Ralph's restaurant in Ambler, PA

[Stan Horwitz]

Two friends of mine went to dinner at the Ralph's restaurant in Ambler a
month or two ago. My friends raved about the food so I figured that
since I have to go up to that area after work today, I might as well
plan a dinner with friends there tonight.

Unfortunately, I just heard that the Ralph's restaurant at Ambler has
gone out of business. The phone number that's listed on the restaurant's
web site is disconnected, although the web site is still active.

Does anyone know what prompted Jimmy Rubino to close that restaurant? I
heard it was doing well. I googled for it, but all I found was rave
reviews, nothing about Ralph's closing.

[Joel]

I dunno Stan,

Here is a guy from www.PhillyBlog.com who was just there .....

Joel

***


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Joely
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Thanks PeaceMover .....


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#2 Today, 02:20 PM
peacemover
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I had a wonderful dinner there with my wife and daughter just last
month- so its closing is news to me...
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#1 Today, 09:47 AM
Joely
Water Ice Vendor Join Date: May 2005
Location: 7th and Pine Streets
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Ralph's in Ambler

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stan Horwitz wants to know .....


Stan Horwitz Jun 29, 1:58 pm show options
Newsgroups: phl.food, rec.food.restaurantsFrom: Stan Horwitz
<***@temple.edu> - Find messages by this author Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2005
13:58:43 -0400Local: Wed,Jun 29 2005 1:58 pm Subject: Ralph's
restaurant in Ambler, PAReply | Reply to Author | Forward | Print |
Individual Message | Show original | Report Abuse


Two friends of mine went to dinner at the Ralph's restaurant in Ambler
a
month or two ago. My friends raved about the food so I figured that
since I have to go up to that area after work today, I might as well
plan a dinner with friends there tonight.


Unfortunately, I just heard that the Ralph's restaurant at Ambler has
gone out of business. The phone number that's listed on the
restaurant's
web site is disconnected, although the web site is still active.
Does anyone know what prompted Jimmy Rubino to close that restaurant? I

heard it was doing well. I googled for it, but all I found was rave
reviews, nothing about Ralph's closing.


Reply
__________________

[Stan Horwitz]

Post by Joel
I dunno Stan,
Here is a guy from www.PhillyBlog.com who was just there .....
Joel
***
Today, 05:12 PM
Joely
Water Ice Vendor Join Date: May 2005
Location: 7th and Pine Streets
Posts: 838
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Thanks PeaceMover .....
Joely
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#2 Today, 02:20 PM
peacemover
Cheesesteak GURU! Wiz with Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Roxborough
Posts: 1,588
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
I had a wonderful dinner there with my wife and daughter just last
month- so its closing is news to me...
__________________
Peace,
John

I guess the closure of Ralph's in Ambler was very sudden. Strange!

[Joel]

Here ya go Stan,

One of my buddies at www.PhillyBlog.com sent this to me.

Joel



*****



The Ambler Gazette
Ambler loses Ralph's
By: John Vettese 07/01/2005
Email to a friend Voice your opinion Printer-friendly


Diners out for an Italian meal June 24 were surprised to see a sign in
the window of Ralph's of South Philadelphia announcing its closing.



"The Family of Ralph's Restaurant would like to thank you for your
support the last three years here in Ambler," it read. "We have enjoyed
making many new friends."

It was an abrupt closing for a restaurant that had been a trailblazer
in the borough's downtown revitalization. Opened in 2002, the Ambler
location of Ralph's was one of the first higher-end restaurants to make
its home on Butler Avenue, predating The Shanachie and Bridget's At 8
West.

However, being ahead of the curve may have put the restaurant at a
disadvantage.

Contacted at the South Philadelphia location of Ralph's, owner Jimmy
Rubino said that it simply wasn't worth it to keep the restaurant open
anymore.

"The amount of time we put in wasn't worth the return we were getting,"
he said. "The town was moving along, yes, but not as fast as we hoped,
or as fast as we had been promised."

Rubino considers it an unfortunate thing, since Ralph's will not be
around to enjoy the "renaissance" it helped start, but hopes it had
made its mark on the town.

