DANBURY – The final ingredient in plans by native restaurateurs to launch a household restaurant on the east finish is a liquor allow for craft cocktails that might be thought-about Tuesday evening by metropolis leaders.
“We have to be accredited for our liquor allow for certain,” mentioned Jason LaReau, co-owner of the previous J. Lawrence Downtown restaurant in Bethel. He was referring to his new enterprise with Dolce Restaurant and Wine Bar proprietor Ben Vrenezi to open a brand new restaurant within the Germantown Plaza in Danbury.
“We utilized for our constructing allow in February and didn’t get accredited till April, so we actually sat on our palms for 2 months not having the ability to do something,” he mentioned.
Danbury has seen a surge of business and residential improvement exercise throughout the town, from a whole lot of recent residences proposed on the west aspect to large-scale funding within the downtown and proposals for brand new companies on the east finish.
With the general public listening to deliberate for Tuesday to listen to how craft cocktails match into the combo for the brand new restaurant on Germantown Highway, the eatery will miss its opening goal of mid-Could homeowners mentioned.
Members of the town’s Zoning Fee had been anticipated to ask about hours of operation and different impacts {that a} liquor license would have on the neighborhood, which is residence to medical apply buildings, retail retailers and lightweight business, in addition to properties on the periphery.
Maybe the fee will ask what precisely is supposed by a craft cocktail.
Briefly, the craft cocktail motion is about high quality preparation and modern substances, LaReau mentioned.
“We’ll do some traditional stuff, however it’s at all times altering on a regular basis whether or not it’s the substances or one thing new that’s popping out that we’re going to maintain up with,” mentioned LaReau, whose oldest son would be the head bartender. “It’s undoubtedly a science, however it’s additionally about having enjoyable.”
LaReau was referring to plans to remodel the previous Augie’s #1 Restaurant Pizzeria into new enterprise known as J. Regulation Kitchen and Craft Bar.
Plans for the 4,500-square-foot area name for a brand new 13-seat bar surrounded by a half-dozen bar tables, and two eating rooms for a complete of 100 seats.
The placement is a “implausible” spot for lunch due to all of the medical workplace buildings close by, LaReau mentioned.
What to anticipate from the menu will rely upon the season, however the restaurant will open with appetizers comparable to barbecue black bean nachos and “bang bang shrimp” in firecracker sauce, and smoked brisket French dip and a Dan Dan noodle bowl, with a alternative of rooster, shrimp, steak or salmon, as entrees.
The menu additionally options the J. Regulation cheeseburger with applewood bacon for $16.
“You need to test all of the bins,” LaReau mentioned of the menu’s vary. “Issues are at all times altering.”
LaReau has been out of the restaurant enterprise for under a 12 months however already desires to get again into it, together with his spouse and his different two youngsters, who can even have roles within the new restaurant.
He and his spouse, Kelly, bought J. Lawrence Downtown in 2021, solely to start talks shortly afterward with their good friend and fellow restaurateur Vrenezi to open a three way partnership in Danbury.
Vrenezi plans to separate time between Dolce and J. Regulation whereas Jason and Kelly LaReau will run the each day operations of the brand new restaurant in Germantown.
