Ball Square Breakfast War Leads to Fisticuffs

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

Looks like the feud continues and has heated up a bit:

http://somervillenews.typepad.com/the_somerville_news/2010/04/one-injured-in-somervilles-breakfast-war-restaurant-dispute.html

I predict detail cops will soon be a daily sight in the square. The next city fundraising effort will focus on tickets for blocking the sidewalk.

Comments

[mzrowan.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's crazy! I knew there was animosity between them, but I had no idea how bad it was! This also reaffirms my allegiance to Ball Square Cafe. ;-)

what a slanted article!

[cthulhia]

(I mean, aside from suggesting that Kelly's diner is "highly regarded"... which, well, I pity the folks who think their food, or service, is tolerable. It takes effort to make hash have so little flavor it's not even salty, or to refuse to seat a solo diner at a booth because there might be a lunch rush.)

Yassir is troublesome, but Moccia can get just as antagonistic, or simply overplay the "villen" card, to the point that when he called the cops, they behaved like he was crying wolf about Yassir again.

That said, BS Cafe has the original cook, but, most of the original staff is at Soundbites. There's still very little reason to choose one over the other barring drink menu, outdoor tables or... shorter line.

Re: what a slanted article!

[muckraking.livejournal.com]

I stopped going to Soundsbites after getting tired of hearing the owner yell at other customers.

But this article doesn't make either Soundbites or BS Cafe look good.

Re: what a slanted article!

[davelew.livejournal.com]

I thought the original cook was still with Yassir, and Ball Square got the original prep chef?

There was that famous poster exchange a few years ago when BSBC wouldn't let Yassir renew his lease and put up a sign that said "New look, same cook!" and the poster next door that Yassir put up which said "He was just the dishwasher!"

cook controversy

[cthulhia]

really? this is news to me. are there more details somewhere?

Re: cook controversy

[ron_newman]

Here's an old LJ post from when Ball Sq Cafe opened and this war started.

[gandalfgreyhame.livejournal.com]

That is simultaneously ludicrous and awesome.

[concrete.livejournal.com]

I am thinking dual restraining orders in their future.

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

Perhaps cordoned off boundaries with a DMZ?

[duffless2323.livejournal.com]

I don't get why people still frequent either establishment...I don't want any of those nimrods getting my money.

[trtls.livejournal.com]

I'm with you!

[teko.livejournal.com]

It's those damn "No Place Like Homefries". They're like crack. I can't stay away.

[duffless2323.livejournal.com]

since I haven't been since they all went crazy in ball square and I laid down the boycott hammer I'm not aware of these homefries...are they the mashpotatoey ones that soundbites had? Those were good.

[teko.livejournal.com]

Those are the ones. Basically fried garlic mashed potatoes, but oh so good.

Though I haven't been back to either place for awhile; the last time I went to Sound Bites, the BSC owner was outside his joint inviting people inside, saying "Come on in! No line, better service, better food!" when Yassir came outside and started screaming at the guy. Piss on that, I just want breakfast.

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

To me, they're crap - I want some actual pieces of potatoes, not mashed potatoes fried.

[teko.livejournal.com]

I love me some "actual" homefries too, diner style. But the "Ball Square style" homefries are unique and I dig them quite a bit for what they are :)

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, they just completely miss what homefries are - it's like taking shredded potatoes, frying them, and calling them homefries - they're not, they're hashbrowns.

[teko.livejournal.com]

Granted, the name is very misleading. It'd be like getting a plate of awesome mashed potatoes when you order french fries -- yeah, it's tasty, but it ain't fries. I'm with you there.

[pekmez.livejournal.com]

I live walking distance to Ball Square, but my favorite brunch joint has always been The Neighborhood, which takes a bit more effort to get to since it's not in mine. Stuff like this reminds me why.

i can tell you two things

[sparkgrrl658.livejournal.com]

a.) if anyone from a nearby establishment harassed me as i was going inside a different place, you can bet money that i would definitely never set foot in there at that point.

b.) now i really want french toast.

Re: i can tell you two things

[teele-sq.livejournal.com]

teele sq cafe has delicious french toast.

Re: i can tell you two things

[cowhockey.livejournal.com]

I love Kelly's French Toast. I no longer live in Davis, but still go to Kelly's from the French Toast when I'm in the area.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I live next door to Yassir. The guy would take a bullet for a friend. The article was too hard on him.

[somertricky.livejournal.com]

SN has been squarely in the Ball Sq Cafe/Victor's camp since Day One.

[yagagriswold.livejournal.com]

I'm with you. I live next door to SoundBites. Yassir is a good neighbor.

[pearlythebunny.livejournal.com]

When a neighbor's son was killed in an accident, Yasser provided (for free) all the food for the wake.

