CITY HALL - What do the former home of the Omelette Parlor, the Georgian Hotel, and a joint serving chocolate chicken have in common? They all got expanded alcohol permits from the Planning Commission last week.
A hamburger restaurant, Bareburger, is slated to fill 2370 Main St., which was occupied by the Omelette Parlor for more than 30 years. Owners closed up shop in December, announcing they would not be able to afford the new rents.
Bareburger, according to the commission's report, will seat 89 diners and - thanks to unanimous approval from the commission - be allowed to serve beer, wine, and spirits. The restaurant will be allowed to operate until midnight on weekends and holidays (11 a.m. on weekdays) and can open at 7 a.m. every day.
The New York City-based restaurant has more than 20 locations throughout the country.
ChocoChicken
"A chocolate fried chicken place is probably the last thing the obesity capitol needs but I can't wait to try it," Commissioner Jim Ries said as the commission unanimously approved ChocoChicken's alcohol permit and parking variance.
The restaurant, which will feature chocolate-infused fried chicken, is set to open at 1401 Ocean Ave. Dreamed up by the same guy who started the wildly successful Umami Burger, ChocoChicken opened its first restaurant in Downtown Los Angeles earlier this year.
With the approval, they'll be able to sell beer, wine, and spirits. They'll also get a reprieve on the number of off-street parking spaces they need to provide.
The place is slated to seat 58 patrons - 42 inside and 16 in an outdoor dining area. It can operate until 2 a.m. on weekends.
Georgian Hotel
The Georgian Hotel will now be allowed to serve the public in its basement restaurant and serve food and alcohol in a larger portion of its lobby, thanks to Planning Commission's unanimous approval.
Previously, the basement area was only open to hotel guests.
Commissioners spent the bulk of their meeting discussing intricacies of the Georgian's requested permits, which also allows the hotel to provide less off-street parking than the previous contract.
Starbucks booze permit appealed by both sides
If a good compromise leaves everyone mad ("Calvin and Hobbes") then the Planning Commission did good work at its previous meeting.
They permitted the Starbucks on Main Street and Olympic Drive to serve alcohol but with several conditions including mandates that alcohol and food be brought to tables (not passed across a counter), alcohol must be purchased with a food item, alcohol sales cannot exceed 15 percent of total revenues, and alcohol can't be openly displayed.
A resident, unhappy that the permit was allowed at all, is appealing the decision. So is Starbucks, which is unhappy with one of the provisions imposed by the commission, according to Planning Director David Martin. City Council will take the matter on, likely in December.
dave@www.smdp.com
