Ball Square breakfast-serving competition heats up

By Andrea Gregory

The windows that once led into a popular breakfast spot have been covered up with large posters  and a sign that the competition for diner customers is about to heat up. “Same cook, new look!” is the first message Ball Square Café & Breakfast is sending out to the public with its version of an opening-soon sign.

The new establishment will be run by Mike Moccia. Moccia’s family has run Victor’s Deli for the past 25 years. Moccia said he has always had the dream of creating his own breakfast café and is excited about the opportunity.

“I want to open yesterday. Is the food ready back there?” he yelled with a laugh back to the area where construction workers were plugging away this week.

Moccia’s new restaurant is slated to open at the end of the summer at 708 Broadway.

However, thousands of people have already had breakfast there. For more than a decade, 708 Broadway was Sound Bites. Sound Bites’ lease expired on June 30, according to Moccia, whose family owns the building. After staying a month after the lease ended and receiving an eviction notice, Sound Bites vacated the premises, said Moccia.

With Sound Bites moved out, Moccia was free to start renovating the space for his own dream of a breakfast eatery in the making. The one thing he decided to keep from the prior restaurant was its cook, he said.

“I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse,” said Moccia.

Moccia is not releasing details of the offer or agreement he has with Omar Djebbouri, the cook he said has fried up eggs and other breakfast favorites since Sound Bites first opened.

According to Moccia, Djebbouri has a long history of cooking experience and the two are conspiring to come up with a brand new menu.

Without its location and one of its former employees, Sound Bites quickly moved and reestablished itself. It opened right next to the old spot on Broadway.

Yasser Mirza, owner of Sound Bites, disputes   that his cook went anywhere.

“I’ve never lost one cook,” he said. “He took my dishwasher only. He stole my dishwasher.”

He claims Djebbouri was his dishwasher and food prep and that Gabrial DiAgo Fransico has always been the main chef of the house. Mirza said he is not happy with the sign of his newest competitor. He claims the “Same cook, new look!” sign is a lie and that his cook of nine years is still out back cooking up customer favorites just as he always has.

Mirza said he bought the building where he is currently housing his restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. He said he can seat up to 100 customers compared to the 25 seats he had at the prior location. He said in a way everything worked out for the best, but there is still some tension.

“He tried to steal my thunder, but he created more lightning, said Mirza. “He did me a big favor by not giving me a new lease.”

Mirza said the move has not affected business. And customers don’t seem distracted by the sign on his old location.

This is a landmark. Best breakfast around,” said George Fitzgerald, sipping a cup of coffee inside Sound Bites on Tuesday. “I think it is great – great service, great prices, great food.”

Moccia said he expects his place will quickly gather a following and solid reputation as well.

Although Moccia said he was not expecting Sound Bites to be so close after it moved out, he still believes Ball Square could use an establishment such as the one he plans to open.

But the Sound Bites owner said he had planned to stay in Ball Square no matter what happened with his lease. Mirza said he started to worry that his landlord might not renew his lease two years ago so he opened a takeout place across the street as a back-up location. He plans to keep both locations running.

Despite any tension that Moccia’s restaurant sign may be causing between the owners both establishments have a plan to put customer needs above competition.

Moccia said close competition does not result in negative feelings.

“I’m happy for him. I have no negativity toward him. I wish him the best, nothing bad,” said Moccia, of his neighbor and competitor. “They say options bring more business.”

If that is the case, then Kelly’s Diner, another breakfast local at the top of the street, can be added into the mix, and one thing is for sure Ball Square is definitely one of the city’s best options for breakfast.

Comments

[Dreamer]

Moccia will be in business for a week or two. Not much longer unless Mom and Dad slave away in the breakfast place too.

[Kate]

Dreamer - what makes you say that?

[get a copy editor]

"Moccia said close competition does not resulting in negative feelings."

"does not resulting in negative feelings"?

this sentence doesn't make sense to me. it was a good article, keep an eye on the little things though.

[someone]

He has no idea what a business or a breakfast place is..
Let mom & dad do it!

[Kate]

Dreamer - Nevermind,I didn't expand and read the entire article. Now I understand your comment.

[moccia, might be in over his head]

Moccia might be in over his head. Ball Square needs another breakfast joint like a east somerville more illegal immagrants.

[Somerville Resident]

We don't need more people who cannot spell correctly the simplest words on this blog, either.

>>
immagrants
>>

[BROADWAY AND MAIN BOY]

I think the best breakfast places are in ball square

[William Hurst]

The competition for your dining dollar is definitely heating up in ball Square along with the attitude of a certain restaurant proprietor. It seems that this owner, who has "friends" very high up in the city, does not like competing for our dollars. Having their "friends" harass the competition is a unique way of selling food. I wonder if Mickey D tries to have a city or town shut down every new BK that moves in next to them.

[Kate]

William - is the proprietor in question a member of the family that owns a place that rhymes with Chicktor's Belly?

[Go Figure]

Nice point, William.

I was eating breakfast last week and saw the harrassment first hand. It doesn't matter though, people are going to choose the best breakfast available and vote with their dollars. I think its obvious who they're going to choose.

And Kate... yes...

[Kate]

Go Figure - Thanks. Can you elaborate a little, on what type of harrassment was/is involved?

[Democracy]

Come on folks, make a little effort; it's a simple word: It's spelled "harassment" (one "r").

Anyway, Harassment? What are you talking about?

[William Hurst]

Democracy please stop, one r or two? I think we all know that the word is spelled wrong but to point it out, not priceless but childish. The HARASSMENT as it shall now be known as happened on more than one occasion. Complaining about tables and chairs being put in at a new establishment. Which has excellent food, no breakfast but much better than what is being served at the "whiners". Also, taking photos of someone power washing a sidewalk and running to his "friends" saying that you cannot do that. Complaining about the noise due to the remodeling of his old eating establishment. No one complained when his new eatery was being remodeled. You will not hear from me about the situation with the lease, you will have to get that information from someone else.
Oh by the way, I am the real William Hurst.

[Democracy]

Why don't you guys eat breakfast at home? It's cheaper and at least you know what you are eating.

[Go Figure]

Oh William, we're not on the same page. The whiner is at the older establishment and so is the churlish behaviour. And if you think the food is as good at the deli then you are certainly in the minority.

Cheers

[brickbottom]

The old "Harold's" had the best breakfast in the city hands down!

Truck Driver Special Please!

[William Hurst]

Go Figure, how can you compare an omelette to a calzone?
The restaurant with the fantastic food I was talking about serves seafood, not eggs and bacon.
As far as churlish behavior is concerned, that dimwit is not the one with friends at the "hall" & the "yard".