Every night of the week for almost five years, fire was harnessed at Restaurant Jezebel to create some of the finest and most palate pleasing creations in Central Texas. 

But on the morning of July 26th, flames that couldn’t be immediately harnessed produced a terribly different result.

“You know this is so personal,” Vora says, standing in the burned out shell of what was his fine dining establishment.  The award winning eatery that was Vora’s baby is almost unrecognizable to him now.  “I opened the door and I just felt like I wasn’t even here.  It just felt like someone just kicked the gut out,” he says.

The investigation continues, but the fire has been ruled accidental.  That doesn’t make Vora feel much better, though.  The custom paintings that graced the walls melted away, the romantic ambiance was blackened over, and a collection of fine wines valued in the tens of thousands of dollars, was ruined.  The corks popped out as the temperature inside the building soared.  Ironically, Vora reports, “the kitchen is fine”.

It’ll be some time though before Vora will be able to create his magic in the Jezebel kitchen again.  In the days since the fire, though, loyal regulars have been assuring him that while fire destroyed his business, it didn’t damage the people he does business with…when the restaurant returns, they promise him they will as well.  “It’s nice to know people care, they want us back, and we will,” vows Vora.