Cyndi Alire stands outside her restaurant on First Avenue in Albany on Wednesday afternoon.
Following up on the closing of Novak’s Hungarian Restaurant in downtown Albany, here’s more on the restaurant that will occupy its space.
As reported Monday, Sweet Red Holdings LLC bought the Novak property at 208 Second Ave. S.W. and has plans to operate a restaurant there. But it won’t leave its present bistro one block north, at 208 First Ave.
I learned this Wednesday when I had the chance to chat with Cyndi Alire, who started Sweet Red in 2011 in the space that had been occupied for the previous 27 years by Boccherini’s coffee shop.
Unofficially, by the way, when talking about her restaurant she goes by Cyndi Sweet.
Sweet Red is a family operation Cyndi runs with her four children. Erica is the manager, and Jesse is the head chef. Joel and Anthony also help.
Sweet Red’s history is explained on the restaurant’s website, and it’s worth looking up. It’s where I was reminded that years ago, in 1980 for instance, the place was Rainbow’s End, which I remember as a wonderful book shop.
County records show Sweet Red bought the Novak property for $412,000. In addition, though, Cyndi wanted me to know that her business also paid in “cash and other considerations.” It also took responsibility for the unpaid balance of the CARA urban renewal loan that helped pay for renovating the property several years ago.
Back to the Sweet Red plans, as Cyndi laid them out.
The bistro will stay where it is as a “tapas bar.” (Being a culinary dinosaur, I had not heard that term and couldn’t believe what I thought my faulty hearing picked up. “Topless bar”? Cyndi laughed out loud as she disabused me of that notion. Tapas, I since learned, are small savory dishes served with wine or cocktails.)
Over on Second Avenue in the former Novak’s, Sweet Red will operate another restaurant and also make use of the larger kitchen there to expand its catering business.
Cyndi had hoped the new restaurant could start in November. Now it looks as though it probably will be later. Whenever it happens, it will be another noteworthy development on the Albany restaurant beat. (hh)
Really? No parking, and that building is cursed remember the fire? So you will be the next to go out of business. So so sad. There isn’t even a handicap parking place there,no place to get out of the weather……IF IT IS NOT BROKE DON’T FIX IT!!!!!
Heaven forbid that an established downtown restaurant is expanding and you might have to walk a block ♀️
There is a handicap parking spot right a crossed the street and it is virtually always open.
Please, stop drinking before posting.
Good grief!
I’m sure Red will get along just fine. Its called hard work not back seat driving.
SMH
Tapas Bar, Restaurant, and Catering! Miss Sweet, you are rocking our Albany world! Thank you for your continuing Sweet Spots!
A topless bar named Sweet Red’s might actually get some people to visit downtown during the weeknights.
Tee, hee! Love your post, Abe Cee. I agree with you about downtown’s lack of patrons.
24 patrons at the Vault for happy hour on a Thursday night at 10:11 pm
Last time you got off the couch?Gary and Carol’s?
SmH
Just what is needed. Two dozen people drinking at 10pm and then driving home. At least the roads will be empty of most traffic at that time of night.
Indeed! Well replied :)
It is a shame that we lost a very beautiful restaurant to gain another one! Albany never seems to work towards helping the community when it struggles. Novak’s has been here a long time and has always been an amazingly positive business. They gave their all to the community through giving their time and food to the people who needed it. Novak’s is irreplaceable as are Karen and Matilda. We wish them both well and hope they know how much we will miss them. It is a huge loss for the community and for the people who knew them.
Karen Novak is going to work there. She wanted to cut back on how much she was working and sell. You should REALLY read the article in the Democrat Herald about the closing. This seems like a win-win for Karen.
Also, people did help. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of help. They got money from CARA and a boatload from donations in a gofundme after their fire.
Stop over at Vault 244 for some Tapas. They know tapas and that’s where I learned me tapas.
What did she ever do to you???