All stories about "Doughboys"

Dough no more. [somah, Flickr]

Just as you finished mopping up the mounds of used Kleenex from mourning the teary tale of Doughboys and its untimely demise, we have the inevitable twist. Frank Waldman's weepy letter last week didn't tell the whole story, claims a former neighborhood council member on our astute sibling blog Curbed LA:

Once the Doughboys Saga began---from the first signs of stress at the original 3rd Street location to the final days of the Highland location and accusations---we could never get owner Frank Waldman on the phone to confirm or deny what was going on with his mini-restaurant empire. But he finally sets the record straight in one long, 2,244 word letter now on the Doughboys website. It's a heartwarming tale of how Doughboys came to be, opening in 1992 out of sheer passion and flour, a great staff and customers, having his red velvet cake on Oprah, but then it spirals into a tragic story of dealing with obsessive neighbors, construction issues, city permits and bureacracy, having a standing warrant for his arrest, thousands of dollars lost, unpaid employees, and utlimately the demise of all of his restaurants. The letter is too long to post in its entirety, but we have some highlights, next.

Click the image above to view the full photogallery.

Several tipsters sent word that Doughboys closed its Highland location last week due to thinks "falling apart," which we couldn't confirm with the restaurant because no one answered the phone; by the end of the day the phone was disconnected. Sounded quick and dirty, and here we have even more proof: Handwritten signage talking about "much needed repairs" and renovations, furniture frantically pushed into a cluttered dining room, dirty dishes on tables. The omnipresent "B" and graffiti on the windows probably didn't help things. Status: Closed until further notice.
· BREAKING: Doughboys Highland Shuttered [~ELA~]

In less than 12 hours, we've heard from several sources that Doughboys on Highland, which just opened last year, is possibly shuttered. From one tipster:

"We're friends with our waiter from Doughboys. He's been the only reason we've continued to go there and he has long commiserated with us on how it has been circling the drain. Well, he just sent me a message a few minutes ago to say Doughboys has shut down. He referred to it 'having fallen apart', so it doesn't sound like a Health Department shut-down, but rather an out-of-business closure."

This eviction notice was spotted on the original Doughboys location on 3rd Street. Note that it's not for the space itself, but for the garage in the alley in back (and they only paid $150 a month!). This, coupled with previous rumors that it will become a retail shop, must mean that Doughboys really, really is no longer. The disconnected phone line pretty much finalizes it, too. Staffers from the Highland location still sound vague on if the 3rd Street location will come back at all. RIP unitl we hear otherwise.
· The Doughboys Dilemma [~ELA~]

Once again, it's time for the EaterWire. Got something to share? We'll take that in the tip jar, please.

SILVER LAKE: Silverlake Wine closed for a remodel, reopened, and now sister site Racked has what's believed to be the first pictures of the new space. Designer Ana Henton, who's been quite busy these days (Vinoteque, Lemonade) is responsible for the overall look. [EaterWire]

MIRACLE MILE: Word from a tipster who checked out the new Doughboys on Wilshire Boulevard today: "Talked to the lady about the expansion of it into a real restaurant. She said, 'Fingers crossed, we will be open for the full menu on Monday.' I then quizzed her about the lack of space for a full restaurant, and she said that the counter and few tables in front will be it for the first few days, but if it is a weekend hit, then they will put tables under the El Rey awning to make it the full restaurant!" Hmmm…and still no word on the Third Street location. [EaterWire Inbox]

Once again, we round up some of the latest openings in The Dish. See something debut? Let's hear all about it.

Via Eating L.A.

MID-WILSHIRE: The fate of Doughboys on Third Street is still up in the air---we just called the Highland location for info yet again and got a pause, more hesitation, then "yeah, I don't really know what's going on over there"---but a new Doughboys will open next to the El Rey Theatre tonight. We asked about this new location and were told: "You know, everyone's really busy getting a new restaurant open, and I have tables waiting for me, so I have to go." And yet we still throw business their way. (5515 Wilshire Blvd, Phone TBA)

Pic via Blackburn and Sweetzer

Whenever we call the Highland Doughboys to see what's going on with the original Third Street location (still under construction), the staffers don't really have the answers. Tracking the owners down or leaving a message that probably falls from an overcrowded kitchen corkboard is futile. But something's going on in Doughboysland, that's for sure. First, from Blackburn and Sweetzer, the awnings have been removed from the exterior of the Third Street building, and our sibling Racked says the rumor among shopkeepers is that retailer Madison is taking the space.

And then this from a reader: "What is going on at Doughboys on Highland? Normally I wouldn't go to a B-rated restaurant but I do love their food and it's always packed. First, they ran out of menus. This has to be a first for me. What kind of established restaurant runs out of their own menus? Second, they were out of two dishes I wanted to order and it was only 12:30. Third, they ran out of water glasses (which are actually hard plastic) and they started using plastic Solo cups. Did they run out of hot water? Did the dishwasher quit in the middle of his shift? What goes?" Indeed. What goes?
· Doughboys Demolition: "Still Renovating" [~ELA~]
· Rumor Has It: Madison Coming to West 3rd Street [Racked LA]
· Doughboys Going, Going... [Blackburn and Sweetzer]