Asian Buffet Restaurant Could Be Headed to West Babylon

An Asian buffet restaurant could be opening up in West Babylon soon if it passes through the Town of Babylon Planning Board.

Restaurant owner Lee Lin spoke through his attorney Eli Elbaum, of Uniondale, during the meeting.

"We're proposing a change of use," Elbaum said. "This will be a buffet-style restaurant with 270 seats, a hibachi kitchen and a sushi bar."

He said Lin planned to make use of the nearly 10,000 square feet at 527 Montauk Highway and divide the restaurant into 40 to 50 seat areas.

All work on the building, Elbaum said, would take place indoor and their would be almost no work outside.

The proposed restaurant will take over the space currently occupied by West Marine. There was no word on whether the marine equipment company would move their store or close up the location entirely.

Multiple residents came out against the restaurant's proposed take over, noting the shopping center's proximity to a residential neighborhood.

"My concerns are the dead end streets at the back of the parking lot," said Mark Vigalante of West Babylon. "We want to make sure they remain dead ends."

"How is traffic going to be diverted from this parking lot?" asked Bill, another nearby resident. "We have a nice neighborhood and don't need cars shooting down the street. You're telling me there's room for 270 more cars? I don't think so."

Planning Board members and Elbaum agreed, noting the restaurant had no plans nor ability to make changes to the shopping center's parking lot.

Lin, through Elbaum, said he would tell his drivers to only use Montauk Highway to get to the restaurant for delivaries, in order to keep in line with laws banning trucks of any kind on nearby Beachwood Drive.

The board reserved decision, noting changes needed on the site plan.