Old Town Clovis restaurant prepares to close

It’s time to say goodbye to the Old Hotel Bistro in Old Town Clovis.

The restaurant inside the historic hotel at 356 Pollasky Ave. will close Thursday, July 27.

About 2 1/2 years ago, chef Jim Pacini took over the restaurant and added a Creole twist to the menu. As The Bee reported in 2015, the Old Hotel Bistro was one of the rare places in town where diners could get gumbo or a New Orleans po’ boy sandwich.

Pacini said the restaurant’s lease had expired. Although he and the landlord had a tentative agreement for a new lease, it wasn’t finalized and the landlord decided to bring in a new tenant, according to Pacini. The landlord could not be reached for comment.

Just who the new renter is hasn’t been confirmed, likely because the new lease isn’t finalized. It’s also not clear if a new renter will continue the formal tea service that has been offered at the spot for years.

Heart’s Delight, the clothing and gift shop in the front of the hotel has already moved to 423 Pollasky Ave.

The Old Hotel Bistro will close to the public at 3 p.m. July 27. A special vintner’s dinner for $99 a person starts at 6:30 p.m. that day and diners must reserve a spot.

This won’t be the last you’ll see of chef Pacini, 52, however.

He’s still running Pacini’s Catering for weddings and other events. And he’s still teaching at the Institute of Technology Clovis.

“Working 85 hours a week has been physically draining for me,” he says of running the restaurant and catering business along with teaching.

With his new free time, Pacini plans to spend more time with his 2-year-old and 4-year-old grandkids.

He also plans to write a cookbook. It will focus on a comfort food version of farm-to-table cuisine with local ingredients and wine pairing suggestions.

When asked if he wanted to say anything to his customers, Pacini said, “Thank you for the support. The last two and a half years, I’ve had fun getting to meet a lot of people in Old Town. It’s been fun. It’s been a blessing.”

This story was originally published July 19, 2017 at 1:54 PM with the headline "Old Town Clovis restaurant prepares to close."