FALL RIVER — The road to opening The Path — the city's newest Caribbean restaurant — was a bit longer and more winding than planned, but the wait is finally over.

After a six-month delay, The Path Restaurant and Lounge will be spicing up the SouthCoast food scene with its debut at the former Lusitano Restaurant site in the South End on Friday, Nov. 11.

With the sign expected to go up outside the 820 King Philip St. building this weekend, owner Gainer Forrester Brooks is finally seeing her dream become reality.

She said it's great to be in the home stretch and she's excited to welcome her first customers to The Path.

"I cannot wait, you have no idea... it's been a journey," said Forrester Brooks, who runs The Path along with husband Carl Brooks.

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The couple have been quite busy since The Herald News last caught up with them in March, when they were gearing up for an April 30 debut. But unexpected problems arose that put a wrench in those plans.

Opening was put on hold in order to make extensive repairs to pre-existing issues that were not disclosed at the time of sale, Forrester Brooks said. The liquor license transfer is also in limbo with the state, but she hopes to have that in hand by Nov. 11.

Amid all the hustle and bustle of getting their new business off the ground the couple also got married in July, holding their wedding reception at The Path's banquet hall, which they look forward to now sharing with many others for their special events.

"It's a great feeling to know we are almost there ... we're very excited to have our baby launched," Forrester Brooks said.

Forrester Brooks, a banker/investor with real estate in Boston and Brockton, purchased the mixed-use property in September 2021 to embark on her first restaurant venture.

She set out to breathe life into the King Philip building  - which housed the Lusitano, a well-known spot for traditional Portuguese fare for 50 years before closing in 2019 - as well as add to Fall River's growing, diverse culinary destinations.

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"I love challenges and I love risk. I've been working with people in the community and I'm grateful they saw the value and they too said we need to have a different style of food and culture," said Forrester Brooks, a Brockton resident. "I think they're gonna embrace the change."

"We really do love Fall River... and we are glad we are here," she added.

Since acquiring the property, which includes a first-floor restaurant, bar and function hall, 12 residential units as well as a parking lot, the pair have poured their efforts into modernizing the space. Earlier this year the building got a facelift, with new hardwood flooring, lighting, paint and upgraded fireplace. The kitchen also underwent an $80,000 renovation, which included all-new appliances and safety upgrades.

A grand opening at The Path is slated for Nov. 11, starting at 4 p.m., and the Fall River community and local officials are invited to stop by to get their first taste.

Caribbean and fusion cuisine at The Path

According to Forrester Brooks, a native of British Guyana whose husband hails from Jamaica, The Path's menu will feature both Caribbean and American cuisine.

Dishes will include everything from lo mein and fried rice with a Caribbean twist, to various curried dishes, jerk chicken and pork, seafood plates, in addition to American fare such as lasagna and mac and cheese. Bar food such as fries, burgers and fish and chips will be served in the lounge.

Heading up the kitchen will be two chefs with background in Caribbean cuisine, including head chef Nikki Nelson from Jamaica, as well as Manuel Silva, a longtime chef at Lusitano.

Forrester Brooks said they are also looking to hire three to five more local employees, to round out a total of 5 to 8 kitchen and wait staff.

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According to Forrester Brooks, they worked with a local florist for their wedding reception, and continue to "make rounds in the neighborhood and build relationships," hoping to partner with other local businesses down the road.

Future plans include the addition of brunch (hopefully by late winter) with items such as chicken and waffles served up with mimosas.

In an effort to promote the business, she said they are also looking to bring cameras into the kitchen to give patrons a behind-the-scenes look at chefs at work. The videos will be posted on their YouTube channel.

Forrester Brooks said their aim is to constantly find ways to grow: "Always be improving on our menu, on our service ... the goal is to make this place exceed expectations."

As of now, they plan to have the restaurant open seven days a week, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Those hours may change, so folks are encouraged to check their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087204491643 for updates.

The couple is currently working with a team of marketing students from her alma mater, Northeastern University, to promote the restaurant. The website is set to launch soon, and the menu is still being finalized, but you can get a sneak peek at The Path on Facebook.

Though they are still settling into their King Philip Street home, Forrester Brooks hopes this "is just the beginning" for The Path, with an eye toward expanding to other locations in the future.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: The Path Restaurant to open in Fall River after six-month delay