According to Ambler Main Street Manager Bernadette Dougherty, it has
done exactly that. Beyond simply existing as a restaurant, Ralph's was
also involved in the community, regularly donating food and staff to
the Wissahickon Fire Co.'s annual spaghetti dinner, as well as Ambler
Main Street events from Oktoberfest to art openings.

"If I ever needed food for an event, I knew he'd always say yes,"
Dougherty said. "They were very community-minded, good supporters of
what's going on in town."

Rubino said he hasn't begun to think whether he would remain in touch
with the local groups; for now, he said he is focused on future
restaurant endeavors in the center city Philadelphia area.

Customers with gift cards for the Ambler Ralph's can redeem them at the
South Philadelphia location at 760 S. Ninth St.
The space is being leased by Sean Coyle and David Correia, owners of
the Manayunk Cajun eatery Bourbon Blue, but staffers at the restaurant
were unable to comment on their plans for their Ambler venture.



©Montgomery Newspapers 2005




Email to a friend Voice your opinion Printer-friendly Top

[Hillary Israeli]

In <***@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
Joel <***@gmail.com> wrote:

*the window of Ralph's of South Philadelphia announcing its closing.

Well, I won't miss it. I tried it twice. It sucked twice. I'm not sure
anything I say can communicate the suckage... Let's see, I know I was
there before our newest daughter was born, and while I was pregnant, and
it was warm enough to walk around outside -- so probably late last summer
was the second and last time I went. The host or hostess (I no longer
remember) copped an attitude with me when I requested one of the other
empty booths instead of the one she led us to (because the one she wanted
us to sit at had a big rip in the cushion and the edge poked me
uncomfortably), but finally did move us. I recall there was only one other
table seated in the place, but the server didn't even come say hello for a
good 10 minutes. I asked advice about something on the menu and got a curt
"I really wouldn't know" in response. The food was not hot, and was overly
salty. I was really underwhelmed.

[Joel]

Thanks Hillary!

**


Hillary Israeli agrees.
This appeared at www.deja.com


She is the VMD and Philadelphia computer guru.

Hey! I am wondering if she knows about PhillyBlog?
I will ask.

PhillyBlog - Blogs & Forums to talk about Philadelphia / Philly >
Who We Are > Food and Drink > Ralph's in Ambler

DIRECT LINK:

http://phillyblog.com/philly/showthread.php?p=117472






Joely





Quote:

Hillary Israeli Jul 5, 2:08 pm show options
Newsgroups: phl.food, rec.food.restaurants
From: ***@hillary.net (Hillary Israeli)
Date: Tue, 5 Jul 2005 18:08:06 +0000
Subject: Re: Ralph's restaurant in Ambler, PA



Joel <***@gmail.com> wrote:


*the window of Ralph's of South Philadelphia announcing its closing.

HILLARY WRITES:

Well, I won't miss it. I tried it twice. It sucked twice. I'm not sure
anything I say can communicate the suckage... Let's see, I know I was
there before our newest daughter was born, and while I was pregnant,
and
it was warm enough to walk around outside -- so probably late last
summer
was the second and last time I went. The host or hostess (I no longer
remember) copped an attitude with me when I requested one of the other
empty booths instead of the one she led us to (because the one she
wanted
us to sit at had a big rip in the cushion and the edge poked me
uncomfortably), but finally did move us. I recall there was only one
other
table seated in the place, but the server didn't even come say hello
for a
good 10 minutes. I asked advice about something on the menu and got a
curt
"I really wouldn't know" in response. The food was not hot, and was
overly
salty. I was really underwhelmed.


--
Hillary Israeli, VMD
Lafayette Hill/PA/USA/Earth
"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it
is
too dark to read." --Groucho Marx






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Last edited by Joely : Today at 08:05 AM.

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#6 07-02-2005, 11:24 AM
Geno
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I had heard it wasn't nearly as good as the South Philly original.
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#5 07-02-2005, 11:09 AM
Joely
Cheesesteak GURU! Wiz with Join Date: May 2005
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