Grade: A — Type: Italian Amer — Clean: Yep — Decor: theme, old

why review a restaurant the day after it closed? why not? so what happened? was there no business?

this is not really the case. this last year was less business than prior years but still doing well compared to many restaurants in the area. things changed a few months ago when the chef was to purchase the restaurant part of the business. at the last moment, the widow wife of the former owner (the new owner) decided that she wanted the chef to buy the building and land also. so it did not happen and owner wanted to sell it all. so it closed because someone bought the land and building. and it CLOSED august 31, 2024.

cucina biazzi was a 4 course meal, it generally worked really well, an antipasto platter and bread first, a smaller starter food course, a main, a salad after, then dessert. it was actually of great value and worked very well timing wise. wait staff was able to keep things going with a lot of work. taking orders, serving, seating and bartending. making enough from the tips to get by, not a major income but a good waiting job.

biazzi, not on a main strip in ashland or notsuper close to the oregon shakespear festival location was at the end of ‘downtown’ next to the fire station. the clientele being older and been going for years, a young crowd that doesn’t really exist anywhere…. a few came in but a few changes would be needed for the future for a new customer base. many of the customers were from a wealthier part of this and other communities (i will call these people, ‘high onda hills’ from now on)

the last couple weeks of biazzi being open is part of what has me upset with, people. the people of ashland. the ones that have been around and been going for years (even if they had not been in years) but had to go one more time before it was gone. they booked up all the tables, they came in. instead of ordering the standard 4 course, they would order single items. then some would share that item. share their drink. have such a small total bill that the tip amount was small. for the amount of people served the wait staff made 25 to 50% less per person for the same amount if not more of service due circumstances. they all wanted the wait person to stand there and tell them the whole story of why with a packed restaurant and would get upset if the time was not taken for that. even the high onda hillz would ask. they were upset it was closing, they had been to in the past that it would happen without an investor. the amount of investment was like a small jar of change for these high onda hillz, but they are them.

so it went, the staff did amazing as always. the food, chef’d up amazing as always if not better. the last table finished, dishes washed, kitchen cleaned. lights off.