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

I find it funny that the 1st comment on the SN site complains that Yassir was critical for the customer buying coffee elsewhere and bringing it into Soundbites. That's pretty rude at almost any sitdown place that isn't in a food court. I think Yassir even has a sign asking people not to do that.

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

They bought it while they were waiting in line, though. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt and thinking they assumed they'd be done with the coffee before they were seated.

[wench33.livejournal.com]

I do too, he's always quite nice when I'm there.

[mcary219.livejournal.com]

i experienced something with mike where he totally dissed a regular customer (who had a table named after him) and said we couldnt sit down because we were waiting for one more person when we would sit at a two person table. it was rediculous. they both got in a pretty heated argument and the meal itself was pretty uncomfortable. I know vow never to eat at either of those places even though I enjoy their food. Plus Im not eating out anymore to waste money. but still after that experience i am confident that I will not be eating at either of those places.

[leko.livejournal.com]

I didn't realize that Mikes parents own Victors. I like both soundbites and BSC, but I love victors, and the owners there seem like a super nice family. Telling their son you're going to spit on them is pretty much asking for it, if that's what actually happened.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

That account is according to one person. What, you think they just happened to pass each other on the street and, by way of greeting, Yassir says, "Mornin' Mike. I'm going to spit on your parents." Somehow I doubt we're reading the whole story. :)

(Personally, I don't care for either one in particular. Neither of them currently have any interest in feeding me breakfast, so I'll go the extra mile to Deluxe Town Diner, tyvm.)

[leko.livejournal.com]

Well I did say "if that's what actually happened." And no, I assumed they were arguing about something stupid and it escalated to that point.

My favorite place to get brunch though is Johnny Ds, for the record.

[ron_newman]

This morning I discovered that I really like The Friendly Toast in Kendall Square.

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

Their food is pretty darn tasty, I have to agree. AND you can get the pancakes the size of your head for DINNER if you want them.

[sungold123.livejournal.com]

This is one of the reasons I find myself frequently in the Sound Bites camp -- they're open late. There's nothing quite like breakfast for dinner. And while the owner can be a bit brash, he's always been quite nice to me... he often gives us one of their awesome fruit bowls for free.

The one thing I do not understand is the bar at SB. They have the ONLY nice bar in Ball Square, one that I would actually sit at and order a cocktail at... except they're open until "whenever we want to close" (which isn't usually very late, 8:30ish?) and they have a terrible bartender. I would LOVE to see them do a little marketing and become a real bar at night. Booze AND breakfast?! Sigh.

[sparkgrrl658.livejournal.com]

i love the friendly toast.

everything i've tried so far has been great, and enormous portions. and the bloody marys are excellent and huge as well!

[delahk.livejournal.com]

try their black and white raspberry milkshake. huge and soooooo goooood

[maelithil.livejournal.com]

The Friendly Toast is delicious, but it's all the way over there.

I'm a Johnny D's fan, tried and true.

[rethcir.livejournal.com]

When I do feel like waiting a half hour to get a table (which isn't often) I normally end up going to BS Cafe. I feel like you're getting much higher quality for your food there and you aren't getting the Tokyo Subway treatment (you know, when they drop the check off about a minute after your food comes)

Neither of these joints has anything on The Neighborhood in union, where you get a larger portion for dirt cheap.

[craigindaville.livejournal.com]

THIS!

[teko.livejournal.com]

Yassir is very sweet to frequent customers, hugging them, giving them free side dishes and such, but I've seen him scream at Mike next door for "stealing his customers", as well.

Both of these guys are creating an uncomfortable situation for their customers. I love the food -- the 'home fries', the waffles topped with fruit, the amazing benedict -- but damn, do I want to risk being there when one of 'em firebombs the other? I love your food, Yassir, but if you guys are going to douche up the square with a breakfast war, I'm going to the Friendly Toast.

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

This article and these comments make me feel so glad that Renee's only has a barbershop for a neighbor.

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

A+ yes! Renee's is by far my favorite place.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

+1 here!

Also, Common Grounds in Watertown is eleven million different kinds of awesome.

I know and know of many people to whom Mr. Mirza has been kind and generous, but I have only ever experienced rudeness from him personally, which is not anything I enjoy in a restaurant experience. (And I'm a sweet-tempered middle-aged soccer-aunt type who is generally not the target of free-floating restaurateur hostility!)

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

Oh, Common Grounds is so great! Sweet potato pancakes, nom. If I could change one thing about them, it would be their table layout--when it's busy, I'm seated so close to my neighbors that I can tell which toothpaste they used that morning.

[micbain07.livejournal.com]

They are both pompous s***heads. I think its just a publicity stunt to draw more fools to stand in the cold and rain waiting for breakfast.