Sunday, Baja Sunday

There’s good news for anyone who ever drove across town on a lazy Sunday to enjoy a basket of fish tacos only to find Baja Burrito closed. Starting Feb. 11, the colorful restaurant on Thompson Lane will dish out its surf-Mex menu from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays.

The new schedule is one of the subtle changes owner David Osborn brings to the 6-year-old eatery, which he purchased from founders Troy and Jeanie Smith last summer. Osborn, executive director of the Health Care Solutions Group policy institute—and Troy Smith’s business professor at college in Texas—first got involved with Baja Burrito three years ago. He helped the Smiths expand the Baja concept through Blue Coast Burrito franchising company. Last year, Osborn opened the fifth Blue Coast Burrito franchise store, located in Cool Springs, before ultimately acquiring the flagship Baja Burrito.

“I wanted to try some other restaurant ideas, and I knew David was a good person to take the baton,” says Troy, who was as much a fixture at Baja as the Volkswagen jalopy beached out front. Often decked in a baseball hat and shorts, the ever-present Smith could be found calling out bilingual lunch orders or helping customers find parking spaces during the midday rush. Now he’s looking for his Next Big Thing. “I’ve got some pretty interesting ideas in my head about things that are being done in other places. I’m just looking forward to being behind the counter again if I can find the right situation.”

Since taking over, Osborn has brought in a freezer to carry Las Paletas popsicles year-round, and he’s added queso dip to the menu. But don’t expect any big changes at the perennially packed burrito mill. It ain’t broke, so he ain’t fixing it. 722 Thompson Lane.

The Place to be

A new restaurant will parade into the area south of Broadway right around Mardi Gras, when The Place on South 2nd opens at 217 Second Ave. S. Malcolm Hare, a veteran of B.B. King’s and a founder of Bourbon Street Blues & Boogie Bar in Printers Alley, is teaming with Jimmy Church of the Jimmy Church Band and Jeff Morland, who owns Pope’s Place in Madison, to launch the casual live music venue and restaurant. The Place will also house Beach Nuts, a surf-themed bar.

As he revamps the former location of Have a Nice Day Café, Hare hopes his project will help usher in a new name for the neighborhood in the shadow of The Encore condominiums. “We’re trying to give the place an identity, because SoBro doesn’t really fit,” Hare says. “ ‘South 2nd ’ gives some idea of a direction.”

Chef Darold Rose, who is currently helping to renovate the cavernous building at the corner of Molloy Street and Second Avenue (most recently the site of Bluesboro Rhythm & Blues Co.), will soon trade nail gun for spatula. He plans a Big Easy-tinged menu of jambalaya, red beans and rice, prime rib and various bar foods. Hare plans to have live music nightly, with a house band Thursday through Sunday and occasional appearances by Jimmy Church.

If things fall into place, The Place could open for dinner by Feb. 20, in time for Fat Tuesday. In the weeks following the opening, Hare plans to build a roof over the existing patio and begin serving lunch.

Sunday dinner

Ombi, the re-engineered dinner spot that formerly shared space with Le Peep, is now open for dinner on Sundays. From 5 to 10 p.m., Kim Totzke and Laura Wilson will offer their menu of foie gras-stuffed burgers, cassoulet and duck confit quesadillas. But with the arrival of Sunday dinner comes the end of Sunday brunch, so bid farewell to the eggs Sardou and grillades. 2214 Elliston Pl.