June 26, 2019
The Zoning Board of Appeal yesterday approved Linval Chambers's proposal to re-fit a long vacant chiropractor's office at 1 Peabody Square into his fourth Flames restaurant.
But while Chambers had told neighbors and the mayor's office that he would offer takeout at the 14-seat restaurant, his formal application to the zoning board didn't include that, so the approval means he has to submit a new application and go through another hearing to be allowed to offer food to go.
Both the mayor's office and the office of at-large City Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George supported the proposal at a hearing yesterday, although the strongest support came from William Onuoha, director of the city's Office of Fair Equity and Housing, who said he's very familiar with the food at Flames: "The food is so good you might bite your fingers off."
In addition to returning to the zoning board for permission to offer takeout, Chambers also needs to obtain a food-serving license from the Boston Licensing Board.