Pintu Chawla said he will keep all the pool tables and add some new television sets.
Pintu Chawla, shown in his Pintu's Indian Palace on Elm Street in West Springfield, plans to open a new restaurant, Q Pint2's, at the former Boston Billiards on Riverdale Street in May.WEST SPRINGFIELD – Pintu Chawla, the owner of Pintu’s Indian Palace, recently completed the purchase of the old Boston Billiards building on Riverdale Street through his Veeji LLC for $1.4 million.
That means he is on track to open a new, late-night food restaurant at 885 Riverdale St. sometime in May, Chawla said last week.
Chawla had originally planned to open the new business last October, but clearing various hurdles took longer than anticipated, he said. At this point, Chawla said he is looking at opening the venture in mid- to late-May.
“I’m looking forward to it. It will be a dream come true,” Chawla said. “It will be one of the biggest pool houses in the area.”
The restaurateur said he will keep all the pool tables in the building and add some new television sets. Chawla has estimated the project will cost him about $2 million and create 45 to 50 jobs.
The new restaurant will not close until 2 a.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays and until 1 a.m. the rest of the week. The kitchen will serve food until 1 a.m. The menu will focus on fusion, featuring pasta, pub food, wraps and buffalo wings.
Chawla has purchased the liquor license held by the former Rein’s New York Style Deli. The new restaurant will be called Q Pint2’s, a play on the words Pintu and cue. Chawla plans to continue operating his Pintu’s restaurant on Elm Street, which he reopened last fall after it had closed because of damage caused by a fire in the kitchen.
Records on file the Assessor’s Office show that Veerji LLC bought the bowling alley March 31 from 885 Riverdale LLC for $1,433,565. The land and building at the site are assessed at $1,398,700. The land alone at the property is assessed at $768,400.