TAMPA, Fla. – Blue Flame Soul Food is finally back open after hurricane repairs kept the kitchen dark for over a year.
“I love it. I need them to come, so I’m happy they’re back. And I’m here to serve them,” Blue Flame Soul Food owner Tamika Vaught told FOX 13 Thursday.
The backstory:
The Tampa restaurant is on Fowler Avenue, which is not near the coastline.
But due to power outages — plus pump and generator issues – parts of Fowler Avenue flooded anyway after Hurricane Milton.
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Blue Flame Soul Food took on some three feet of water, and the roof over the kitchen caved in.
“I was heartbroken. I was sad. I was frustrated,” Vaught said.
A total kitchen rebuild, many repairs, and insurance hurdles kept the restaurant dark for over a year.
“I don’t know when we were gonna reopen, but I knew we were going reopen,” Vaught said.
That reopening finally happened this week.
Dig deeper:
The Tampa restaurant’s menu is loaded: Ribs, oxtails, chicken, and chitlins are just a few of the customers’ favorites.
A line of hungry customers formed well before the doors officially swung open at noon Thursday.
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“Everybody, the whole community, loves southern food,” customer Nela Torres said.
For Vaught, seeing the dining room full again is the ultimate reward.
“They’re so happy that I’m back,” Vaught said. “I’m happy, and it feels good.”
Blue Flame Soul Food is located at 1524 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33612.
The Source: Information in this story comes from interviews with customers and the owner of Blue Flame Soul Food.