Jeffrey Flores was expecting the sneeze guards for his new restaurant to arrive last Monday, but a recent COVID-19 outbreak at the factory forced a delay.
So when he opens his twin south-side restaurants on Monday, Nov. 22, he will make do with plastic covering.
After months of waiting for equipment to arrive and struggling to hire enough staff for Flaps and Racks and Acai Paradise at 3253 E. Valencia Road, he and his partner/wife Auxi Navarro weren’t about to let a sneeze guard stall them.
“It’s a sigh of relief to finally open, but it is something that is a little bit scary, too,†Flores said late last week, admitting that he still doesn’t have the number of employees he thinks he’ll need. “We don’t have the full manpower and I guess that is the way it is and the way it will be.â€
Flores and Navarro, who are in the venture with Flores’s brother Miguel and sister Keila, announced plans for the restaurants in August and had hoped to open by September.
People are also reading…
The supply chain hiccups and hiring woes pushed the opening back, from a couple of weeks at first to a couple of months by the time they take their first order of chile verde wings at Flaps and Rack or housemade oatmeal and acai bowls at Acai Paradise on Monday.
Junior Roman, left, and Flaps and Racks manager Miguel Flores talk while the work goes on around them at Flaps and Racks restaurant and its companion, Acai Paradise.
The ventures are across the street from Flores’s Los Betos restaurant, 3216 E. Valencia, Flores’s first ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ restaurant venture that he and Miguel bought a few years after he moved to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ from his native Puerto Rico in 2000.
The brothers kicked around the idea of opening a wings and ribs restaurant and were looking for a location when they saw the plaza being built late last year.
After signing the lease last summer, Flores put out “now hiring†signs on social media and started ordering equipment.
The hiring has been slow going, he said, which is endemic of restaurants throughout ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ and beyond. And equipment orders have been delayed weeks and months; a walk-in freezer Flores expected to be delivered and installed weeks ago just arrived, he said.
But the hiccups have not dimmed their spirits. Flores said he is excited to see the public’s reaction to his inventive wing sauces, from the chorizo flecked wings to his take on chicken and waffles: A cinnamon bun sauce that will add sweet with a hint of spice.
Flaps and Racks and Acai Paradise, 3253 E. Valencia Road.
“Chicken and waffles has been very popular for a long time and we were trying do something similar but different,†he said.
Hours for Acai Paradise will be from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Flaps and Racks will be open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Both restaurants will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 25, for Thanksgiving.
New ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ restaurants and bars opened in summer 2021
Bella's Gelato Shoppe
started as a local food truck but now has a stand-alone shop at 2648 E. Speedway Blvd.
The menu of a dozen gelato and sorbet flavors, plus smoothies, coffee and floats, should cool down anyone in search of a summer treat.Ìý
Noodleholics
The Taiwan beef soup has fatty chunks of roast in a lighter beef broth with housemade wheat noodles.
' first shop opened on Grant Road back in 2018 and has since opened an Oro Valley location at 7850 N. Oracle Rd.
The new Oro Valley spot has a larger kitchen and a patio dining area for noodle-lovers in the area who might not want to make the trek down to midtown.
Maria Bonita Mexican Kitchen
After its original location closed in 2011, has returned to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, this time at 2708 E. Fort Lowell Road.Ìý
The menu features popular Mexican dishes like quesadillas, chimichangas, tacos and desserts like flan and tres leches cake.Ìý
Gallery of Food Bodega
, at 2522 E. Fort Lowell Road, had its grand opening this June, despite technically first opening back in October 2020.Ìý
This store, run by Kristine Jensen of the Gallery of Food catering company, sells locally-sourced products and offers grab-and-go meals, all of which can also be .Ìý
Reilly Craft Pizza & Drink
Reilly's pizza oven is being seasoned in preparation for the opening of the newest Reilly Pizza on the northwest side.
You may be familiar with 's popular downtown location at 101 E. Pennington Street, but now you have the chance to grab a pie and a cocktail up north.
Reilly's second location opened Aug. 1 on ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s northwest side at 7262 N. Oracle Road.
La Estrella Bakery
La Estrella Bakery is opening its third location at 901 N. Grande Ave. in the Barrio Hollywood neighborhood.
opens its third ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ location on July 31 at 901 N. Grande Ave.Ìý
The Franco family, who opened their flagship bakery in the '80s, is putting this new location in Barrio Hollywood where their ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ roots began.Ìý
Transplant Pizza
Transplant, a Detroit-inspired pizzeria has opened next door to Craft, A Modern Drinkery taproom on East Speedway.
This new pizzeria "born in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, inspired by Detroit" at 4603 E. Speedway Blvd. comes from the minds of William and Travis Miller, the brothers behind ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s Serial Grillers.Ìý
The duo opened the doors of this summer right next to Craft, A Modern Drinkery, a taproom which they also run.Ìý
Salad and Go
has over 30 locations in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ and now ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s first is open at 5501 E. Speedway Blvd.
Although the name says "salad," you can also grab breakfast burritos and seasonal soup there. Another ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ location is planned to open later this year at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Marketplace.
Buena Vida
This luchador-themed spot at 919 N. Stone Ave. had its grand opening at the end of August, which featured a car show and live wrestling.
's menu offers a variety of tortas, loaded "Lucha Fries," Sonoran dogs, and salads with a Mexican cuisine-inspired twist. They have indoor and patio seating and offer carry out as well.Ìý
Noble Hops
The popular Oro Valley gastropub, , opened up a new location this summer at the DoubleTree by Hilton at Reid Park, 445 S. Alvernon Way.
Noble Hops's new spot offers mostly the same menu items as the original location, in addition to craft beers and cocktails.Ìý
Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@tucson.com. On Twitter @Starburch
Cathalena E. Burch
Reporter
Restaurateur Sam Fox bringing 2 new concepts to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
