Curious Kumquat in Silver City, NM will be closing!

[FauxPas]

A heads-up for any eGulleter who was thinking of visiting gfron1's restaurant in Silver City, NM. Don't delay, as The Curious Kumquat will be closing. I recently discovered that Rob will be selling the building and closing the restaurant. There is no definite closing date but it won't be open for more than a year max, and it may sell/close sooner. (I hope Rob will correct me if I am wrong on any details.)

 

As someone who had the pleasure of visiting one of Rob's pop-ups in Tucson, I know that his food is fun, innovative, beautiful and delicious. It can also be a bit challenging at times, but that can add to the enjoyment of an adventurous diner.

 

Rob and the restaurant will offer a series of “last evers” including the next Experimental Tasting dinner in October. Would love more details on that one! 

 

I believe Rob is planning a new restaurant start-up but not sure of location. I hope he will be advising us of his future plans and I know we all wish him the very VERY best!

 

I posted some pics of the pop-up dinner somewhere, I may try to link to them here. 

 

Edited to add: Here is link to some of the pop-up photos:

 

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/150111-southwest-pop-up-road-trip-az-nm/?p=2001929

Edited September 14, 2015 by FauxPas (log)

[Shelby]

Oh....Oh...wow.   I have always wanted to make it to the CK.  

 

Rob BEST of luck and I can't wait for your next endeavor.

 

AND I can't wait to buy your book

[Jaymes]

Yikes.  Planning to drive from Houston out to SF Bay area for Christmas.  Was determined to stop in Silver City for at least a day or two, just to go to Curious Kumquat.  Say it ain't so, gfron.

 

Or at least, say if it is so, it will be well after the first of the year.

 

Or at least, say if it is so, and it's before the first of the year, you're coming to Houston.

 

That would work, too.

[IowaDee]

And I was so ready to settle in and enjoy watching what those greenhouses would produce.  Like Shelby, I wish you luck no matter where your next venture takes you.  You have shown that you have such talent and I love the fact that you're so willing to share it with all of us.

[Lisa Shock]

Gonna have to organize a road trip!

[gfron1]

Thanks guys. Let's face it - I need to be a in a bigger market. That's not the impetus for the closure/move, but its a byproduct. I don't expect our building to sell quickly so I'm telling locals that its realistic that I'll be here through the end of the year and most likely much more. I will not be here one year from now, however. I already know exactly what I want to do, who I want to do it with. Just need to know where...and we think we know that too.

[scubadoo97]

Best of luck to you gfron1

[bobag87]

Sad to here this.  But hope the new endeavors are successful!

[Darienne]

I am delighted to know that the 'sad' news is really 'good' news in the end.  Rob was one of the first people I got to know on FB :wub: and I, along with many others, was so glad when he returned to the flock.  And wish him all the best in the new endeavor. 

[gfron1]

This is nothing but good news on the restaurant side of things. I love my little town, but I've honed my craft and want to have a packed house and show more people what I can do. 

[Jaymes]

Hey - we all knew it had to happen.

[Anna N]

This is nothing but good news on the restaurant side of things. I love my little town, but I've honed my craft and want to have a packed house and show more people what I can do.

And so you should. But that did not stop me from being taken aback by the news. All good wishes that things come together for you as they should

[cyalexa]

This is nothing but good news on the restaurant side of things. I love my little town, but I've honed my craft and want to have a packed house and show more people what I can do. 

 Can't wait to hear where you land. I enjoy food travel and hope to visit you again. 

[Jaymes]

Thanks guys. Let's face it - I need to be a in a bigger market. That's not the impetus for the closure/move, but its a byproduct. I don't expect our building to sell quickly so I'm telling locals that its realistic that I'll be here through the end of the year and most likely much more. I will not be here one year from now, however. I already know exactly what I want to do, who I want to do it with. Just need to know where...and we think we know that too.

 

Good news - Houston has more people!

 

Bad news - it's in...um...Houston.

 

 

[IowaDee]

Are you looking for a location with more and better forging opportunities?  If I had my druthers, I would head for the North-West but roots run deep sometimes  

[Honkman]

Thanks guys. Let's face it - I need to be a in a bigger market. That's not the impetus for the closure/move, but its a byproduct. I don't expect our building to sell quickly so I'm telling locals that its realistic that I'll be here through the end of the year and most likely much more. I will not be here one year from now, however. I already know exactly what I want to do, who I want to do it with. Just need to know where...and we think we know that too.

 

Welcome to California

[huiray]

Are you looking for a location with more and better forging opportunities?  If I had my druthers, I would head for the North-West but roots run deep sometimes  

 

You mean like Portland?

