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Neighbor Sues Mario Batali's Loud, Smelly Babbo Restaurant
By
Nell Casey
Published Nov 21, 2014
Modified Nov 21, 2014
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By
Nell Casey
Published Nov 21, 2014
Modified Nov 21, 2014
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In the East Village, it's bacon; in the West Village, garlic. A neighbor of Mario Batali's popular paycheck-blowing eatery Babbo has had it up to his eyeballs with the eatery's rampant garlic smells and climate control racket, so he's suing the celeb chef to make it stop, reports the Post. A $10 million dollar lawsuit has been filed on behalf of Nurettin Akgul, who says that Batali and Co. reneged on an agreement to install soundproofing and other protection to the restaurant after they were awarded a variance to operate on a residential block.
Despite opposition from neighbors, Babbo's special permit was renewed; Akgul allegedly said he would not oppose the variance provided Batali take the necessary steps to ensure the smells, noise and general disturbance would desist. Apparently, Batali didn't stick to his end of the bargain. Akgul says a "chronic hum" from the air conditioners prevents him from sleeping, plus he can "smell everything they cook, the garlic, and when they use chemicals to clean the exhaust dust we get the stuff in our windows." Some people pay good money for those garlicky aromas!
Neighbors have been complaining about the eatery for years at this point and still nothing has changed. And it's pretty tough to feel sympathy for a "retired oil exec" who lives in a town house in one of the city's best neighborhoods. Instead of a lawsuit, why not request free Babbo deliveries whenever you want them? And say it with us schlubs: ear plugs, ear plugs, ear plugs.
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lawsuits
mario batali
Nell Casey
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