Even 9 p.m. is Too Late for Roslindale!

Roslindale Transcript
Open for dinner or only for lunch?
By David Ertischek
Wed Jan 09, 2008, 11:53 AM EST
Roslindale -

Roslindale - What was once known as Roslindale’s Old Muffin House is now involved in a dispute with neighbors about what time the current restaurant would be open.
The owners of the La Lechonera Café want to be open until 9 p.m., and some residents want the little corner restaurant to close at 2 p.m.

Ted Vega and Efrain Ortiz bought the little eatery on the corner of Cummins and American Legion highways in May 2006 and opened one day after Thanksgiving in 2007.

Vega proudly spoke about repairing the restaurant, which he said was rundown with broken windows and falling apart because the building had been vacant for several years.

But while no one seems to be against the café being open, many residents, including the Canterbury Manning Neighborhood Association, are against the café being open until 9 p.m. and would like to see it close at 2 p.m., similar to what the Muffin House used to do.

“First of all, it poses a parking issue,” said Paula Butler, who lives three doors down from the eatery on Cummins Highway. “They’re parking in front of my house … The man deserves to make a living, but first the hours are way too long for our neighborhood situation.”
A snowstorm stopped the café’s owners from being able to meet with the neighborhood association late last month. The owners and association had met previous to the scheduled meeting, in which the association recommended the restaurant be closed at 2 p.m.
Butler said that she feels as though the café did things behind the neighbors’ backs by opening for dinner without a proper license.

But Dan Pokaski, chairman of the licensing board for Boston, said that is a common mistake among restaurant owners. The café currently has a license to operate from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“It happens from time to time. People forget to get common victualler’s licenses. They get the ISD, the fire and the health permit and forget they need a permit to sell food. We don’t want to put them out of business; we want to make sure they comply with the law.”

But the Canterbury association urged the owners to be open only until 2 p.m., which their license was granted for. For a while, the eatery was open until 9 p.m., and they advertise that they are open for dinner. But as of this past Monday, there was a sign on entrance that said they would be closing at 2 p.m.

“Mainly our problem is the same problem we’ve been having since 2006,” said Vega. “It’s that the neighborhood association is not being reasonable with us.”

The main issue is the available parking at the site, which Vega said is more than ample. The restaurant seats 18 people with six tables, and there are 13 parking spots that Vega said is deeded to the restaurant. Some residents contend that the parking is not deeded to the restaurant, but Vega has provided paperwork to the state proving that they do own the lot.
Vega is waiting for springtime so he can draw in better parking lines so the parking lot is more defined. Pokaski himself said he would be going to the location to see the parking situation.
Pokaski said he expects the licensing board to rule today (Thursday, Jan. 10), after the Transcript goes to print, on whether the restaurant may be open until 9 p.m.

But Vega said that most neighbors have received him well. He said that as soon as he put up his signage, residents came over to welcome him to the neighborhood and, of course, get some food.
“This neighborhood is not against us. People came right away. Whites, blacks, Spanish, everybody,” said Vega.

He added that most of his customers come after 6 p.m. for traditional Spanish dinners or Cuban sub sandwiches.

To prove that he has the support of the neighborhood, Vega and Ortiz have been circulating a petition to be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.

Vega said he thought there were some ulterior motives for neighbors being against the eatery.
“It’s creating a lot of friction right now, especially for the Spanish community. Why us? Our interpretation is that it is racism,” he said.

Vega added other points that make him a good neighbor such as the fact that while even it is a liability against him, he allows parents to park their cars in his lot while they wait for the children to be dropped off by school buses. He also patrols the property twice a day picking up every bit of trash he can find.

City Councilor Rob Consalvo said that he would “wait to hear what residents have to say.”
He added that if the restaurant were to take off, there could be a major traffic problem considering the site is already a busy road.

“These are issues that have to be addressed and make the community feel at ease. Everyone has their day in court,” said Consalvo.