to place bets on whether a new menu will turn this place around?
Thanks to Chris for the tip.
Who cares? There are now many good to excellent restaurants on the UWS…like Citron, Cafe B, The Mermaind Inn, Bar Bouloud…and others. If you don’t have your act together, you aren’t ready for the big leagues.
I doubt a new menu will help this place. I read Cuozzo’s review. It was rather scathing. This place has so many problems couldn’t be helped even by Gordon Ramsey.
Good luck trying – Mr. Gallagher. Maybe next time try green figs.
How about just bringing back All State?!?
I agree! Of all the closings on the UWS, I miss All State the most…it had just the right vibe!
What Amanda said! I miss All State.
I walk by this place on my way to and from work every day. Last night they unveiled the new menu and it looks great, much less pretentious than the old menu and a lot less expensive. Sadly, on my way to work this morning there was a big “CLOSED BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH” sign plastered across the front window. Nothing seems to work for these guys, it’s too bad.