LINCOLN – A first-time restaurateur wants to breathe new life into an empty restaurant building on West Broadway with a menu of home-cooked comfort food just like Grandma used to make.

The Town Council on Monday night will consider a victualer’s license for James Morton of Gardiner, who hopes by next week to open the 80-seat Tall Tales restaurant in the building that housed the South Garden Chinese and American restaurant until its closing last year.

The planning board also will consider a business permit for the family restaurant at its regular meeting Monday night.

During a break from cleaning the 3,000-square-foot restaurant space Friday, Morton said he has never run a restaurant, but he decided to give it a go after doing some research on the area and hearing enthusiasm about the idea from local people. The market also played into the decision, Morton said, adding that unlike the Augusta area, there isn’t a restaurant on every corner in Lincoln.

“There aren’t a million and one choices up here,” Morton said. “There’s not a lot of competition.”

Assisting Morton in the food end of the business will be Bob Laster, Morton’s uncle, who has 25 years’ experience with restaurants in southern Maine and along the coast. The breakfast, lunch and dinner menu will feature local ingredients in home-cooked comfort food, such as meatloaf and mashed potatoes with gravy, Laster said. The restaurant will offer lobster in the summer and have a bar open by late spring or early summer, Morton said.

While the area’s recent economic situation has been rocky with the closing of the mill, Laster said he expects the restaurant will be able to provide a service it seems the community needs.

“Regardless of the mill closing, people still need to eat,” Laster said. “If you provide them a good product at a fair price, they’re going to come.”

In addition to the required permits, the restaurant is awaiting the standard visit from the health inspector, Laster said, although he doesn’t foresee any problems. The restaurant was taking applications Friday and Morton hopes to open the doors by the middle of next week.