Austin's Restaurant serves its last rib Austin's Restaurant serves its last rib (July 15, 2005)

El Corral club and catering operation may survive, owner says

By Jenny Baer

It was regularly voted best barbecue in town by Voice readers, but that wasn't enough to save Austin's Restaurant.

The rib joint at 1616 W. El Camino Real closed last week due to financial troubles. Owner Richard Clark said he was only a month behind on his rent, but that the owner of the building wanted him out.

"Unfortunately, [Austin's was] a struggling restaurant in a crummy economy," Clark said. "It's been this way for five years."

However, he added, Austin's catering business will remain open, offering the same menu of barbecue and other specialties. And the recently opened El Corral Latin night club may also remain in business, he said.

Clark said the landlord had wanted him out of the building for some time, and finally "caught me on a technicality. ... I got one month behind in rent, which isn't much, but they told me that there was a property tax assessment without any supporting documentation to prove that."

Austin's has been part of the Mountain View restaurant scene for eight years and three months, and launched the El Corral Latin night club only nine weeks ago.

The club was doing booming business, Clark said, adding that he wishes that he had launched it sooner -- soon enough, maybe, to buy out the building owner.

Clark stated that while his restaurant's business typically declines during the summer season, catering and deliveries are at a high point. Clark is still taking "worthy" catering orders through the restaurant's old phone number, (650) 969-9191. His formal catering business is expected to re-open in mid-August.

E-mail Jenny Baer at jbaer@mv-voice.com

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