Business & Tech

Ex-Louie's Waiter to Open New Teaneck Eatery

Diner-style restaurant planned on Cedar Lane

A former waiter at Louie's Charcoal Pit, which closed last year, is set to open a new restaurant next month not far from the longtime Teaneck landmark. 

The new diner-style eatery, called Al's Charcoal Pit, will open at what was Mabat Steakhouse at Cedar Lane and Elm Avenue, and be run by the popular Louie's staffer K. M. S. Alom, known to most customers as Al. 

In an interview Tuesday, he said loyal Louie's fans have been asking him to launch his own diner since the Cedar Lane staple closed. Al said he was approached with an opportunity to run the new eatery and jumped at the chance. 

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"They said 'I want to see you again,'" the 20 year Louie's veteran said, adding customers had been calling and sending letters since Louie's shut down. 

Some of the kitchen staff, including a chef, are also expected to be Louie's alumni, he said. 

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"I know the people there and they want to work with me," he said. 

The menu will range from burgers and steaks to soups and Greek-fare. Hours are not yet set, but Al's could stay open as late as midnight. 

Al's is expected to open in mid-April, but an exact date was not yet set. 

The closure of Louie's in December was seen as a blow to Teaneck's struggling Cedar Lane business district and came weeks after Cedar Lane Cinemas shut down. 

A developer is seeking permission to build a Walgreens drive-through pharmacy in place of the diner and two adjacent properties. 

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