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Kachinka, the spinoff from renowned Russian food purveyor Kachka that was located in the restaurant's original home, has permanently shut its doors.
Owners Bonnie and Israel Morales announced the closure today in a subscriber newsletter. The couple says that its lease was coming to an end, and with continued uncertainty surrounding the restaurant industry because of COVID-19, it just made sense not to renew.
"We have made the very difficult decision not to reopen Kachinka," Israel Morales tells WW. "The space was Kachka's original location, and held a lot of sentimental value for us and many of our guests and regulars. It was where Kachka began, and where many of our guests tasted Russian food for the first time. Unfortunately, things that made it such a beloved experience, like the compact, bustling and intimate space, have become deterrents to diners during a pandemic."
The hole-in-the-wall restaurant on Southeast Grand Avenue was initially forced to halt business in September 2019 due to water damage following heavy rains. In a press release, the owners also said "negligence on the part of the roofing contractor" was to blame as well. Repair assessments set the reopening date anywhere from two to three months out, but Kachinka never got back to normal operations before the pandemic hit and all restaurants were forced to suspend service.
Meanwhile, Bonnie Morales is still making her popular dishes like Herring Under a Fur Coat and the Ruskie Zakuski Experience for pickup and delivery in its newer location on Southeast 11th Avenue. The business is currently gearing up to prepare multicourse Passover meals for two, which you can order online.
Customers can also pickup grocery items at the attached market, Lavka, which opened in late 2019.