The Citiblog
Lamenting Lento's
January 31, 2006, 9:17.35 pm ET
When I heard Lento's had closed, at first I was shocked. Afterall, it survived more than 70 years. It was an institution in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn where I grew up. A gritty bar up front reflecting its speakeasy past and a loud restaurant in the back where clanging dishes greeted working class families looking for a good Italian meal at a decent price. Lento's always seemed to deliver. I remember there used to be little doorbells attached to the wooden booths that as kids we used to ring even when we didn't need service. I'm sure it bothered the waiters, who were mostly, if not all, men. But they took it in stride. Then, in the late 80s or early 90's something happened to Lento's. There was a female touch. It seemed as if overnight the grit was gone and Lento's had lost some of its spirit. The menu also started to change, but luckily its thin crust pizza remained dependable, at least until my last visit a few years ago.
But now Lento's is gone. And it got me thinking of other restaurants of my childhood that have also disappeared. Places like Lamps of China, The Green Tea Room and Hamilton House. In their heyday they could do no wrong. Then it seemed they could do no right.
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