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/Portland/comments/1p96r3/homeowners_how_do_you_keep_local_sous_chefs_from

http://www.organicauthority.com/foodie-buzz/fail-portland-chefs-forage-steal-in-private-gardens.html

http://www.katu.com/news/local/No-herb-is-safe-from-weed-stealing-sous-chefs-says-apt-manager-229651431.html

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/10/29/no-herb-is-safe-portlands-urban-gardeners-cant-keep-chefs-from-stealing-their-crops/

 

---------------------------------

 

Wishing you the best, gfron1.

 

Will this affect your upcoming book?

[JeanneCake]

cue music....

 

Please come to Boston, for the springtime....there's lots of gold.....

[gfron1]

HERE's the take from our local paper. There's some context to all this. Keep in mind that Silver City is 3 hours to an airport and 5 to a major city. We are not on the way to anything...you have to go out of your way by 2 hours to get to us. That said, its a very cool little town and is constantly being listed on Top 10 cities for outdoor adventure, to retire on a dime, authentic old west town, etc.

 

When I moved there 12 years ago there was one fancy restaurant, 2 nicer places and then all the locals joints. Between then and when I opened one of the nicer places upgraded to a fancy and we added a new nice place. Then we opened and added modern cuisine which shook the whole scene. Everyone upped their game. As of 6 months ago we had 3 fancy places, 5 nice places and a bunch of those locals joints that could hold their own in a bigger city. A little James Beard nom sure pushed things even further as my cooking was tested by travelers which made me up my game even more. And so it went.

 

But in the past 6 months we've lost a 3 fancies and a gelato shop. But the quality has already been upped. I'll be interested in watching what happens to the scene after I leave, because certainly someone will step in and see what has been done and build on it. New blood. New outcomes and you really can't go back!

[Porthos]

... not on the way to anything ...   unless your headed to the copper mine. Business brought me to Silver City twice, a very long time ago.

 

It's also where Brian and Andrea make their wonderful wooden mugs.

Edited September 14, 2015 by Porthos (log)

[Smithy]

In the topic Making of my own cookbook, gfron1 said:

.... I've been shocked how many people have contacted me about my building in less than 24 hours.

Can you tell whether they want to use it as a restaurant or as something else? Do you care? Given its central location and what I saw of its structure, it could be a candidate for a B&B, some clever shop or art gallery, artsy coffee shop, or another restaurant. With that flexibility and location in mind, I can imagine its appeal.

[weinoo]

You know, Ron, we (well, she) bemoan the lack of an authentic New Mexican place here in NYC, what with my wife having grown up in ABQ and all. The whole Frontier Diner thing - you know.

 

Only problem would be the ability to make money with the cost of owning and operating a business here.

[Jaymes]

I hope you resist the urge to answer the siren song of Santa Fe, where you'll be just one more trendy new kid on the culinary block.  Don't know why I feel so protective of you.  Guess I'm getting old enough that my grandmotherly instincts kick into overdrive all too frequently.

 

Maybe Cruces?  On the way to a lot of places.  Emerging culinary scene.  Close to major city.  Your current loyal client base can (and I'm sure do) get there with some frequency.  Folks drive from all over to go to Chope's (although I personally don't think it's worth it).

 

Abq?  Tucson?

 

Dragoon?  Park yourself right next to The Thing.  Scribble your name on all their roadsigns. 

 

Huge new market.

 

Huge.

 

 

 

.

Edited September 15, 2015 by Jaymes (log)

[Darienne]

Further to Jaymes' post...what about Carlsbad?   We haven't been there in a very long time, but we were there rather regularly around the time when Carlsbad made major changes in the city...a notable one being changing the canal from a dumpy dirty thing into a public park and river walk.  Big change.

 

But as noted...it was a long time ago. 

 

Las Cruces was a rather nice place to go.  Albuquerque is huge and sprawling but not terribly classy.  Which doesn't mean anything really...  Taos is sooo expensive.  Are you thinking NM?

 

I do love Moab but the food scene there is just about NIL!  Big time NIL!  Rafters, hikers, bikers, jeepers, climbers, etc...they don't care what they eat as far as I can tell. 

 

Any thoughts?...or are they private at this point?  And are we pestering you?  Remember, it's cause you are liked and respected. 

[huiray]

Notwithstanding pleas from folks hoping for your relocation to wherever - what are the essential elements of the place you want to move to, I wonder?

 

If you are to be continuing your approach to your food where you forage for a great deal of your ingredients then there are only so many places you could relocate to in terms of "larger (metropolitan?) markets" where you would be able to wander out into the surrounding terrain and legally retrieve items for use in your menus. Or are you thinking of sourcing such things? Or hiring others to do this stuff (whether locally or from afar) as you get busier with your restaurant activities?