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Sports lounge to serve alcohol
New restaurant receives liquor license amid some questions from neighbors
JEFF SCHORFHEIDE/Herald photo
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The owner of Frida Mexican Grill, Icon Restaurant and Tapas Bar was granted permission Wednesday by the Alcohol License Review Committee to serve alcohol at his newest dining establishment, Zander’s Sports Lounge.
The restaurant at 118 State St. replaces the State Bar and Grill, which closed Nov. 1. Mohamed Barketallah, owner of Zander’s, said he opened the restaurant as a place for people to come for a quality meal.
“Zander’s is a new type of restaurant that the downtown has never seen before,” Barketallah said.
The building, which has five floors, initially housed three bars. Barketallah, however, is concerned with the lounge’s menu, which will focus on American cuisine including hamburgers, steaks, soups and an abundance of appetizers.
In addition to serving lunch and dinner, Barketallah plans to extend the hours of the kitchen until after bar time, making Zander’s a contender for after-bar eating.
Barketallah also renovated the fifth floor of the building, a former pool lounge, making it a room that can hold 80 guests for private parties.
Katherine Plominski, ALRC’s alcohol coordinator, said she was concerned about Zander’s maintaining the status of a restaurant. Barketallah proposed an alcohol sales percentage of 40 percent and a maximum capacity of 250 people, which is 50 more patrons than the State Bar and Grill held. Frida and Icon both maintain restaurant status.
“We are not a sports bar,” Barketallah said. “We don’t have any dartboards, and no jerseys are hanging on the wall.”
Pamela Bean, a committee member, said she had received several e-mails from concerned patrons downtown regarding the 40 percent alcohol percentage and high capacity.
Barketallah said he has e-mailed back and forth with the Capital Neighborhoods, Inc.; however, he did not meet with them.
Bob Holloway, president of CNI, asked to defer granting Zander’s a liquor license because Barketallah has yet to meet with the organization.
“My understanding is that they have been recently good neighbors in terms of the other establishments they’ve run,” Holloway said. “I don’t want to punish somebody, but at the same time I want to be able to do a thorough job to represent the neighborhood.”
However, Barketallah said he was not willing to wait for the next ALRC meeting to have his liquor license approved. He already booked a post-inauguration party and Super Bowl party at his new establishment.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said he’s been conversing with Barketallah for the past couple of months about meeting with the ALRC and maintaining a provisional alcohol license.
“I had given him my approval that there would not be a problem securing the license,” Verveer said.
Verveer also complimented Zander’s management staff and earlier this week spoke with Capt. Mary Schauf of the Madison Police Department, who said Barketallah had not been issued underage tickets at any of his establishments.
The restaurant was named after Barketallah’s 4-year-old son Zander.
“The next one will be called after the other son,” Barketallah said.
The City Council will determine the maximum capacity of patrons Zander’s can hold when it meets Feb. 3.
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“The building, which has five floors, initially housed three bars. Barketallah, however, is concerned with the lounge’s menu, which will focus on American cuisine including hamburgers, steaks, soups and an abundance of appetizers.”
What exactly about the menu is Barketallah concerned about??
probably making it appealing and its ability to draw customers consistently, food is what restaurants think about duh
Awesome. I was disappointed to see The State close. I hope this place does well.
Those that are concerned about the alcohol use should mind their own business.