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New restaurants opening in Fresno CA: Saizon, KFC, barbecue

Posted on17/12/202408/08/2023Author

KFC is opening its first “next-gen” location in Fresno with a smaller than average dining area, a different exterior and a walk-up window for mobile orders located near Herndon and Spruce avenues. Photographed Dec. 1, 2022 in Fresno.

ERIC PAUL ZAMORA

[email protected]

The holidays can’t slow down restaurants.

While we’re all focused on shopping, the owners of new restaurants are still pushing ahead with plans to open their doors for the first time.

Several long-awaited restaurants are gearing up to open this month. They include big chains and locally-owned mom-and-pops in the Tower District and north Fresno.

One eagerly awaited independent restaurant already has a big following on social media. Another is a fast food chain opening a first-of-its-kind location in town.

Since their openings might get lost in the busy holiday season, we thought we’d round up the details here. Keep in mind that opening dates are fluid. Restaurants often don’t give exact dates until they’re sure they have all the proper approvals to open.

Here are the soon-to-open restaurants in the Fresno-Clovis area and the types of food you can look forward to during the month of December.

Saizon

IMG_152_fitted. jpeg — Saizon is a locally owned restaurant described as “ Napa Valley meets Mexico City” that is slated to open in December. Instagram screenshots Saizon

Saizon is a new restaurant and bar planning a quiet opening starting Friday, Dec. 2. It’s at the new shopping center, The Row at Heritage Grove, at Willow and Shepherd avenues in northeast Fresno.

Behind it is the same group of restaurateurs who run Heirloom, Butterfish and Mayd Modern Mediterranean.

Saizon is billed as Napa Valley meets Mexico City.

“Contemporary American cuisine with Mexican influences & a distinct Californian point of view,” and food that blends “deep-rooted traditional techniques with new flavor combinations,” according to its website.

That philosophy applies to its craft cocktails too.

The restaurant is taking reservations via its Instagram page.

Next-gen KFC

FRS_EPZ_DECEMBER_OPENINGS_0 (2) — KFC is opening its first “next-gen” location in Fresno with a smaller than average dining area, a different exterior and a walk-up window for mobile orders located near Herndon and Spruce avenues. Photographed Dec. 1, 2022 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA [email protected]

KFC is tentatively planning to open a restaurant Dec. 19 that will be the first of its design on the West Coast

The “next-gen” KFC is in the middle of the shopping center at the corner of Herndon and Spruce avenues in northwest Fresno. It’s on a lot that was too small for a standard KFC location.

So the owner (JEM Restaurant Management, a Fresno-based company that is the franchisee for about 15 KFC locations in the area) is opening a version of the restaurant that’s a little different.

It has a smaller-than-average dining room that seats 30 people, along with a different exterior, with a couple of red and white stripes, JEM’s facilities officer told The Bee in March.

It will have a drive-thru, but also a walk-up window. That is designed for people picking up mobile orders, for themselves or for Uber Eats drivers or other food delivery drivers.

It will have designated parking spaces for curbside pickup.

The inside of the restaurant will have kiosks so people can order from a screen. Cashiers will still be available for people who want to order from a person.

BenSmokin BBQ

EPZ_HAPPY_DUMPLING_01. jpg — The former Happy Star restaurant – which briefly opened as a Little Fat Dumpling restaurant doing takeout only during the pandemic – will soon be home to a new barbecue restaurant. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA [email protected]

BenSmokin BBQ is a catering company that’s taking over the former Happy Star restaurant on Palm Avenue, just south of Olive Avenue in the Tower District.

The Bee told you about the owner last month, who some may know as former radio personality Paul Latino. Bernard Paul Mendoza III and his wife Rebecca run the business together.

They had originally hoped to open by Dec. 15. It doesn’t look like that will happen, but they are still hoping to open sometime in the month of December.

The restaurant will serve the giant burritos it’s known for, along with other barbecue food. Mendoza also plans to serve vegetarian options too, such as Asian dishes.

Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop

capastramishrunk. jpg — The “Capastrami” sandwich at Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop features hot pastrami, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing and coleslaw. The restaurant’s newest location is slated to open this month at Willow and Shepherd avenues in Fresno. Capriotti’s Special to the Bee

Capriotti’s, the chain sandwich shop with a local franchise owner, is opening several new restaurants in the Fresno-Clovis area.

Its latest just opened last week on north Blackstone Avenue, near Red Robin.

Its next one is in the same shopping center as Saizon at Willow and Shepherd avenues. Owner Javier Gomez says they are shooting for a

Raising Cane’s, In-N-Out Burger, more

Posted on09/12/202408/08/2023Author

As the old saying goes, persistence is the key to success.

It took years, but campaigns to bring Whataburger back to the Memphis area worked. Now the Memphis-area has three locations of the Texas-based burger chain, with one more on the way.

Since Whataburger is now here, we asked Memphians which other chains they would like to see come to town.

Raising Cane's says it is "absolutely planning to open in Memphis."

The responses to our polls included chains like Cava, Portillo’s, SweetGreen and Jack in the Box — but there were five restaurants that stood out above the rest, each receiving numerous mentions.

