Archived Article By Tom Fitzmorris Originally published April 23, 2007 Camellia Grill Reopens Few restaurants that remained closed for a long time after the hurricane engendered so much curiosity about its future than did the Camellia Grill. Even though the place was a shadow of its former glory--the linen napkins were gone, the snappy waiters were few and far between, and the place was getting run down--it remained an icon. Seeing it just sitting there made Uptowners uneasy. At one point, many of them started posting love notes on the place, begging to to return. Mike Shwartz, who owned the restaurant his father built, sold it to a man who is very enthusiastic about restaurants--Hicham Khodr, who owns pieces of Nola, Table One, and Byblos. He saw that the place needed heavy renovation, and he did it. He understands the importance of the place to the community, and that it couldn't be changed drastically. The rebuilding is finished, and Friday 11 a.m. the sixty-one-year-old diner resumed serving hamburgers, waffles, omelettes, and freezes. The first customers were people who bid money for the privilege, followed onto the stools at the fabled counter by a second shift of bidders two hours later. All the money went to three charities: Foundation for Entertainment Development and Education, Police and Justice Foundation of New Orleans and the Audubon Zoo. The first day of regular service is today, April 21. The hours will be eight till eight, seven days. Many of the waiters and cooks from the pre-storm days have returned. But more important is the staff they'll gather in the coming months. The Camellia Grill is a good place to work for tips, and with an avid restaurateur once again in control, the place has a shot at becoming what it was in the 1970s and earlier. One more piece of good news: the place will begin accepting credit cards, which they had not before the storm. Don't be dismayed or surprised if other Camellia Grills open around town. The idea of the place is simple enough that it almost begs to be reproduced. I hope Hicham opens one on the North Shore. Camellia Grill. 626 S. Carrollton Ave.. 866-9573. © 2007 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com