Medi Temporarily Shutters While Owners Open New Bice

We got a tip last evening that Medi unexpectedly shut down and that employees showed up to work to find out the bad news. A little digging and we discovered that the restaurant's owners decided to temporarily close the restaurant to focus on the opening of the new Bice, which is currently undergoing a major renovation.

Bice, which will see Michelin-starred exec chef Mario Camia helm the kitchen, is scheduled to open in March in the current Bice Bistro space in the Talbott Hotel. The restaurant will expand into the next-door space and add a 125-seat patio.

"Ownership has decided to focus on the opening of Bice," said owner Roberto Ruggieri. "While Medi did close suddenly, employees did not show up to a closed venue. Management decided to put their efforts towards the new Bice."

Employees at Medi, which had recently opened in the former Bice space, were compensated based on length of employment and tenure and are being given shifts at Bice Bistro, according to a spokesperson for Bice. They'll move into permanent spots at the new restaurants. Medi, meanwhile, is scheduled to reopen sometime in April after a remodeling. The whole thing sounds like a strange love triangle straight out of a bad Italian soap opera.