Owner Joe Kriete says he’s closing for personal, not economic reasons. (Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

Red Bank’s Eurasian Eatery, a mecca for vegetarians and foodies with globe-hopping tastebuds, will close after its final seating on Sunday, owner Joe Kriete tells redbankgreen.

Kriete, who’s owned the 26-year-old restaurant for six years, said he’s in the process of selling the equipment and fixtures to a Peruvian chef from north Jersey, though he’s uncertain if she plans to open a Peruvian restaurant there.

A small dining room known located across Monmouth Street from the Count Basie Theatre, the Eurasian is known for its wide-ranging menu, which included, as redbankgreen reported in a 2007 feature story, Neapolitan dumplings with homemade marinara sauce and a parmesan cream wrapped in Asian rice paper; black bean moussaka; Hungarian chicken paprikash; and Thai sautés.

Kriete, who owns the restaurant with his wife, Tara, said personal, rather than economic, concerns led to the decision to call it quits.

“We’re just going to take a break for now,” he said. “The restaurant did very well, but I’ve got three little girls under five years old and want to spend more time with them.”

Kriete said he might return to teaching and wants to travel and put out a cookbook.

“I’m going to miss my employees and my good customers, but it’s also a bit of a ‘weight-lifted’ kind of thing,” he said.

Landlord Paul Noglows could not be reached for information about the new tenant of the space.