Mike Randolph has closed his acclaimed, year-old tasting-menu restaurant Privado. The restaurant, which featured a single seating on Friday and Saturday evenings, opened in October 2017 at 6665 Delmar Boulevard in University City, the former home of Randolph's Italian concept, Randolfi's Italian Kitchen.

“We had an opportunity to get out of the space and financially it made sense,” Randolph told Off the Menu in a text message Friday (Sept. 7). “We accomplished a ton in a year, sold out every night and had built a great team, but this decision was easy for [my wife] Liz and I to make.”

In spite of the sold-out dinners, Randolph said Privado was not financially tenable.

Randolph will spend more time at Público, his other acclaimed University City restaurant.

“We are having a new grill built by a buddy in Alton,” Randolph said, “and are redoing the four seats at the pass so I can keep doing [tasting menus].”