When I had dinner at Barbacco a couple of Tuesdays ago, I took a peek at AQUA next door: even though the closing night was just that previous weekend, the room was already cleared of almost everything. It felt a little sudden, but upon learning CEO Mark Weiss of the Whisk Group (he lives in Washington DC) had bought all of AQUA’s assets, from the name to the furnishings to the website—and even the phone number—then the quick timing of the clear-out made more sense.
I had a quick chat with Weiss, who said he plans to reopen the famed restaurant again somewhere in the Financial District (three locations are currently being considered). I asked what his connection to the restaurant was, and he said, “It was one of those incredible restaurants, and I had many business deals there…I feel a strong connection to it.” He hopes to get in touch with many of the original players in the restaurant, including the designers, but noted that there are obviously elements that will need to be updated. When I asked about the chef, he said he wants to secure the space before deciding upon the chef, but he does plan on having lunch and dinner service. Weiss also mentioned plans to open another project in San Francisco, which could possibly open sooner than the AQUA redux. Stand by for more.
Flickr photo from that guy 252.
