Special Feature: An Interview With Bobby V at Bobby V's Restaurant

by Sharon Chapman

My husband and I are often struck with the idea of doing strange, Mets-related things. "Hey, let's drive the kids to Pittsburgh to see the Mets play at PNC Park!", "Hey, let's drive to Baltimore and back in one day to see the Mets play in Camden Yards!", and "Hey, let's run a 5K at Shea in the morning and then see the Mets play in Philly the same night!" were among our 2001 Mets adventures. So "Hey, why don't we meet up with KC and his wife Kathryn at Bobby Valentine's newly opened restaurant on Saturday?" was already pretty mild for us.

Despite the fact that we traveled from Central New Jersey and the KC's came from Westchester, we arrived at the restaurant within minutes of each other. We had opted to meet for an early dinner, which worked out very well for a couple of reasons. One was that we had no problem getting a table for four adults, a preteen and two young boys. The other being that co-owner Bobby Valentine was at the restaurant and, as it wasn't a busy time, was available to chat with us for a few minutes and answer our questions!

I - Background

Bobby Valentine tells us that he has been in the restaurant business since 1979. His first restaurant was located in Stamford, Connecticut, as part of an urban renewal project. He has co-owned several restaurants since then, with as many as six at one time over the years. Currently there are three Bobby V's in operation - in Stamford, in Arlington, Texas, and the newest one at 37-10 114th Street, Corona, Queens, located across the Grand Central Parkway from Shea Stadium in the Ramada Plaza Hotel. As with the original restaurant, this was part of an urban renewal project. As the hotel was being renovated, the City sought out people to invest in the community. Valentine and his partners, all of whom have worked with him for at least ten years, rose to the occasion, and the restaurant opened on November 3, 2001.

II - The Restaurant

What the Hard Rock Cafe is to music fans and Planet Hollywood is to movie aficionados, Bobby V's is to anybody who has ever rooted for the Mets. Waiters wear jerseys with the names or nicknames of former Met players. The items on display, all from the manager's personal collection, are too overwhelming to fully appreciate in just one visit. Everywhere the eye can see is an exhibit which, standing alone, would be worth the visit.

The tables are decorated with laminated baseball cards, featuring everyone who has ever been a Met and has had a baseball card. Paul Pupo, who designed the restaurant, explained some of the theme tables to us, including one with players on their teams before they became Mets, and one table dedicated solely to Tom Seaver cards.

Looking up from the table, there is a multitude of other fascinating exhibits. There are sets of three framed autographed jerseys, the centerpieces being 1969 Mets jerseys, flanked on either side by jerseys of Hall of Famers and future Hall of Famers. There are autographed baseballs that Valentine collected over the years; an autographed Sporting News collection; Time Magazines; World Series programs; and magazines autographed by special people. In the front are all of the Met programs from 1962 to the present, while inside there is an area with all of the magazine covers on which Tom Seaver has appeared, and another with all of the books and merchandise that Seaver has endorsed. There are items from the time that Valentine managed Nolan Ryan on the Texas Rangers. Autographed jerseys from stars such as Hank Aaron are displayed. Perhaps one of the most interesting personal items is the collage of Valentine's college recruitment letters. The bar, which also features laminated cards, was built by Valentine in 1984 for his former restaurant in Norwalk, Connecticut. If you can't make it to Cooperstown, then Bobby V's is the next best thing (and, if you are an ardent Mets fan, it is perhaps even better!).

The Bobby V's experience continues when you look over the menu. You can review the food choices, including pictures of most of the items, at mrmet.com. There are dishes named after players and events like Bamberger's Hamburgers, Ojeda's Fajitas, and the 1969 Champs Filet Mignon. But the menu design is also entertaining, including the quote "Like Yogi says: It ain't over till it's over." The menu cover features pictures of everyone who has managed the Mets including, as pointed out by the manager, one of Bobby Valentine wearing the fake glasses and mustache that earned him a suspension after he had once been ejected from a game but returned to the dugout in disguise.

One menu item of special note is Bobby's Original Club Mex Sandwich. I had heard that Bobby Valentine had invented the wrapper sandwich, and asked him whether that was, in fact, his creation. The manager's response was "Yes, until someone tells me otherwise." Valentine first introduced the wrapper in his Stamford restaurant in 1980 - he tells us that he did not copy the idea from anyone, and that people at the restaurant frequently commented to him that they had never seen it anywhere previously. So not only is Valentine inventive on the field, but he is creative in the kitchen as well!

As for the food, our group was pleased with the variety and quality of what we ordered, which included "Harrelson's" appetizer combo, "Backman's" Chick Fingers, the "Toca" Taco Salad, "Chiti's" Chili Bowl, the "1986 Champs" Balsamic Pork Chop, and the aforementioned "Bobby's" Original Club Mex Wrap Sandwich. The menu definitely features something for everybody.

III - Helping Others

In addition to the new restaurant, we had a chance to talk to Bobby Valentine about his charitable efforts, especially in the wake of September 11th. Remembering Valentine's suggestion in the immediate aftermath that money could be raised for relief efforts through auctions, I asked him about his involvement with eBay's Auction for America. Valentine explained that while the Auction for America was eBay's creation, it was based on Valentine's original idea several years ago about having celebrities sell items on the Internet with the proceeds going to charity. That concept evolved into the Bid for Charity website, which Valentine developed and which eBay purchased from him three years ago.

Valentine has been an active participant in Auction for America. With the help of Ethan Wilson of the Mets Public Relations department, Valentine has put up over 200 items from his personal collection for auction, and "they have all sold better than we thought they would." Over $60,000 has been raised by Valentine already. Valentine takes the pictures and gets the items, while Wilson does most of the typing and all of the order fulfillment. All items are mailed out within three days, and the eBay feedback on the transactions has been perfect to date. Check out this eBay link for a list of items currently up for auction, and check back frequently to see what new items are being sold to help this worthy cause.

Valentine has also pledged to donate the first $20,000 in restaurant sales to the families of local September 11th victims from the Corona area. When asked about this, Valentine explained that he has established a fund that will be administered by representatives of the FDNY, the NYPD, Mets Director of Stadium Operations Kevin McCarthy, and Mets Manager of Stadium Operations Sue Lucchi (both of whom worked tirelessly in the aftermath of September 11th, when Shea Stadium and its parking lot served as a relief command center). "These are very responsible people, who know the real victims and know the community's real needs."

One addition to the fund will be the proceeds of a raffle being run at Bobby V's. There is a small, autographed, operational Mets car that was designed for a charity auction in Stamford. Not only did the auction winner donate money to Leiter's Landing, but he then donated the car back so that Valentine could use it to raise more money for charity. Raffle chances are $10 apiece, and the winner will be picked on November 21st.

IV - Concluding Thoughts

We commented to the manager about the lack of advertising for Bobby V's to date, and he explained "We want to open slowly. We want to let everyone learn exactly what they are supposed to do." While we did experience some minor glitches, overall we found the service to be extremely friendly and accommodating.

Bobby V's is definitely worth a visit if you have ever uttered the words "Let's Go Mets!" For reservations, which will surely be necessary once the 2002 season begins, call 718-672-1200.