VIDEO: Longboard's Taco & Tiki has closed, but Ian Hall has good news, too.

Ian Hall made the announcement via video this morning on Facebook. Trust me, I know what it feels like to lose one, so best wishes to Ian, Nikki and the Brand Hospitality restaurant group. Overall Brand's brand remains strong at The Exchange Pub + Kitchen and Brooklyn and The Butcher.

There is no word yet as to the next configuration of the soon-to-be vacant space on the corner of Market and Pearl.

You'll notice that in the video Ian is seated in the space many readers will recall as Feast BBQ's original location in New Albany, adjacent to The Exchange on Main Street. The building changed hands after Feast BBQ closed in 2018, and now the top-to-bottom remodeling is complete.

It will be known as the Tavern Hall at The Exchange and function as a dining room and special events space. Kitchen space at The Exchange also has been expanded.

LIVE TO EAT: Longboard's Taco & Tiki will open this Friday, July 27.

From the folks who brought you Exchange and Brookyn, Longboard’s Taco & Tiki is coming to downtown New Albany in 2018.

Let's start a list.

OPENING IN 2020
Board and You Bistro & Wine Bar (TBD; 430 Pearl, where the Cidery was to have been)
Monnik Beer Company (TBD; former Bank Street Brewhouse on Bank)
Recbar 812 (February 3; former La Rosita's on Pearl)
Tavern Hall at The Exchange (event space in the former Feast BBQ)

CLOSING IN 2020
Longboard's Taco & Tiki

Here is last year's summary.

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New Albany's restaurant and bar openings and closings for 2019.

December 30, 2019

Following is our crowd-sourced list of restaurant/bar openings and closings in New Albany for 2019: Indies only; no chains, and just businesses within city limits.

Here's a special category: Floyd County Brewing, which expanded into the Biergarten after launching Grain Haus in 2018. They're still all common ownership, but deserving of note for organization of available space.

Did we miss anyone? There are two reasons why Our Lady of Perpetual Hops isn't on this list: (1) it doesn't have a kitchen, and (b) I'm still not sure whether it's city, fringe area or county. The beers are good, though.

OPENING IN 2019 ... 8 + 3 (see below) = 11
Boomtown Kitchen
Chicago City Pizza
Fistful of Tacos
Get It on a Bun at Booty’s
La Catrina
Tacolicious To Go
The Earl
The Standard Plate & Pour

CLOSING IN 2019 ... 6 + 3 (see below) = 9
Bank Street Brewhouse/Taco Steve
Cox’s Hot Chicken
Hull & High Water
Mandarin Cafe
Red Men Club
Sinaloa

BOTH OPENING AND CLOSING IN 2019 ... 3
Bliss Artisan
El Rico Taco
Mirin

News release: What's going on at The Exchange + Pub + Kitchen, Brooklyn and the Butcher and the approaching Longboard's.

From Ian Hall, Matt Simpson and our friends at BRAND Hospitality -- founders of some of The Exchange Pub + Kitchen, Brooklyn and the Butcher, and the soon-to-be-opened Longboard's Taco and Tiki -- comes details about a few things they have in the pipeline for 2018. The video (above) features Shrimp and walnut fried rice, a new dish at The Exchange. 

Note that IF the ticker at the Longboard's web site is accurate, BRAND's latest entry will be open for business on March 1 -- so, tacos and tiki are just around the corner.

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Old Forester Single Barrel Select Launch Dinner

The Exchange Pub + Kitchen is proud to announce the arrival of a very special bourbon : The Exchange Old Forester Single Barrel selection. To celebrate, we're throwing a special dinner and you're invited.

Featured Food: Five Course Meal, prepared by Executive Chef Joseph Horneman. Each course features our signature Single Barrel of Old Forester in a unique and creative way.

Featured Cocktails: Exchange Old Fashioned w/ Old Forester Single Barrel, Perfect Manhattan with Old Forester Single Barrel, Bourbon Milk Punch with Old Forester Single Barrel

Price: $75 + Tax / Gratuity

Where: Our private dining room, The Stables above The Exchange.

