Tacos-and-tapas chain to open Short North site

A restaurant named after a song performed by Desi Arnaz — i.e., Ricky Ricardo on “I Love Lucy” — is coming to the Short North next year. But its strictly BYOC — bring your own congas.

Babalu, based in Jackson, Mississippi, is bringing its tacos and tapas to the redeveloped United Dairy Farmers property at 900 N. High St., said CEO Bill Latham. The restaurant will anchor the ground floor alongside a new UDF, with three floors of office space above. It will be Babalu’s first location in Ohio.

Babalu has six restaurants: one in Jackson, three in Tennessee, and one each in Birmingham, Alabama, and Charlotte, North Carolina. The chain plans locations in Atlanta; Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and Lexington, Kentucky.

Landing in Columbus’ hottest neighborhood is not by mistake, said Bob Welcher, president of Restaurant Consultants Inc. “If you’re going to come here, the Short North is the right location,” he said. “It’s young, it’s upscale, it’s hip. It’s all about the demographics.”

The menu at Babalu makes it much more than a typical taco joint. Starters include blackeyed-pea hummus and guacamole, and tapas include grilled chicken satay and roasted redfish. The taco varieties range from beef to duck confit, and the sandwich menu includes a Cuban sandwich.

Good thing, too, because people will relate the restaurant’s name to the Cuban immigrant Arnaz and probably expect Latin flair.

“I would think of Desi Arnaz right away,” Welcher said.

“You have to be a trend-setter in the Short North, not a follower, and tapas fits; I think that works,” he added. “The small plates and sharing are part of a big trend, and it’s going to last.”

The UDF property is one of several lots in the neighborhood undergoing major redevelopment. Donatos tore down its nearby store and built not just a new one but also a bar while attracting Ram, a craft brewery and restaurant, to that project. White Castle is developing a flagship store to anchor an eight-story mixed-use project on its longtime Short North site.

The neighborhood is undergoing a lot of construction that will add restaurants to its 70-plus total. Cameron Mitchell has three concepts in the area, and three more in development.