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Pamela Silvestri silvestri@siadvance.com

Crazy Taco has closed.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Crazy Taco & Tequila Bar shut down before dinner service on Friday, July 8. But the Elm Park's owner and executive chef, Adam Lener, made the closure official on Sunday night.

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Chiles rellenos served at the former Elm Park Crazy Taco and Tequila Bar. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

The official statement.

"It is with much sadness we are announcing the closing of the restaurant at the Morning Star Road location due to unforeseen circumstances surrounding the property," wrote Lener in an official statement.

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(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

Crazy Taco's life in Elm Park was brief.

Long story short, the eatery, located at 238 Morningstar Road, was supposed to open in January, 2016 as "Angry Taco." Unfortunately, that moniker was already taken by a New Jersey restaurant owned by celebrity chef, David Burke.

The venue aimed for "modern eclectic Southwestern" lunches and dinners and an inventory of 150 varieties of tequilas an Mezcals.

After other setbacks, the restaurant finally opened as "Crazy Taco & Tequila Bar" in early March, 2016.

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(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

Unfortunately, the tequila 'library' slated for an upstairs section, never opened.

And, while the business hummed along through spring of 2017, a fire suddenly shuttered it for a week in early May.

"We had a flash-fire in the kitchen. The fire suppression went off and the rest is history," Lener told the Advance at that time.

Since then, the Crazy Taco made appearances at Uncorked! at Historic Richmond Town, at the Conference House in Tottenville at a Tom Crimmins Realty "Family Fun" festival and at the inaugural Beer and Taco Fest at the Richmond County Bank Ballpark.

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(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

The location at 238 Morningstar Road has a history of restaurants.

It had a long run as Elm Park Inn under a few different owners. It closed for good on Sunday, June 28, 2015.

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Staten Island Advance File Photo

This is what Elm Park looked like when the Timmins family ran it.

Elm Park Inn -- affectionately known simply as EPI -- opened in 1983 and flipped ownership in 1993, 2001 and 2006.

In 2006 it became "Trends North" with management that included Chef Mike Cappucci, former owner of Trends in Great Kills (eventually Christina's and now the chef at Michael Anthony's at 307 Nelson Ave.)

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Once the building even had a restaurant-within-a-restaurant.

In the spring of 2012, EPI saw a pizzeria -- Upper Crust with grilled pies -- open on its second floor. Eventually, that separate business was folded into the Elm Park Inn's operations.

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Margarita. Crazy Taco and Tequila Bar. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

There will be another 'Crazy' location opening soon.

"Please stay tuned for our grand reopening at a new location to be determined," said Lener, adding, "We wish to thank all of our loyal patrons and staff for their continued support."

And, in the meantime, Lener's flagship restaurant, Portobello Cafe in Great Kills, will continue as usual with its brand of Italian fare and popular two-for-one dinner specials.