Sweet Basil Café closed suddenly in August, but the former restaurant in Prairie Crossing won’t remain vacant for much longer. A mother-daughter team plans to launch Harvest Kitchen and Bar, serving American classics with a twist, at 4241 Conestoga Drive.
“We’ll have classics like pancakes, eggs and sandwiches, but we want the dishes to be different,” said Odette Yobal, who co-owns the new venture with her mother, Vivian Dominguez. “It will have an elevated aesthetic but still be affordable and approachable for everybody.”
Yobal’s parents own a Mexican restaurant nearby, but she said the new restaurant will have a completely different menu and focus.
“We already have experience running a restaurant, but we’re really switching things up,” she said. “This is a project that me and my mom have been working on together.”
Sweet Basil Café closed Aug. 23 following a commercial eviction case that resulted in an order to vacate and a $116,230 default judgement against the owners.
The new tenants are now preparing to get the space ready to reopen.
“Right now, we’re taking our time… We have to do a deep cleaning, and we’re wanting to remodel the inside to get a fresh and unique look,” Yobal said.
“We’ll also need to hire new staff, and we’re collaborating closely with our chef, Alexsander Flesch… he has experience working at different restaurants in the Springfield area,” she said.
A grand opening is planned for the first of the year.
