Healdsburg's Cyrus to Close in the Fall

By Meesha Halm

After a long, protracted and very public legal battle between the fine dining giant Cyrus Restaurant and the investment group which owns the luxury Les Mars Hotel next door, the shoe has finally dropped. Late Thursday evening, a joint statement between the warring parties announced that the Les Mars Hotel will be taking over the restaurant assets. In other words, Cyrus is closing. But not right away, thank goodness. Douglas Keane and his business partner Nick Peyton will continue to operate the restaurant through October 31.

For his part, Keane, who has had a rough past year during which time closed his short-lived labor-of-love Shimo (the Japanese-inspired steakhouse-cum-noodle shop) tells the media that he's okay with the settlement. We reckon he's probably thrilled to wrestle free of the contentious relationship, and likely will walk away with a decent chunk of change for his troubles. He won't divulge the financial arrangements but did tell the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, “it’s a great move, a positive one.”

As for the rest of us sad saps who will dearly miss dining at the legendary Healdsburg haunt and still remember the early days when they maître d' announced your arrival to the chef via an antique-style black telephone, take heart. Not only will the restaurant continue its regular dinner and Saturday lunch service through October, but also Keane plans to put together a greatest hits tasting menu featuring highlights from his past seven years.

On a hopeful note, Keane and Peyton have retained the naming rights of Cyrus, leaving open the possibility that they'll reopen somewhere else. While Keane tells the Santa Rosa Press Democrat he has no imminent plans aside from continuing to manage the Healdsburg Bar and Grill and working with a dog rescue organization, he does acknowledge, "obviously we kept it for a reason.”

Sigh. As if getting a reservation wasn't already hard enough.

Cyrus Restaurant, 29 North St, Healdsburg, 707-433-3311