Could Westport champagne bar Ça Va lose its liquor license?

The city’s Liquor Control Board of Review planned to meet next week “in regard to denial of a renewal for a retail-sales-by-drink liquor license” for Ça Va.

But the Westport champagne bar has asked for a continuance that could give it another 30 days.

Ça Va opened in March 2014 at 4149 Pennsylvania Ave., Suite 101. The 740-square-foot space features floors made of century-old wood, exposed brick walls and tin ceilings with a grapevine motif.

Ça Va (pronounced sah vah) is a “common check-in in France. Like we say ‘How ya doing?’” partner Howard Hanna said at the time. Hanna also is executive chef and co-owner of the Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange in the Crossroads Arts District.

Hanna declined to comment on the hearing.

Jim Ready, division manager of Regulated Industries, said Ça Va’s restaurant-bar liquor license expired March 31. It did not meet the food sales requirement for a restaurant-bar license, which requires gross sales equal to a minimum of 50 percent food sales versus liquor sales, or more than $200,000 in food sales for its licensing year.

The restaurant also could not apply for a tavern license, which requires less in food sales, because of saturation.

“There is no density for another tavern in Westport, they are way over density,” Ready said. “So if they don’t meet their food sales they are out of business.”

Ça Va specializes in champagne cocktails, along with boutique wines from France, Italy, Spain and the United States. It also has a full bar and has been beefing up its food menu for more than a year with such items as the Rieger Pork Soup, moules frites, caviar, Salade Rabbit Confit, duck fat kettle corn and crème brûlée tart, as well as adding more kitchen staff and hosting food events.

This story was originally published July 15, 2016 at 6:26 PM with the headline "Could Westport champagne bar Ça Va lose its liquor license?."