Exclusive | NYCs Milling Room abruptly shuts after owners bizarre, life-threatening accident and may owe more than $1M in rent

A popular Upper West Side restaurant has abruptly shuttered after the owner suffered a bizarre, “life-threatening” accident in Mexico — and may be on the hook for more than $1 million in back rent, Side Dish has learned. The Milling Room, known for its airy dining room and vaulted glass ceiling — closed unexpectedly in December after more than 12 years with as much as $1.2 million owed to its landlord, according to a source close to the situation.When reached in Mexico, owner Luis Gonzalez declined to comment on how much he owed.He told Side Dish that he was forced to close following a mishap during an ancient temazcal ceremony, where participants enter a womb-like dark space with a fire and hot volcanic rocks, herbs and steam. “It’s an ancient practice, and I’ve been practicing these ceremonies my entire adult life.

But this one was not well managed.It was too hot and crowded, and I fell onto the red rocks.

Luckily, someone pulled me out and I’m here to tell the story.” He’s had 14 surgeries since then and burns over 30% of his body. But the owner had stopped paying rent long before that, sources told Side Dish.“The landlord thought it was better to work out a payment plan — the restaurant had been there a long time — instead of having a vacant storefront,” a source said.The 7,000-square-foot restaurant space at 445 Columbus Ave.between West 81st and West 82nd Streets is now available for lease at $60,000 a month.

A contract is out with a top restaurateur, said Rafe Evans, the broker of record, with Walker, Malloy & Co. “The neighborhood will be very pleased,” Evans said. Indeed, the team behind the popular Olio e Piu and Boucherie eateries is currently in talks to rent out the space and create a Boucherie Upper West Side, sources told Side Dish exclusively.However, if the contract is not signed, there are “multiple other restaurateurs on standby,” the source added. As for the back rent, Evans would only say: ”...