The River Cafe
Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2011 12:08 pm
According to the film, the Marios have a job at the "Riverfront Cafe," but according to the early scripts, the restaurant is simply called "The River Cafe."
I took the liberty of Googling "The River Cafe" + "Brooklyn, NY" and it returned with this: A REAL River Cafe in Brooklyn New York!
From the website...
...I wonder if, since this place opened long before the movie was even thought of, if this place was the original basis for the "Riverfront Cafe" in the final film? It seems like a fairly classy, upscale restaurant. More like something out of "American Psycho" (Dorsia, Crayons, Espoge) than what we've seen in the deleted bits-- which looks more like a regular diner than anything. Although, the pictures on the River Cafe's website are all from the post Giuliani era, so maybe, pre Giuliani, the River Cafe wasn't as nice a place as it is now. We all know how New York was back in the 70s, 80s and early 90s-- more like, as Mario put it: "The Bronx of Today."
Although, from the description, it would seem this River Cafe has always been more of a classy, upscale place, something found in the Zagat's Guide (if you're from the Tri-State area of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania you probably know what the Zagat's guide is) and very, very expensive as opposed to a place to grab some pancakes or a cheeseburger. Either way, I know when I visit New York next, I'll be eating there because "I saw it in that movie."
I took the liberty of Googling "The River Cafe" + "Brooklyn, NY" and it returned with this: A REAL River Cafe in Brooklyn New York!
From the website...
“The River Café opened in June of 1977 in a forgotten and abandoned neighborhood by the Brooklyn docks – desolate except for trucks waiting to enter the piers. When Michael O’Keeffe first “found†this spot, it was barren and devoid of life. To him, this small strategic piece of chaotic waterfront was special – lacking any civility, but with wonderful possibilities. This was the oasis that he had been searching for.
It took twelve years of beseeching the City before approval was granted in 1974. The City was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Some of New York’s most important business executives and government officials advised Mr. O’Keeffe that building on the Brooklyn waterfront was extremely risky, exposed to peril, and destined to fail. Every bank in New York turned him down. Despite all this, the restaurant opened and was an immediate success.
The River Café has always strived for perfection. The intent from the beginning was to prepare and serve some of the world’s finest food, with professional service, in a warm, beautiful and exciting, yet relaxed atmosphere. We only work with the very best ingredients. There is no compromise with quality, every item had to be the very best. We search America for freshness and quality, but will go anywhere in the world to get the best product available. We were the East Coast forefront for the new American cuisine, searching out the finest and purest ingredients in every aspect – from how they are fed and how they are harvested.
The most desired goal in building a great restaurant is to place it in the most beautiful setting possible – to provide the surroundings so that the customer is transported for the time to a wonderful, beautiful, peaceful and very special place. We work very hard to provide this.
...I wonder if, since this place opened long before the movie was even thought of, if this place was the original basis for the "Riverfront Cafe" in the final film? It seems like a fairly classy, upscale restaurant. More like something out of "American Psycho" (Dorsia, Crayons, Espoge) than what we've seen in the deleted bits-- which looks more like a regular diner than anything. Although, the pictures on the River Cafe's website are all from the post Giuliani era, so maybe, pre Giuliani, the River Cafe wasn't as nice a place as it is now. We all know how New York was back in the 70s, 80s and early 90s-- more like, as Mario put it: "The Bronx of Today."
Although, from the description, it would seem this River Cafe has always been more of a classy, upscale place, something found in the Zagat's Guide (if you're from the Tri-State area of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania you probably know what the Zagat's guide is) and very, very expensive as opposed to a place to grab some pancakes or a cheeseburger. Either way, I know when I visit New York next, I'll be eating there because "I saw it in that movie."
