What’s become of Coca?

Last night, we noticed that the windows of the trendy tapas bar Coca had been papered over. Though it was open on Friday, its phone now rings into eternity and its Web site is off-line. But devotees should remain calm. Though we can’t confirm, a tip from former affiliate restaurant Czehoski tells us that Coca is not a recession sob story. (The two spots were formerly associated by ownership under Brad Denton and the shared culinary custody of chef Nathan Isberg.) A Czehoski insider claims that Coca is slated for a major overhaul that will include a large-scale renovation and a name change. Sometimes referred to as Czehoski West, the restaurant may be seeking to assert a new—and distinct—identity. With buzz building, we’re wondering just what the lockdown means. Is this the unceremonious end of the strip’s beloved Coca cabana, or is it just a reinvention? Stay tuned. For further developments, check out our latest dispatch.