Babushka customers take break from shopping to support vodka bid.
Babushka Deli, 62 Washington St., has asked the Boston Licensing Board for permission to add specialty Russian vodkas to its existing beer and wine, in response, it says, to requests from the many Russian-Americans who live in an apartment complex behind the shop. Read more.
The Boston Licensing Board votes Thursday whether to let the Russian Benevolent Society on Linden Street more than double its seating capacity, stay open an hour later at night and add bottle service and a patio.
The society, once a social club that mainly rented its space out for functions, has already won approval from city inspectors to increase its capacity from 214 to 440 patrons.
The mayor's office and city councilors Mark Ciommo, Steve Murphy, Ayanna Pressley and Felix Arroyo all supported the request for a license change, saying the society has been very responsive to requests from the community and police.
The Boston Licensing Board yesterday ordered the Russian Benevolent Society to shut its Crystal restaurant in Allston for a day after its manager admitted letting customers buy whole bottles of vodka even after the board's chairwoman warned him not to.
Boston restaurants with full liquor licenses can offer bottle service but only after getting board permission, which Crystal didn't have. The restaurant was also letting customers take whole bottles back with them to their tables, which the board does not allow - it requires restaurants with permission to have a dedicated staffer at the table to pour the drinks.
The Russian Benevolent Society admitted today it let patrons buy entire bottles of vodka even after the chairwoman of the Boston Licensing Board called its manager and told him not to. The club's lawyer said bottle service is very important to Russian culture.
The board decides Thursday what action, if any, to take for the citations issued by Boston Police detectives on an inspection on Feb. 17 at the society's Crystal restaurant on Linden Street in Allston.
The Zoning Board of Appeals agreed to defer a hearing until May 7 on a proposal by the Russian Benevolent Society to turn its Linden Street facility into a 450-seat restaurant with a 90-seat patio and entertainment.
The Boston Licensing Board today granted a license to the Babushka Deli, 62 Washington St., to sell beer and wine.
The deli, which only sells Russian foodstuffs, wanted to better serve the neighborhood's large Russian and Jewish population, many elderly, attorney Carolyn Conway told the board at a hearing yesterday. She said the proposal had received the blessings of local rabbis, the Russian Jewish Community Center and the Brighton Allston Improvement Association. The mayor's office and four city councilors, including district Councilor Mark Ciommo, also gave their nod.
The Boston Licensing Board today approved a request from the Russian Benevolent Society, 14-20 Linden St. in Allston, to serve dinner seven days a week.
The society, originally set up as a private club, had been open to the public Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. The board's amendment to its license means it will be open the other four days of the week as well.
Paul Berkeley, president of the Allston Civic Association, said his group was concerned that the society was slowly morphing into a nightclub or bar in the middle of a residential area.
The Boston Licensing Board today gave the Russian Benevolent Society, 14 Linden St., permission to serve dinner and liquor Thursday through Sunday night.
At a hearing yesterday, society lawyer Richard Vetstein said the move will not only help the club financially but give Russian immigrants in Allston and Brighton a chance to mingle and enjoy a taste of home.
Under the society's old club license, it could only open to serve meals and liquors for functions.
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
