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Counsel tells Liquor Authority Taste of the City operated like a nightclub, lacked permits and ignored safety advice
Summary
Counsel's office told the authority the licensee operated without a Department of Health restaurant permit, continued serving hookah without permission, failed to staff or license security appropriately, and ignored NYPD recommendations after prior incidents — factors cited in recommending a summary suspension.
At the special meeting, counsel’s office said Taste of the City appeared to be operating as a nightclub rather than the restaurant listed in its method of operation and that the licensee had not followed prior safety recommendations. "We have a metal detector that police officials say was leaning up against the wall that wasn't even being used that night," prosecutor Somalia Samuel said, and added the venue had a DJ and hookah service while patrons were not always seated.
Commissioner De Leon highlighted the occupancy and security discrepancies in voting to suspend the license: "This is a place that is licensed at a maximum of only 74 people, yet we had 114 scans," he said. Counsel also told members the licensee was not operating with a restaurant permit from the Department of Health and had continued to receive violations for serving hookah without a permit. The office said it would issue a notice pleading following the meeting and continue prosecuting the enforcement matter.
