And the weeding of the weak continues apace here in the new restauranticide capital of Canada. Today, it looks like we’re saying goodbye to Lucy Mae Brown.

LMB had its award-winning heyday (2001-2004), back when Andrey Durbach (now co-owner/chef at La Buca, Pied-a-Terre, and L’Altro Buca) and Kris Barnholden (soon to open Mis Trucos) were in command of the kitchen; Andre McGillivray (soon to open The Corner Suite Bistro De Luxe) ran the front; and Sean Sherwood was a partner. A slew of local nods and accolades were landed, and global arbiter of taste Conde Nast saw fit to put it on their list of international “Hot Tables” back in 2003. All was good.

But that was then. The place slipped in the thereafter, and never really recovered. There’s a reason why I hadn’t dined there in over two years. The thing that turned me off personally was that the downstairs “Opium Den” lounge became the raison d’etre. The place had become a bar, and I think the reputation of the once-adored restaurant suffered as a consequence. From a remote, diner’s point of view, whenever I walked past during the late dinner rush I was given the impression that the complete package had morphed into an insufferable “clubvibes” sort of operation, a food-secondary den of bouncer-blocked, baggy-pants douchery. Could one even get fed within? I didn’t want to find out.

The restaurant tried to retain its theme throughout its odd transition from one of the best restaurants in the city to straight-up cautionary tale. The menu, such as it was, still read as French-backboned, and the name still played up the location’s connection to Vancouver’s sordid past (Lucy Mae Brown was Vancouver’s first madam), but the thrill was definitely gone.

Which leads us to today. Word is they just got busted for “operating as a bar when licensed as a restaurant” by the LCLB, and rather than endure a three week, profit-less suspension, they rather wisely threw in the towel.

That’s twice you’ve died now, Lucy. Maybe take a break.

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