La-Van Hawkins, the restauranteur, who went off to prison in 2009 for tax and wire fraud, is back.
Hawkins has partnered up with David Tomkin to open The Detroit Cheesecake Bistro at 1045 Brush Street.
The restaurant, which was former the site of Hawkins' Sweet Georgia Brown eatery, opened for lunch on Friday, a spokeswoman told Deadline Detroit on Saturday.
Crain's Detroit Business reported that the restaurant had a VIP even Thursday night. Mayor Dave Bing and former Mayor Dennis Archer were on hand.
The restaurant will be open from 8a.m to 4 p.m. and then reopen from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
