And now, a moment of silence: In 2007, the road from hype to flameout went faster than you can say “Eater Deathwatch,” leaving behind a trail of restaurant roadkill run down down by high expectations and bad locations.

Some gave new meaning to the phrase “what’s in a name.” Exhibit A: Charolais. At least that was the bistro’s original moniker. Conceived by the Tour de France restaurant group (who also run Marseille, Pigalle and newly opened Nizza), Charolais—named for a type of French beef—was to be chef Philippe Roussel’s steak frites destination. But then, just days before opening, the name was changed to Cote d’Or, and the focus shifted instead to the food and wine of Burgundy. Fair enough. Then, the name flipped back to Charolais, and the place was rebranded a French steakhouse after they found a new supplier for the beef.

Burgundy, beef, cote, charolais…all the confusion seemed too much for diners to grasp. The giant scaffolding outside the place didn’t help, either, especially if diners didn’t really know what restaurant they were looking for. All involved called it quits, and the place now, ironically, houses Andrew Silverman’s French bistro Steak Frites.

Over at Porchetta, a well-reviewed Brooklyn Italian restaurant that highlighted the versatility of pork, a money-laundering scandal surrounding acclaimed chef Jason Neroni finally did the place in. Accused of stealing by owner Marco Rivero, Neroni—who once almost had his name on a Beard Award—now had his name on an arrest warrant. The gossip grew, and Porchetta closed. In its place, Rivero opened Carniceria, an Argentinean steakhouse. Even a menu by well-known chef Alex Garcia (Calle Ocho, Novo) couldn’t shake the bad vibes, and the place shut down within a few months.

Bad press also found its way to the doors of Varietal. After less than stellar reviews, first from the Post and then the Times, pastry chef Jordan Kahn resigned. Then, owner Greg Hockenberry announced that executive chef Ed Witt “excused himself” to make way for Wayne Nish, who would serve double duty as executive chef and pastry chef. As good as it looked on paper, the revamp didn’t help, and Varietal wound up closed. As if that wasn’t enough, Nish, who was already encountering difficulties at his flagship restaurant, Nish, decided that enough was enough and closed that, too.

One restaurant that is still plugging away despite bad press is Wakiya. Located in Ian Schrager’s elite Gramercy Park Hotel, the restaurant had a highly anticipated opening that left New York’s food community frothing at the mouth for a bite of Japanese-born Yuji Wakiya’s acclaimed take on Chinese food. But rice became a factor for those not interested in paying high prices for haute Chinese. And even though the restaurant’s price point is actually comparably lower than other big-ticket spots in town, a string of bad reviews—including some that labeled Wakiya as “perplexing” and “incomprehensible” and likened its food to that of a drive-thru—promptly ended the honeymoon. 

Another highly acclaimed chef that was set to make a splash in New York met a similar fate. But without the backing of someone like Schrager, chef Tim Love could do little to save his Lonesome Dove from shuttering. Press descended on the place for its opening night party, where most got the chance to brand their names on the wine cellar door—a sure sign that the place was to have staying power, as its sister restaurant does in Texas.

But no amount of fire and iron could keep the crowds coming back, especially after mediocre reviews and an ambitious menu featuring buffalo corn dogs and kangaroo. The restaurant closed after just four months. The fact that the restaurant’s location seemed jinxed didn’t help: The next tenant, Flatiron Joe’s, lasted there half of Dove’s time.

In memoriam

The year also saw the closing of a number of fine joints, from the very new to the very established. May they rest in peace in the Great Gastronomic Beyond.

7Square: Even good reviews couldn’t keep this newbie Times Square chophouse open. Juicy salmon, dirty rice and great steaks have been missed since February, when the restaurant shut its doors.

Jerry’s: News of the 20-year-old Soho diner’s closing fetched lots of attention, though the owners say that they expect to have a new location in the future. Its shuttering makes way for a new Michael Kors store, opening in Spring ’08.

Voyage: The West Village restaurant will be remembered for channeling a more glamorous era with its old-time photos, crisp table linens and a worldly menu that included everything from truffled scallops to airy angel-food cakes.

Delphi Restaurant: Tribeca’s “oldest” restaurant, a Greek diner open since 1970, closed Oct. 31 because of increased rents. Stay tuned: A new upscale Japanese restaurant, Brushtrokes, is reportedly taking its place.

Keur N’ Deye: This West African favorite in Fort Greene, serving up Senagalese delights, packed its bags after more than 17 years.

Zozo’s: Pizza, falafel, free-range chicken and more fresh morsels will be missed now that this Lower East Size hub is closed.

Double Happiness: The shuttered Little Italy hot spot, which served sexy cocktails to locals, is reportedly making way for ex-model Emma Cleary’s sexy new lounge, Femme Fetale