The corner of Laurel and Fifth is undergoing yet another makeover with Tracy Borkum’s newest venture, Cucina Urbana
. Good to see that she’s finally changed the name of the restaurant she bought a few years ago. The original Laurel Restaurant & Bar had a gorgeous copper bar, understated decor (sure it needed updating) , great food, a very loyal following that came with top critical acclaim. Borkum did away with that bar for something very white and added many other over-the-top decorative touches that made the room, for many, uninhabitable for eating. She also went through many chefs trying to find a good food fit. And, she forgot to change the name which might have helped her given the huge changes she made. Now, with Cucina Urbana, she’s soliciting twitterers to help with the menu planning. We hope she finds success in the Italian venture.
Tracy Borkum is the managing partner of Laurel Restaurant & Bar, now Cucina Urbana . . . she has several partners who were original partners in Laurel who agreed to sell Borkum majority shares of the company.
Cucina Urbana is fantastic! Went in for dinner last night and had a great time. Friendly and welcoming with great service and phenomenal food. Try the polenta board, ricotta stuffed squash blossoms, and the short rib pappardelle…delicious! It’s got great potential to be the next “it” place in town so check it out!