Beach Blanket Babylon. . .

[trilingual]

Rio version: Today's "Globo" reports that the Assyrius Restaurant in the basement of the Theatro Municipal will re-open. Bids will be taken at the beginning of September for a new operator, who will be expected to renovate and restore the premises as well as run the re-opened restaurant. For those who don't know the place, the restaurant is one of the architectural gems of the city. It's done in "Assyrian Art Nouveau," featuring magnificent tiled walls with bas-relief Assyrian winged lions and such. It's like dining in the set for "Nabucco," in full Babylonian splendor. If you've visited the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, you'll know the style exactly!

 

In recent years, before closing, the restaurant had declined in quality. With luck, the new operator will be able to make it a fine place to eat again, just as the hiring of a skilled new chef brought the Confeitaria Colombo back to life! The Assyrius supposedly will re-open in February or March of 2005, if all goes according to plan. When it does, Rio will have not just one but two spectacular fin-de-siecle venues where visitig royalty can dine! Stay tuned!

[Guest Gringo]

The room is Babylonian splendor. Even when the food went downhill, I'd go just for the atmosphere. Glad to hear its opening again. :+