A brazen break-in at Old City's Cray Taste restaurant left the Black-owned establishment with a shattered window and damaged property, as surveillance captured two vandals in the act. Saquan Howard, the restaurant owner, and head chef, recounted the damage: "They seen the register on this side. They started breaking this window. But it was so thick they couldn’t get through it," according to a FOX 29 report. Despite the setback, Cray Taste is pushing forward, with workers having repaired the physical scars inflicted on the market street locale.
Video evidence from the incident shows the perpetrators zeroing in on the cash register, only to find it barren. Their search for loot led them to another register and eventually to a back-office, unaware that an employee was inside sleeping. With no valuables secured, the suspects reluctantly retreated from the restaurant. As told to 6ABC, Howard emphasized the fortuitous outcome amidst the upheaval: "the good news is, they didn't get away with anything." Yet the cost falls on Cray Taste for the window, front door, and register repairs.
As Philadelphia police labor to uncover the identities of the duo responsible for the dishonor beset on the dining establishment, another case unfolds in West Haven. Juan Reyes, a restaurant owner in his own right, has found himself ensnared in legal troubles following a grim episode in November 2023 where it's reported he concealed a firearm for a customer who later met with fatal gunfire. While Reyes' hands are stated to be clean of the homicide itself, the incident casts grave shadows over the sanctity of these communal spaces. Reyes' arrest was announced by the West Haven police, who also indicated that their homicide investigation is still active, with further arrests expected, according to the New Haven Register.
Amidst these scattered pieces of urban life, the Old City community has extended its compassion towards Cray Taste, a testament to the resilience found within its people and their will to rise above transgression. As for those who sought to rip through the fabric of this neighborhood staple, the law enforcement pursuit is unwavering. The eating joint, standing as a beacon of entrepreneurship and culinary skill, continues to cater to its patrons, even with the bitter taste the violation has left in its wake.
