Thomas MacMillan Photo
Contributed photo
Less than three months after foodie favorite Ibiza restaurant closed its doors, a promising sign appeared in the window of its former High Street home.
The sign indicates that former Ibiza chef Manuel Romero has applied for a liquor permit for the premises. He has applied under a new company, Concepto, LLC, formed in March, two weeks after Ibiza closed. State records list him as the LLC’s principal.
Reached by phone, Romero (pictured) declined to discuss his plans for a new restaurant at the location.
Opened in 1996, Ibiza had become a fixture of New Haven’s upscale-cuisine scene. The restaurant served carefully prepared paellas and other gourmet Spanish fare, helping to establish New Haven’s reputation as a dining destination for Connecticut foodies.
Ibiza’s abrupt closure in March was met with dismay by the restaurant’s regulars. Those devotees now have reason to hope for a return to their old haunt, to be fed by the same chef.