The building at 8638 Hickory Street is slated to reopen as C&L Restaurant. (via City of New Orleans)
A site in the Carrollton neighborhood believed to have been used as a restaurant for more than a century will reopen as C&L Restaurant serving New Orleans soul food favorites, based on the recommendation of city planners this week.
The vacant brick building at 8638 Hickory Street, owned by Darryl Lewis, is currently zoned residential, and need to be rezoned for a neighborhood business use with a conditional use for a restaurant, according to the application before the City Planning Commission. It would normally be considered “spot zoning,” which is frowned upon, but city records dating back to 1909 or earlier show the structure being used as a restaurant, the planning reports show — earning the plan a recommendation for approval from the city staff.
A sample menu for C&L Restaurant included in the application offers red beans and rice, fried chicken, pork chops, ribs, gumbo, fish platters, wings and po-boys. The building will have about 600 square feet of seating area, the applications shows.
When the project appeared before the City Planning Commission on Tuesday, no one spoke in opposition to it, and the Rev. Calvin Franklin of Rising Star Missionary Baptist Church two blocks away gave it his endorsement.
“We consider it a good place to have meetings and to fellowship,” Franklin said. “It’s been part of the neighborhood for so many years, it’s a missing component to bring the neighborhood back to the character it once had.”
Without further discussion, the City Planning Commissioners voted in favor of the zoning change, sending it to the City Council for final approval.
I hope if the neighbors approve, it will be allowed to open. The menu sounds great & soul food does have a way of bringing people together. This will be one to watch.