About two and a half years ago, news first broke about plans for a new bar/restaurant at 780-782 S. 2nd St., an address that was formerly home to Il Villaggio. Stephen Simons, owner of the Khyber Pass Pub, Royal Tavern, and Cantina restaurants, had his eye on a Japanese gastropub concept dubbed Royal Izakaya which would also feature ramen. A year and a half ago, we were hopeful for an October 2012 opening. Back in February, our fingers were cross for a spring opening. Alas, still no dice.

So you can imagine how happy we were yesterday when the ZBA approved plans at this address for a new sign and a small addition that would allow for additional seating in the restaurant. With these approvals, we can only hope that the path is finally laid out for the new business to open its doors in the near future. Considering how long we’ve all been waiting for this place, we can only hope it matches the quality vibe and excellent food at Simons’ other locations. According to Michael Klein, he’s still seeking a chef- so if you’re experienced in the ramen business, now might be a good time to drop off a resume.

In the meantime, we look forward to seeing whether they'll be making any additional changes to the facade. We can't say we've been thrilled with the changes that have taken place so far, but there's still time to make it right, right?