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The Butcher's Table

The Butcher's Table will be a monthly event where guests will be led by Executive Chef Kendell Sheppard through a very special fully coursed out menu. We are launching our first tasting this month, January 23rd. Tickets are $60+tax/gratuity.

Seats are extremely limited- guests will be sitting together at a large community table, making this an excellent way to meet new "foodies" while trying some of the best dishes in Kentuckiana.

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Winter Menu Release at The Exchange Pub + Kitchen

In an effort to put out food that is seasonal and fresh, The Exchange is proud to announce the arrival of new "winter" menu items, expertly crafted by Executive Chef Joe Horneman. Of note, we have added The New Albany Hot Brown - a delicious, southern Indiana spin on a Louisville classic featuring fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, and a Benton's bacon cheddar mornay. We've also added a monster hand-cut angus ribeye served with bacon braised greens, syracuse potatoes, and roasted brocollini. 

Check out our full lunch and menu changes. 

From the folks who brought you Exchange and Brookyn, Longboard’s Taco & Tiki is coming to downtown New Albany in 2018.

Hot off the presses from Ian Hall. Left unsaid is the location; this may or may not be it ...

GREEN MOUSE SAYS: Dine Company + 302 Pearl Street buildout = ?

 ... and then there's this for corroboration:

Irrespective of the specific storefront, here's the press release.

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BRAND Hospitality Group is back at it.

Longboard’s Taco & Tiki to open in Downtown New Albany in early 2018.

The Southern Indiana dining scene continues to see growth as proprietors Ian and Nikki Hall, owners of The Exchange Pub + Kitchen and Brooklyn and the Butcher, announce their latest project, Longboard’s Taco & Tiki. 

Described by Ian Hall as what would be considered a hybrid of fast casual dining, Longboard’s Taco & Tiki looks to deliver flavorful chef-inspired tacos, tiki-influenced cocktails, in a relaxing, cool, California beach vibe.

“We’ve had the opportunity over the last two years to do some traveling, both to Mexico as well as some coastal cities in the states. We found ourselves really inspired by the cocktail movement of the classic-style tiki bars,” Hall said. “We thought, what better way to pair our new tiki cocktail concept than alongside our take on the taco shop.”

Earlier this year, the Hall’s other two restaurants both took home some notable awards in Louisville Magazine’s Best Of awards. The Exchange Pub + Kitchen was awarded “Best Restaurant in Southern Indiana”, while Brooklyn and the Butcher took home “Best New Restaurant”. It’s a reputation for excellence that owner Ian Hall says he doesn’t take lightly.

“With two restaurants that have been so well received by our guests and the city of New Albany, we know how important it is that we maintain the high standards of exceptional service and exciting food and beverage in everything we do, including this one or any new projects in the pipeline,” Hall said. 

"We have set our own bar very high and we will continue to challenge our teams every shift. In order to be known as a strong independent restaurant group, we must focus on using great local products and ingredients, local purveyors, hand crafted cocktails, and above all, offering stellar hospitality to our guests. It has become part of who we have become as a collective group, and it’s our company’s culture. Longboard’s Taco & Tiki will continue to build on this foundation and strive to not only meet, but to exceed those standards. I think this will be a great compliment to the brands we already represent as well as a nice addition to Downtown New Albany.”

What you can expect from the kitchen team at Longboard’s will be a flavor-packed menu. The heartbeat of the menu will consist of 8-10 styles of tacos influenced by the traditional street food of Latin America, alongside of some interesting takes on chef-inspired dishes. The menu will also consist of Poke bowls with rice, seafood ceviches, salads with fresh local greens, fresh tortillas, and house made salsas and guacamoles. 

The bar program will consist of some interesting plays on traditional margaritas and tequila cocktails, as well as a nice variety of the rums from the islands and tiki-inspired cocktails, both classic and modern styles.

Hall expects to open late in the first quarter of 2018. “We have been working on this conceptually for the last 8 months on the developmental side, so it’s a nice change of pace to go from paper to construction last week. We are going to take our time with this one to make sure we build the right team, atmosphere, and hospitality, and when we do we will be ready to ride the wave.”

In the meantime, Hall encourages those curious about the project to watch their social media as more info will be announced to the general public over the next few months.

Check out Longboard’s Taco & Tiki online at www.tacoandtiki.com