nothin Carmine’s Gets New Name, Liquor License | New Haven Independent

Carmine’s Gets New Name, Liquor License

Markeshia Ricks Photo

Antonio Arcos and Dawn Jara at Tuesday’s BZA meeting.

You can still call it Carmine’s. But it’s no longer Carmine’s Tuscan Grill.

Instead, when you next eat at the Italian restaurant in the Amity section of the city, know that you’re eating at Carmine’s Di Vega Ristorante & Bar.”

The name change came about because the restaurant at 1500 Whalley Ave. is under new ownership. Longtime Carmine’s Chef Miguel Vega has taken over from the restaurant’s original namesake, Carmine Liquori.

The restaurant’s manager Antonio Arcos and Dawn Jara, who is the wife of co-owner Jose Luis Jara, came before the Board of Zoning Appeals Tuesday night seeking a special exception to allow for a full restaurant liquor license. The BZA unanimously granted the special exception.

When the original Carmine’s closed in last August, the restaurant’s liquor license was returned to the state Liquor Control Office. The new restaurant needs a new permit for a 40 table facility, party room, and bar area, according to a City Plan staff advisory report.

Though no one testified at the Tuesday public hearing on the exception, the plan for a new liquor permit did have one opponent: K.H. Maeng/Amity Place Inc.

CT NOW

From just Carmine’s to Carmine’s Di Vega.

Maeng, who is listed as the president of K H Cornell International Inc., owns property at 1522 Whalley Ave., which houses the Goodwill store and Worldwide Fish & Pets. Maeng sent an email to Deputy Director of Zoning Tom Talbot to express opposition to the BZA granting the exception.

We, Amity Place Inc., at 1522 Whalley Ave. hereby inform that we are against for the Special Exception for full Resturant Liquor … The reason is for the safety of the property.”

BZA members approved the exception.

Dawn Jara said she was unaware that anyone had lodged any opposition to the license. No one had reached out to them prior to the hearing.

With the liquor permit resolved, Jara noted that the restaurant might be under new ownership but a lot of the tradition of the previous restaurant remains.

The chef has been there 25 years, so people who have come back and said, Oh, you’re still here,’ and that’s been wonderful,” she said.
She said the new owners are adding their own flavor in part by updating and remodeling the more than 4,628 square foot restaurant.

Manager Arcos said all the vines are gone and so is the dust. There are new chairs, decorations and even the color of the tablecloths have changed
There are chandeliers all around the restaurant and candles on the middle of each table,” he said. It looks more romantic.”

When people see the new name, Arcos said returning customers want to know who di Vega” is. Arcos said it just happens to be the guy who was doing all the cooking all those years.

It’s still classic Italian but with a Mediterranean spin,” Jara said. People can still get their chicken parm and their eggplant parmigiana but there will definitely be specials customized based on his talent.”

Tags:

Sign up for our morning newsletter

Don't want to miss a single Independent article? Sign up for our daily email newsletter! Click here for more info.


Post a Comment

Commenting has closed for this entry

Comments

There were no comments