From chicken tenders to burgers to Tex-Mex, here are five restaurant chains that Memphians want to see expand to the Mid-South.

New Memphis restaurants:New Memphis restaurants: From burgers to donuts, 5 new spots to try

Made in Memphis:Give a taste of Memphis: Holiday gift ideas for the foodies on your list

Raising Cane’s

It’s all about the chicken fingers at Raising Cane’s. Hand-battered marinated chicken fingers are fried to order and served with crinkle-cut fries and Cane’s signature dipping sauce. Other than coleslaw and Texas toast, that’s about it on the menu of this restaurant that calls its loyal fans “Caniacs.”

This restaurant chain started as a campus restaurant by LSU in 1996 and has become one of the fastest-growing large restaurant brands in the US

Raising Cane's is seen, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022, in Palm Springs, Calif.

There are currently two Raising Cane’s in Tennessee — but both are on the East side of the state. The closest to Memphis are Mississippi locations in Oxford and Tupelo.

Julia Doyle, Raising Cane’s director of public relations, said there may be good news in store for Memphis fans of the chicken finger chain.

“We are absolutely planning to open in Memphis and are currently in the early stages of planning,” he said, adding it is too early to share details.

In-N-Out Burger

California-based chain In-N-Out Burger is renowned for its burgers, fries and milkshakes, along with a “not-so-secret menu” for customizing burgers. Known for its freshness, each burger is cooked to order.

Orders like “The Double-Double” (two all-beef patties and two slices of American cheese) and a burger “Animal-style” (served with grilled onions) have become cult-like classics.

The chain currently only has restaurants in California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oregon and Colorado.

In-N-Out Marketing Coordinator Patty Peña said the company currently does not have any plans to open locations in Memphis. “However, we’re delighted to hear that we have loyal customers there who’d like us to be close by,” she said.

Shake Shack

Did you know Shake Shack started as a hot dog cart in New York City’s Madison Square Park?

Founded by renowned New York City restaurateur Danny Meyer, the company now has more than 400 locations, including over 260 in the US across 32 states. It also has more than 140 international locations in cities such as London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Mexico City, Istanbul, Dubai, Tokyo and Seoul.

The popular burger chain touts itself as “a modern day roadside burger stand serving a classic American menu of premium burgers, hot dogs, crinkle-cut fries, shakes, frozen custard, beer and wine.”

The most popular order is the ShackBurger. Available in single or double, it features a 100% Angus beef patty topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomato and Shack Sauce. We recommend ordering it with crinkle fries and a hand-spunshake.

Things to do in Memphis:Wine & Dine: Memphis food events that should be on your calendar in December

New in Germantown:JoJo’s Espresso goes from the food truck to the storefront with the new Germantown spot

Nashville has four Shake Shacks.

Shake Shack did not respond to requests about any future plans to come to Memphis. (Fingers are crossed they decide to open one here.)

Chuy’s

Founded in Austin, Texas, in 1982, Chuy’s owns and operates close to 100 full-service restaurants across 17 states.

Known for its flavorful and freshly prepared Tex-Mex fare served in a fun, eclectic and irreverent atmosphere, each location offers a unique, “unchained” look and feel, as expressed by the concept’s motto: “If you’ve seen one Chuy’s, you’ve seen one Chuy’s!”

The menu features recipes from across New Mexico, Mexican border towns, the Rio Grande Valley, South Texas and, of course, Austin. With an emphasis on freshness, the tortillas are made fresh in-house. There are 10 signature sauces ranging from the mild Tomatillo to the spicy Hatch Green Chile Sauce, and margaritas are made with freshly squeezed lime juice.

The first Chuy’s outside Texas opened in the Nashville suburb of Franklin in November 2009. Today there are six locations in the Nashville area. We think the next one needs to be in Memphis, don’t you?

Chuy’s did not respond to requests about any future plans to come to the area.

Culver’s

ButterBurgers, Fresh Frozen Custard and Wisconsin Cheese Curds have made Culver’s a

Church Hill restaurant Metzgar boots anti-abortion group

Posted on04/09/202408/08/2023Author

Illustration of a restaurant bill holder with the words "no thank you" on it.

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

For the second time this year, the abortion debate is colliding with the local restaurant scene.

What’s happening: Metzger, a German restaurant in Church Hill known for its schnitzel, abruptly canceled a reception planned by the conservative Family Foundation of Virginia last week.

The cancellation came an hour-and-a-half before the event was supposed to begin, according to the group, which opposes abortion and LGBTQ+ rights.

What they’re saying: The Family Foundation’s president, Victoria Cobb, accused Metzger of religious discrimination in a fundraising appeal distributed by the group.

The other side: Metzger, meanwhile, said in a statement they made the decision out of respect for their majority of women and LGBTQ+ staff.

“We have always refused service to anyone for making our staff uncomfortable or unsafe and this was the driving force behind our decision,” the restaurant said in a statement.

Worth noting: While discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion or nationality is illegal, businesses in Virginia are allowed to refuse service based on political beliefs.

Flash back: In September, coffee shop owner Ajay Brewer said backlash to a social media post he made supporting abortion restrictions decimated his business, forcing him to close.

After trying to sell the business, he’s now trying to raise money online to reopen.