ROCKLAND—Currently riding his motorcycle through the South this week, Chef Kerry Alterio has left a wake of restaurant buzz behind him as he prepares to reinvigorate the Café Miranda brand by Memorial Day.

The restaurant on 15 Oak Street, originally purchased by Alterio and his former wife, Evelyn, has been closed for almost a year after a 29-year run. Citing massive changes to the restaurant industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on prices, the changing real estate market which has pushed the working class farther from the coast, the lack of young people entering the restaurant trade, and the general “grind” of running a restaurant day to day, Alterio said he needed a break.

“I took time off from social media for awhile to re-assess how to generate some revenue to keep the building and yet pay people a reasonable working wage,” he said.

“There are a couple of parts to re-opening,” he said. “The first thing I came up with is to rent Miranda out for events. We have everything needed for a party. All you have to do is bring in a caterer and we’ve got all of the gear. Rather than have your party in a place that resembles a town meeting hall from the 1970s or a barn with a two-holer, the café comes with a disco ball and an Elvis bathroom.”

The second part of Alterio’s plan is to offer exclusive dinner nights for a minimum of 20 people at $250 per person and a maximum of food choices. 

“On June 9, our 30th anniversary, we’ll kick off one of these dinners and I’ll blow your mind; I’ll feed you until you can’t stand it,” he said. 

Alterio plans to craft these dinners off his classic menu, but will also leave it up to the customers to suggest recipes. “You know you can choose from the 3,000 menu items we already have,” he joked.

The third prong to the plan is truly Alterio’s personality all of the way: street food with a joke and a smile. Based on a pop-up concept he’d done this winter for the Big Rockland Chill Street Party, he’ll offer a gourmet hot dog cart outside of Café Miranda called “The Excellent Dog” starting in the fall.

“There will be standard hot dogs, with fried onions and good bread, and then we’ll have what I call ‘punk hot dogs of character,’ such as the Surf ‘N Turf, topped with chilled crab meat.

The “New Age Hot Dog” cart will also feature lobster and crab rolls with brunch items offered on Sundays, along with a salad, chips, and sweets.

This, along with a recent purchase of a Vespa food truck trike will be street fixtures on the sidewalk.  “Vespa Jubilee” is a “New Age beverage, coffee, and ice cream-dispensing trike” with built-in taps for craft beer. He’ll also offer wine, prosecco, homemade cocktails, espresso, coffee, and non-alcoholic drinks.”

“You’ll be able to come to Oak Street Friday through Sunday and get a quick, quality, handmade lunch at a reasonable price,” he said.

“We do have a hitch on the Vespa, so I may just drive down Main Street for the hell of it,” he added.

The community reaction while he’s been on the road has been intense. “It’s like The Grateful Dead is reforming,” he said. “Or Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention are back from the grave.”

The dinners will support food insecurity, addiction and recovery, and homelessness. The Excellent dog & Vespa Jubilee will also be making contributions to older husky dogs that need vet care.

For more info visit: facebook.com/CafeMiranda

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com