Jeff Kadish's first restaurant opened on Columbus Avenue in 1993. He named it simply Main Street, as his concept was to be like an Italian family-style restaurant, but with American staples including meatloaf and macaroni and cheese rather than pasta and pizza. The restaurant started off with a bang, but after a while of being in business, the weekday crowds began to slow down. Around that time, the chef at Main Street took a trip to Cuba. Inspired by the cuisine, he suggested to Jeff, upon his return, that he open a Cuban restaurant. Jeff pointed out to me that in the late 1990s, Latin populations were growing rapidly, and Mexican and Cuban cuisines were catching on. Jeff began transforming Main Street into Calle Ocho - the name translates to "8th Street" and refers to the Cuban district in Miami - with help from architect Jeffrey Beers. Alex Garcia was hired to run the kitchen. He remained chef and advisor for many years and every executive chef who has followed him has worked under his wing. The current chef, Jorge Adriazola, originally from Peru, has been heading the kitchen since 2015.
In 2011, rising rent drove Calle Ocho out of its Columbus Avenue location and into the Excelsior Hotel. As Jeff says, it is a "weird spot," tucked into the hotel away from the street, but Jeff knew that the restaurant's amazing following would travel to the "hidden-away space on 81st." Sure enough, the restaurant has experienced a continuous flow of loyal customers. The dining room, which seems to extend on and on, is filled to capacity every Saturday and Sunday for brunch, which is served with complimentary sangria. Popular dishes include the paella, the ceviches, and the Vaca Frita al Caballo. Though the menu changes slightly with the seasons and new dishes are introduced via the list of specials, the core cuisine has remained relatively constant since the restaurant's inception.
"Not that many restaurants have this kind of longevity on the Upper West Side," Jeff pointed out. The consistency extends not just to the food, but to the personnel. "We're proud of our people," Jeff declared, mentioning that a good number of his staff have been with him for over ten years. General Manager Luis Piedro and the Director of Operations, Joey Delmonte, both started as busboys and worked their way up. Jeff's wife, Francine, also plays an important role in the restaurant. Jeff jokingly calls her the "dining room ambassador," since she often helps push things along on Saturday nights and makes sure that every guest is well taken care of. "We get as many comments about the people as the food," Jeff said. Ever since he opened his first restaurant, he has considered it very important to hire staff who know how to talk to patrons. "I strove to open a restaurant in New York that did not have a New York attitude," he told me. He likes to think that he may have had a small part in shifting New York towards a more hospitality-oriented dining atmosphere. After all, Jeff pointed out, "It's more important who a person is rather than what their experience in the restaurant world is." He added that he can always teach new hires the skills they need in the kitchen, but he cannot teach them "good understanding of graciousness and hospitality," which is why he makes sure that they have that understanding already. The result is a strong staff that is kind and courteous.
What is next for Jeff and the Main Street Restaurant Partners? In addition to Calle Ocho and another Manhattan Sideways favorite, BLT Prime on East 22nd Street, they are looking to open a new restaurant on Columbus: a Latin-themed sports bar.