In recent months, there has been a lot of activity (and in some cases a lot of inactivity) at several downtown Bristol establishments, including some newcomers, the return of the Nacho Mamma’s restauranteur, and the unclear status of a longtime local favorite.

East Landing
Opening soon at the former Thames Street home of Baba Sushi, East Landing was a popular Narragansett-based food truck. This will be the first brick and mortar venture for the brand. A sneak peek at the menu shows creative comfort food including braised short rib over cornbread pudding and and an elevated grilled cheese with brie, arugula, and hot honey.

Quito’s
Established in 1954, the status of this longtime local favorite is unclear. Beset with financial difficulties, the business was facing a foreclosure auction on April 29. The auction was canceled without notice the morning it was to occur, but since then, there have been no signs of activity, despite typically reopening for the season in March. Efforts to contact the owner and the attorney handling the auction were unsuccessful.

Don Taco & Tequila
On the site of the former Bristol Oyster Bar (which is supposedly shopping for a new location) the owner of Nacho Mamma’s and Spaghetti Lane in Barrington will be opening a restaurant featuring nachos, tacos, margaritas and sangria. Fans of the Nacho Mamma’s that was formerly on State Street will be happy to see a return of a version of their old favorite, with the addition of cocktails and an ambiance upgrade.

The Phanta’s Thai Cuisine
The Thames Street restaurant formerly known as Tong Phoon is now The Phanta’s That Cuisine. With a menu of Thai noodles and curries, Tong Phoon fans should not expect any changes beyond the name.

Qhali Kitchen
The Gooding Avenue Peruvian restaurant has a new owner and a new name: Qhali Bar and Grill. But a glance at the menu submitted to the council suggests that’s not all that’s changing — it features standard American wings and burgers fare, and not a Peruvian specialty in sight.

Dean’s Deli
Dean’s Deli will be opening soon at the former Dunkin’ Donuts location in the plaza at Hope and Gooding. They’re hiring, and they have a social media presence with over 300 followers on Facebook, eagerly awaiting a preview of the menu.

Aidan's
With a number of noise complaints, police calls, and other issues, their liquor license has been under review since last summer. They were meant to work with the Police Department to address the concerns, but as of last month there has been little improvement. The council held a special meeting at which Aidan’s representatives admitted guilt to noise violations and two cases of serving minors. The establishment was fined a total of $2,500 and a frustrated council offered them one more chance to right the ship. The council will revisit the issue at their August meeting and at that time determine if further action should be taken.