Couple of people may well remember that when West Value Hill’s Sebastian’s restaurant initially opened in the summer of 1974, it was meant to be a chain of four Greek eating places owned by Donald Sebastian LaRosa, therefore the name. But you may also know him as Buddy.
Following researching other Greek diners throughout the country, LaRosa started earning all of the diner’s sauces – including tzatziki, moussaka and kebab marinades – in the LaRosa’s prep kitchen area on Boudinot Avenue, in Westwood.
“He made various visits to Detroit to investigation the most effective gyro meats and baklava suppliers,” recalls LaRosa’s son, Mark, who worked at Sebastian’s as a teenager and now serves as LaRosa’s president and main culinary officer.
During its 1st summer season in procedure, organization went gangbusters, and by the spring of 1975, he opened a second spot on Sixth Street, Downtown.
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But then factors type of went south and enterprise started out to dwindle, especially in the winter, according to Mark LaRosa.
As fate would have it, Buddy had a short while ago befriended a gentleman named Alex Vassilou, a Greek immigrant who was intrigued in managing his possess cafe.
Just after shuttering the Downtown site, LaRosa bought Sebastian’s to Vassilou, who would go on to tweak the recipes, include and subtract a handful of menu items, and turn what was then a battling restaurant into the iconic place that it is nowadays (LaRosa, in situation you have not heard, ended up doing just wonderful).
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As a token of many thanks to its primary proprietor, Vassilou retained the Sebastian’s name and, for the past 46 years, he, alongside with his spouse, Helen, has been serving some of the ideal gyros, Greek salads and baklava in city.
Previous week, when rumors started circulating that Vassilou was closing his restaurant because of to the impending sale of the building in which it truly is positioned, he took to his Facebook page to nip them in the bud. Although he did acknowledge that his time at the restaurant was quickly coming to an end. Or at minimum he hoped it was.
“We are not shut or closing,” Vassilou wrote. “After 46 decades doing the job 17 hour days I’d like to retire to go fishing, walk the seaside and spend time with my loved ones.”
Although the building is, certainly, for sale, Vassilou hopes somebody will buy it and take more than his restaurant so he can last but not least retire.
According to Sebastian’s manager Tracie Burton, Vassilou owns the making, which is now stated for $649,900. She explained rumors that Sebastian’s was closing started out on the Facebook page Chowdown Cincinnati, which is extensively well-known among Bigger Cincinnati foodies.
Reflecting on his personal accomplishment with the restaurant, Vassilou wrote, “Most new companies shut in considerably less than 3 a long time. I came as an immigrant to America, and was fortuitous to surpass that statistic and worked challenging all my lifetime. I’d like someone else to have that very same option.”
He added that he would like to shell out extra time with his relatives. “I adore my prospects who have grow to be family,” he wrote, “and am hunting ahead to this transition to this following section of my everyday living in The united states, as a grandpa.”
Sebastian’s, 5209 Glenway Ave., West Price Hill 513-471-2100, sebastiansgyros.com. Hours: 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Closed Sunday.
