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Manny Machado, owner of the popular Portuguese BBQ chicken restaurant Rôtisserie Romados, said he might have to declare bankruptcy if he can’t overturn a Quebec government decision to close down the Rachel St. eatery for 30 days.

“I’m in shock,” said Machado, sitting in his empty restaurant, which has been closed for business since last Thursday.

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The inspectors arrived Thursday at lunchtime and told the customers to leave. Inspectors then stayed until staff closed down the restaurant.

“I feel that I’ve been betrayed,” Machado said. “I don’t know what more a person can possibly do. I literally feel targeted by officials. To try to shut me down. … I mean what’s a person to think? I’m angry. I’m confused. I’m disappointed. I’m disgusted. There’s nothing I can do. I feel very vulnerable. I love this city. I love this neighbourhood. I’m invested in this neighbourhood.”

He has a big project not far away, at St-Hubert St. and Rachel, a 16,000-square-foot building he has bought that will house a bakery, a retail outlet and apartments. But he says the project might fall apart if he continues to lose the revenue from Romados. He estimates he lost $50,000 to $60,000 over the weekend and is losing about $10,000 of business a day.