Partners who once owned high-end Bradley Fair restaurant are taking over Sweet Basil spot
The partners who owned one of Bradley Fair’s first fine-dining restaurants are ready to get back in the restaurant business.
And they’re doing it in a familiar spot.
Kevin Brown and Tracy Fahrbach, who in 2000 opened Cibola in the spot where Newport Grill now operates, are taking over the Sweet Basil spot at 2424 N. Woodlawn, which was vacated last May when Charlie Singh closed the 28-year-old restaurant.
They’re opening a new “fast casual” restaurant in the space, Brown said, and they’ll call it Fred & Barney’s. Construction is now underway both inside and outside of the space, which is owned by Caro Development.
“We saw it, and we just liked it,” Brown said. “It’s a great space, and everyone knows where it is.”
The new restaurant, which the partners hope to have open by September, will feature American fare like burgers, sandwiches and comfort food entrees like ribs and chicken cordon bleu, Brown said. It will have a full bar and a big outdoor patio with a fire pit.
Inside, they’ll have room for 80 diners, and another 80 will fit on the patio.
One unique feature, Brown said, is that customers will place their orders on electronic kiosks as they enter and then wait for their food to be delivered.
The name of the business is an ode to the Flinstones-esque nicknames the partners were given years ago, Brown said.
In the 1990s, the two ran the Lassen Bar & Grill at Market Centre, 155 N. Market, and they’ve been in the food business for 35 years. They opened Cibola in 2000, and it lasted until 2009. Over the past several years, they’ve been focused on catering.
Fred & Barney’s is opening at a strange time, Brown admits. The owners will watch what’s happening with the coronavirus pandemic as they continue toward an opening date.
The restaurant will have curbside service, he said, and its menu will be affordable.
“We’re keeping our prices down,” Brown said. “We’re more into value than anything else.”
The hours will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
I’ll keep you posted on the restaurant’s progress.
This story was originally published July 15, 2020 at 9:43 AM.
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