PORT CAPE OPENS SECOND LOCATION AT MALL

Port Cape Girardeau, a downtown restaurant, has expanded to the west.

"We opened a new facility in the former Tantrums Restaurant-Lounge Friday," said Dennis "Doc" Cain, president of Doc Cain Inc., which owns the downtown restaurant. Cain's wife, Karen Pobst Cain is vice president of the company.

"We call the new operation Port Cape Girardeau West," said Cain, who purchased Tantrums from David and Lisa Limbaugh. "The menu will be the same as the downtown restaurant, featuring barbecued ribs and smoked turkey as two of the main courses.

"We'll also feature a homemade soup each day," said Cain. "We don't have a salad bar, but a salad can be ordered off the menu."

Cain, a native of Caruthersville, has been in the food service business for more than a decade. He purchased Port Cape Girardeau in July 1988 after serving three years as a territory manager with Kraft Foodservice of Memphis, Tenn.

"We've discussed expanding to the west area for a long while," said Cain. "When the opportunity of purchasing Tantrums came up, we felt it was time to expand. It's an ideal situation for us, and will give us a larger market, especially for lunch."

The facility will be open seven days a week. The kitchen will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. The lounge will remain open until midnight Mondays through Saturdays.

"We did some redecorating at the new facility," said Cain. "We want to stress that we will offer the same quality and service there as we do downtown."

Diane Robinson will be manager of Port Cape Girardeau West, which will utilize many of the Tantrum employees. "We'll be employing from 20 to 25 people at the new facility," said Cain.

Tantrums opened in West Park Mall in 1988. The Limbaughs were among the original owners. Mike Halvarson, who later moved from the area, and the late David McKinney were also partners when Tantrums first opened.

Tantrums, a 2,500-square-foot operation, was designed as a place where shoppers could rest or relax. It offered gourmet type sandwiches and appetizers, with a lounge that featured a big-screen television.

"We'll be more of a restaurant," said Cain. "But we will offer full lounge and bar service."

Cain said the new facility would offer a 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. "happy hour" featuring buffalo wings.

"The buffalo wings were originated in New York," said Cain."They consist of chicken wings with a special sauce. We bill them as Port Cape's rendition of a New York tradition."

Cain is also planning some improvements and expansions in the downtown operation, which also features catering both on- and off-premise.

Downtown Port Cape Girardeau, situated in a building built in 1936, was founded by David B. Knight and Associates in 1974. Knight, president of the firm, sold the restaurant to devote more time to his Ole Hickory Pits business, which manufactures barbecue pits.