Cosmos is for sale
It’s being echoed over social media Monday that the NDG snack bar known as Cosmos (although the sign clearly says Cosmo) is for sale. The old owner, Tony Koulakis, was murdered in 2013 by one of his sons, and the other kept operating it until the lockdown closed it.
(Admission: I never ate there.)
Ian 19:54 on 2020-05-04 Permalink
And called Cosmo’s by a lot of the older locals but of course apostrophes are not allowed., apparently even in reportage.
John B 20:22 on 2020-05-04 Permalink
I lived a couple of blocks from there for almost 5 years and never made it int. Maybe I should head over before it’s sold.
Oh, wait..
Blork 20:46 on 2020-05-04 Permalink
I ate there once in the late 90s. Make no mistake, it was only notable because of the scene it created with Tony yelling and all the commotion and oddness. There was nothing “gourmet” or even particularly good about the food aside from the Brobdingnagian servings and the high levels of salt and fat.
Definitely a “local treasure,” which only makes sense if you’re a local or at least a regular. As a non-local (I lived on the Plateau at the time), I had no reason to go back. I would never experience it “as a local” and if I just want a mass of eggs and potatoes there is (or at least was) no shortage of places that could provide it, including my own kitchen. So yeah, great for local and/or regulars, but otherwise not a “destination breakfast.”
Tee Owe 07:25 on 2020-05-05 Permalink
I lived around the corner late 80’s early 90’s, never ate there (like Blork, preferred breakfast at home) but it/he was definitely a well-known local feature. I missed the news about his murder.
dwgs 08:52 on 2020-05-05 Permalink
I still live around the corner and it certainly wasn’t gourmet, or healthy, or comfortable, but if you were craving a hearty breakfast and grew up in a logging camp there was nothing like it. The only thing they made besides breakfast was a hamburger which was actually one of the best in town in my opinion. Their breakfasts also cured hangovers.
When Tony died, two of his kids (fraternal twins) took over. In my opinion the guy was a bit of a dirtbag but his sister Nikki was a sweetheart, I would only go when she worked, especially when she worked with Rose, it was like being served breakfast by your aunties, if one of your aunties was Greek and the other one old school NDG Irish, it was wonderful. When my son was little he used to call it The Bacon Store because Nikki knew he loved bacon and would always give him about a half a pound of it with his meal.
I don’t think there’s much love lost between the twins and the place was only open half time for a couple of months before the ‘Rona hit, I think that may be Nikki had had enough.
Kate 13:42 on 2020-05-05 Permalink
dwgs, thanks for explaining the charm people felt about the place.
Tee Owe, here’s a brief summary of what happened there.
Ian 15:36 on 2020-05-05 Permalink
I definitely had a few of those hangover cures in my student days. Not many classic greasy spoon breakfasts left in town, and that in a town that used to be rich in greasy spoons.
Tee Owe 07:09 on 2020-05-08 Permalink
Thanks Kate!