{Shrimp and grits at Cabana on the Loop}
Less than a year after opening, Cabana on the Loop is leaving its current home for a new, off-The-Loop location. Cabana will reopen July 15 at 8502 Olive St., in University City. Co-owner Wendell Bryant said the location was a better financial decision for their business. “I got a better deal on the lease, so we can be there for a longer time,” he said.
Cabana, which opened doors at 6100 Delmar Blvd., in October 2014, will feature the same Southern fare at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
As one restaurant leaves The Loop, another opens its doors. Gyro Grill officially opened June 10 at 6227 Delmar Blvd., which formerly housed Chubbies. The restaurant was originally located at 3801 Kingshighway Blvd. Owner Morad Jabar said he originally considered opening a second location but ultimately decided to relocate instead.
“(We) wanted to get the people who are looking for local names and businesses, not just franchises,” Jabar said. “We have people who have kept up with us through Facebook and followed us here from South City.”
Jabar opened Gyro Grill on Kingshighway five years ago, but closed its doors at the end of April to prepare for the new 1,000-square-foot location on The Loop. The menu features Jabar’s classic gyros and salads from the previous location, plus some new additions.
“The gyro itself is pretty much my swinging pendulum. I can go with a Middle Eastern or European gyro or make something more traditionally American,” Jabar said.
This article appears in June 2015.