Buffalo Rising Online

May 22nd 2006, 4:57pm By queenseyes

The Theater District will soon welcome a new addition to its restaurant scene. Cabaret, located at 484 Pearl Street, is in the process of seeing a complete makeover from floor to ceiling. The building was formerly home to Lydia's Pearl Night Club where many local musicians gathered to play on weekends. Lydia's Pearl was a cool place to hang out, but Cabaret intends to take it up a few notches.

Cabaret's owner, Nadine Lattanzio, has been working on the space non-stop for the last 18 months. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done before the joint is open to the public, but upon initial viewing today I was amazed at the transformation that has already taken place.

First let me tell you that the entire interior has been busted wide open. There were a series of walls that divided Lydia's Pearl into two very separate areas. The dining area is now wide open, which is incredible because when I first walked into the space I couldn't even remember what was in there prior to Cabaret. When Nadine mentioned Lydia's Pearl I couldn't believe the transformation. The ceilings have been exposed and cleaned, showing the water pipes, thus giving the space an even roomier feel. The floors are a mix of blonde wood and river tile. And check this out... miniature garage doors have been incorporated into the exterior walls that can be raised on nice days. The doors are sturdy painted steel with glass, and add an indoor/outdoor dynamic to both the first and second floors. Tables will eventually be set up adjacent to the doors giving diners the ability look onto Pearl and its neighboring buildings. The subdued lighting is perfectly in-tune with the exposed brick walls, and the Eastern sun exposure illuminates the interior throughout the year.

As far as food goes, I assumed that the place was going to be on the upscale side. "That's not true", Nadine told me. "We want to sell to the everyday blue collar worker. Our food will be home-cooked, but it will not be expensive. We want customers to be able to enjoy a burger or a salad and we'll have daily specials with soups and pastas. We know that we'll have the theater crowd as well... we just want to make sure that everyone is comfortable here. My family has owned the building for the last 50 years. We've had a history with the building, so I'm happy to be investing in Cabaret." The building originated as the Prince Edward Hotel and has since seen numerous tenants over the years. The marriage of the two interior spaces and the addition of a second floor banquet area show a special atmosphere that was always waiting to be exposed within the building's walls.

Cabaret's parking lot can accommodate up to 100 cars, and there might be two-top seating patio additions to look forward to in the future. Lunch will be served Monday through Saturday and dinner Thursday through Saturday. Cabaret will also be open on theater performance nights. The restaurant will be showcasing its own live music acts and is expecting two plasma TV sets for the sports fans. The plan is to open the second week in June.