Selectmen question restaurant owner

By Jason Poole

Reminder Correspondent

WILBRAHAM Luis Chambers, owner of Tequilas Restaurant, appeared before the Wilbraham Board of Selectmen on June 6 to explain why the bar at his restaurant has been open on Mondays while the kitchen has remained closed.

Tequilas is classified as a restaurant under its liquor license, not a bar. Therefore, any time the bar is open the kitchen must be open as well.

Chambers explained that he did not know he wasn't able to open only the bar on Mondays, and said that in the future as long as the bar is open the kitchen will be open as well.

"I would like to issue a warning that if it happens again, you will be in here again with your license in your hand," said Selectman David W. Barry.

Health Agent Lori McCool was also present at the hearing to describe the results of a recent health inspection of the restaurant.

"We had received a complaint that there was not hot water in the restaurant for three days, you can't operate without hot water," said McCool.

Chambers told the board that the furnace in the restaurant had malfunctioned, and he bought a brand new furnace to correct the problem.

McCool stated that the violations of the first inspection had been fixed when she returned for a follow up visit.

Jeffrey Davis and his attorney Joel Castleman appeared before the Selectmen to discuss Davis's plans for his new restaurant, Bella Piatti, which he plans to open on Boston Road next week.

Davis is currently in the process of applying for a full liquor license, but he wants to allow customers to bring in their own wine and beer during the interim.

"An Italian restaurant without red wine is like eggs without ham," said Castleman.

The Board questioned Davis about how the alcohol that the patrons bring in would be distributed, and also if customers would be allowed to bring half empty bottles home with them.

"It would only be associated with your meal, nobody could leave the restaurant with an open container," said Davis.

Davis also mentioned that once the alcohol is brought into the restaurant, waiters and waitresses would hold and refrigerate the alcohol and serve it to customers in glasses.

The Selectmen agreed to approve a license for Bella Piatti to allow customers to bring their own beer and wine, pending a meeting between Davis and the Wilbraham Police Chief. The license runs for 8 weeks or until the restaurant is granted a full liquor license.

"We do take liquor licenses in this town very seriously," said Selectman Kevin J. Moriarty.

The Board of Selectmen will meet again on June 13, at 7 p.m. in the town hall.