Daily Loaf

When MJ’s Martini and Tapas opened last year, I didn’t expect much. It was billed more as a jazz club than a restaurant, and the location — tucked behind a defunct Bennigan’s on St. Pete’s North 4th — was terrible. One visit changed my mind about the place, thanks entirely to chef Domenica Macchia.

Then, soon after the place opened, Macchia was fired by the owners of MJ’s. After a few months of looking, and some concern over her mortgage, she hooked up with Dan Soronen with plans to create a gastropub menu at his soon-to-open Shackleton’s Folly in south St. Pete. “Soon” became months, and finally Macchia left to find another new opportunity. Fortuitously, Greg Pugh — owner of Ringside Cafe — was interested in opening a new place. Fast.

Tomorrow, Diner 437 (check out the full menu) opens in the former space of Grillside Central, with Macchia in the kitchen, back doing what she does best. She is one of my favorite chefs — or even people — to just gab with, thanks to her unedited, machine-gun delivery. So I decided to give her a call and ask her about the past few months.

I talked to her this morning, much too early in the morning for most chefs to be awake.

Why up so early?
I’ve never done lunch or breakfast, so I’m trying to get used to this. The concept [at Diner 437] for me is why not get great eggs all day long?

What went wrong at Shackleton’s Folly?
I started in February. We planned on two weeks afterward I’d get on the payroll, construction was going well, and planned on opening on St. Patty’s day. I’ll tell you everything, I was heartbroken. After four and a half months [Soronen] had no money to pay. I believed in the place, and believed in him, but I realized in the beginning of April I had to move on. I couldn’t lose my house over his dream. He’s kind of mad at me, I wish him the best, but love is not enough. You have to pay your bills.

How did you hook up with Greg Pugh (owner of Ringside Café and now Diner 437)?
I don’t think of myself as spiritual, I think it just sounds good when you’re meeting people, but it all seemed to work out for the best. I left Shackleton on Thursday, in worse shape now than ever before, then Friday I got a call from Greg. He said, “Can I come get you?” I didn’t know him, thought maybe I should bring my knife. But hey, in desperation I’ll get in anyone’s car these days.He showed me a space and I thought, “Wow, right back on Central, kind of where I started down at Redwood.” After a five-minute walkthrough, I said, “I think a diner would work there.”

He asked me to work up a menu and I said, “it just so happens I have one right here.”

What is Diner 437 going to be like?
Well, there’s the counter so I have to learn not to drop f-bombs. My inside voice is, uh, really …
I took the menu from Shackleton’s and made it fit. I have eggs all day — you know they come out of a chicken’s ass, they don’t come out of a container — so no pre-poaching or anything. I took some of the best things from MJ’s, but now it’s just bigger dishes, and some new things. I’m proud of it because it’s affordable, but I’m completely petrified because I haven’t done egg dishes in years. I don’t know if it will do well with customers, but it will do well with me.

The restaurant seemed to go from concept to open -for-business very quickly.
The way I was trained, you don’t open the doors until you’re ready, but that’s not how it has to be. When they’re coming at me with numbers, I’m like OK, you need to be open on Tuesday, how am I going to do that?
I had a week — and three of those days were spent scrubbing to find where the hood was. I think I have a great staff. I said, “I can offer you twenty dollars an hour,” and as I’m saying it I feel sick – they can go to Home Depot and make more with benefits — but the talent is great. I know they’re into it because they took it. In the kitchen, I yell at myself, I fire myself, I say I’m an ass. That’s why I get good people, because they always agree with what I say – yes, you are an ass!

I don’t know if I’m going to get my ass kicked tomorrow; I haven’t even finished everything on the menu. It’s all going to be a mystery. I know that’s not the way you’re supposed to do it, but that’s why I’m up so early — panic attacks at 5 a.m.

What are you looking forward to?
I have anxiety attacks when plates came back full. I want to go out there and find out what’s wrong. The fun part of the diner is there’s more communication. They [customers] don’t have to come into the kitchen, I’m there, I can hear them. And I want to know what people want to eat. Tell me and I’ll make it right then, if I can.

You seem to be both happy and stressed. Maybe manic.
There’s where that fake spirituality comes in — this all just came together. Everyone has been very nice, but when you’re on top there’s only one place to go, and that’s usually lower. All I know, all I talk about, is food, and so I’m not good at parties. I usually get invited back to the kitchen. If you’re ever looking for the fat ugly girl, I’ll be in the kitchen.

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