I was on Second Avenue the other day and stopped to witness the horror of the American Grill facade at the southwest corner of E. 7th Street. With its intermingled red and blue neon signs, and the red and blue awnings, not to mention the mix of silver and gold metal walls, it could hardly be a more injurious assault to the eyes. A truly nauseating sight.
American Grill's look might not be so upsetting it weren't sitting on the corner that once belonged to the Kiev Restaurant, old-school Ukrainian eatery and avenue anchor. As if to rub salt in the woulds, the owners of American Grill have seen fit to leave the old Kiev sign intact on the second-floor level, as if to remind us of what's we've lost.
I was visiting N.Y. recently, having moved away a few years ago. How could they do this to the Kiev? I ate at there many times when I lived in N.Y. The pierogis, the mushroom-barley soup, the bread ... This makes me glad I left actually - I can remember N.Y. as it was when I lived there, before it was turned into a suburban strip mall.
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