Select Board OKs Liquor License For Buzzards Bay Restaurant
The Bourne Select Board has approved an application for a liquor license from a new Lebanese restaurant currently under construction at 340 Main Street in Buzzards Bay.
The restaurant, called Grill & More, received the board’s unanimous approval for an annual all-alcoholic beverages common victualer license following a public hearing held on Tuesday, February 21.
The board heard from owner Joseph A. Saade, business manager Robert Youssef and legal representation Jillian Morton.
“The idea is that this is going to be a great restaurant that’s not around here or even in Wareham, where I’m from,” Ms. Morton told the board. “Lebanese-style, where you’ll be able to go and grab your meat and your different food, the small plates, as well as have a seat, have a glass of wine.”
The site at 340 Main Street, near Scenic Highway, was approved in 2020 for a mixed-use commercial/residential complex featuring a gas station, commercial space, an outdoor dining area and second-floor apartments.
While the restaurant features both indoor and outdoor spaces, Ms. Morton told the board that the applicant intends to keep alcohol service and consumption indoors only for the time being, at least until the required fencing is completed on the outdoor section.
“We’re very cautious to make sure that the outdoor space is going to have several signs saying no alcohol at this point; that was something—where the location is—that we felt fit,” she said, adding that the owner wants “to make sure that is part of the license and the issuing, that it’s only going to be inside the premises.”
Because the legal advertisement for the public hearing included the full restaurant floor plan of 27 indoor seats and 24 outdoor seats, Ms. Morton explained, the applicant has the option to include the outdoor seating in alcohol service “without actually having to come back before a public hearing process.”
“It doesn’t require you actually utilizing it, so we can put it in a stipulation on the conditions that there is no alcohol in that area but that it can remain on the license for the actual licensed premise in the future,” Ms. Morton clarified.
Select board chairwoman Mary Jane Mastrangelo said she appreciated the advance consideration, as she was “a little bit concerned” about it. Both she and board vice chairwoman Melissa Ferretti questioned the type of barrier along the perimeter of the outdoor space, which is required to be enclosed by ABCC (Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission) standards. Mr. Saade clarified there is fencing, that it is new construction that is not yet completed.
“If we decide to go forward for the outdoor [seating], we will make it legally fenced in safely—if we decide,” Mr. Saade said, adding that the restaurant wants to start small and build from there. “We don’t want to go too far with outside alcohol…we are in a highway location; [it’s] in and out.”
By the time the final inspection comes around, Mr. Saade confirmed, the fencing construction will be complete.
Mr. Saade told the board that he has been a Bourne resident for five years and has past experience in the restaurant industry, working both behind the bar and as management at well-known places like Dockside Restaurant in Hyannis and Embargo in Falmouth. He also owns Intergas in Falmouth.
Grill & More’s manager will be Mr. Youssef, who told the board that he, too, has experience managing and establishing restaurants. Mr. Saade said Mr. Youssef previously worked in Dubai.
The setup of Grill & More will be more of an order-and-go situation as opposed to a full-service establishment that is typical of Middle Eastern-style restaurants, Ms. Morton explained. Patrons will seat themselves in the main dining area, which is mostly bar or counter seating.
“They have the meat that’s going around. People will be able to grab their food, the different sides, the tabbouleh, the different things,” she said. “It’s really going to be more of an assembly line in the front for the food, and then you could sit at that bar and that’s how you’re going to be receiving the alcohol.”
The board had few questions for the applicant aside from the outdoor fencing, and members were overall complimentary of the restaurant’s concept, ample parking and variety of cuisine it will bring to the area.
“I just want to say I think it’s wonderful,” Ms. Ferretti said. “My husband and I are bougie eaters, and we love new things and to try new foods, so I’m personally very excited.”
“We’re trying to bring something new to the town,” Mr. Saade replied. “Hopefully it’s going to work out; we’ve got a good feeling about it.”
The board unanimously approved the liquor license application, provided that the restaurant passes all regulatory inspections and, for legal outdoor alcohol consumption/service, completes and passes regulatory inspection of a fence enclosing the area.
“Thank you for coming to Bourne,” board member Peter Meier said to the applicant. “Thanks for making an investment and bringing your business to Bourne. We really appreciate it very much.”
“I love this town,” Mr. Saade replied. “I’ve been doing business down Cape, middle Cape, everywhere; but this town, it gets inside to my heart. And hopefully we’ll do more and we’ll prove it.”