RESTAURANT—Bernard’s at Biltmore Falls Prey to Economy

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Struggling under the faltering economy, the owners of the Millennium Biltmore Hotel have shuttered Bernard’s, a gourmet fixture on the downtown restaurant scene for nearly three decades.

Biltmore officials said the closure had been considered for months, but the timing of the move which came Sept. 17 was evidence of increasing pessimism in the hotel industry about the national economy in the wake of the terrorist strikes in New York and Washington.

“(Bernard’s) will be closed at least until the end of the year, that may change in January and it may not,” said Marlene Zermeno, public relations manager for the Biltmore, which was purchased by Millennium Hotels and Resorts in 1999. “Until the end of the year, the restaurant will continue to be used for catering.”

The closure is the second in two years for the one-time hot spot, which was opened by Bernard Jacoupy in 1974 with a focus on French cooking and fresh seafood. Bernard’s was also shut for two months last year because of slow business.

Jacoupy, who was part of a partnership that sold Bernard’s nearly 15 years ago and now owns Lunaria in West L.A. said his namesake restaurant has been in decline for some time.

“They changed the concept. One day it was a steak house and the next day it was a caf & #233;. How are you going to have a caf & #233; with $1,100 chairs?” Jacoupy said. “It was a total lack of vision. It’s too bad because it was such a nice room.”

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