A TASTEFUL STORY

for the hungry at heart

100 years of rich and unique history is part of what makes Pass-A-Grille so special. Many retail stores, hotels, and restaurants have come and gone, and for the last 6 years Black Palm has been making it's mark on this amazing area. The story of how this restaurant came to be is just as charming as it's location.

It all began with a wedding. Lui and Kathy Arango were married on November 26, 2004 at The Mansion on Turtle Creek, where, in 1983, Lui received his training in fine dining and luxury hotels. They arrived in Clearwater, Florida one day later for their honeymoon. It didn't take Lui and Kathy long to figure out Clearwater was not the kind of place they envisioned for their honeymoon. "We were searching for a local's area", Lui said. This led to them renting a car and driving as far South as they could go, eventually reaching the beautiful area of Pass-A-Grille. They parked on 8th Avenue and spent the day walking on the beach and shopping at the stores. Needles to say, charming Pass-A-Grille stole their hearts away!

While sitting in the shade along 8th Avenue, Lui noticed a group of people carrying garbage out of a vacant building. Interested in what he was seeing, he went over and started speaking with a man who represented the owner. "He told me a bit about the building and gave me a short tour. The only thing I measured was the kitchen", Lui recalled. "I was falling in love with this area," He added.

It was a long trip back to Texas. A few days later Lui proposed the idea of moving to Florida. Kathy felt that moving to Pass-A-Grille would be great, not to mention a wonderful place to raise children. "Would you move there tomorrow?" Lui asked Kathy. When she answered yes, Lui started working on his master plan.

Wasting no time, Lui sent in his deposit and his lease via fax. He then got to work selling his three condos, house, and car. Just a few days later Lui informed Kathy he had sold all of their possessions and they had to be out of the house in 30 days. "She thought I had gone crazy!" he admits, but it ended up being one of the best move of their lives.

By January 19, 2005, Lui and Kathy arrived in the St. Pete area and moved into a house on Vina Del Mar, only a short trip away from 109 8th Avenue, which was on it's way to becoming Black Palm. By April 15th they had finished construction and 30 days later Black Palm opened its doors to the public.

At present Lui and Kathy live In Pass-A-Grille with their five year old son, Niko, and their four year old daughter, Sofia. Eliva, Lui's mother, is in charge of all of the ethnic cuisine, and Kathy and Lui are working owners of the eclectic and unique restaurant. Lui explained, "We have found our home in Pass-A-Grille and couldn't be happier with what we are doing. "