Fire puts temporary halt to Lockhart Bistro

By Kyle Mooty

LPR Editor

An early morning fire at a popular Lockhart restaurant has temporarily closed the business, but plans are to return soon. In the meantime, Lockhart Bistro, operating under its same name, will open at owner Parind Vora’s building in Gonzales.

The fire, which caused much damage, was said to have started in the small, custom-dining experience Jezebel room with a wall plug, according to a Fire Marshall that visited Vora at the 119 E. San Antonio St. restaurant (north side of the Lockhart square) Monday morning.

The Lockhart Fire Department received notification of the fire at about 6:15 a.m. on Saturday. Moments later, the Lockhart Police called Vora and notified him that the streets had been blocked off as the fire department tended to the fire.

Vora said he almost didn’t answer the call because he suspected it as “spam.”

“I had to give them the keys to gain entry,” Vora said.

“Three months, that’s always the best-case scenario,” Vora said when asked how long he will be closed in Lockhart.

In the meantime, Vora will be opening Lockhart Bistro at his building in Gonzales at 318 St. George Street.

The outlet fire quickly reached several boxes Vora had stored in the room from his annual trip to Augusta, Georgia, where he cooked at The Masters golf tournament. Those boxes were filled with tables clothes, towels, menus, napkins, etc. Also lost in the room were several pieces of art Vora had collected, and several bottles of wine. In fact, the fire got so hot, corks on the wine above the bar in the main dining area popped out. Some ceilings fans melted as far away as just inside the front entrance to the restaurant. A window was also blown out in the Jezebel room, causing a wind draft that escalated the fire.

Plans are to open in Gonzales in early August with hopes to return to Lockhart soon after that.

Vora was about to announce his new lunch hours (11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday) in Lockhart, but he noted those hours will be the same at Gonzales until he returns.