That's how one observer describes the demise of one of New York City's most fabled eateries since the death of owner and hostess Elaine Kauffman last December.
Though A-list regulars still showed up at Elaine's, it just wasn't the same. With the death of Elaine, "the fizz went out of the champagne," is how one customer described it.
For four decades the ever-present Elaine pampered her stellar guests who included famous literary lions, movie stars, media types and other celebs. And Elaine guarded the door to her Upper East Side haunt with a vigilance that could be ferocious. If you weren't a "name" personality, getting into Elaine's could be next to impossible. And even if you gained admittance, it was still harder to score a good table.
But come 4 a.m. next Friday (the end of Thursday's business day) there won't be any more tables at Elaine's because the place will close its doors for the last time.
Yes, there is a chance that some savior will step forward before then to try to save the place. But right now that's considered unlikely. Diane Becker, who inherited the business upon Elaine's death said she's ready to pack it in.
Finally, a comment on the demise of Elaine's left by a reader at the New York Times web site:
I have long marveled at the fact that liberals love to talk about equality. But they revere restaurants and clubs that pamper the elite and treat unknowns as trash.
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