Hoyul Steven Choi’s San Francisco-based restaurant empire is expanding in a big way — to Oakland, Berkeley and Palo Alto.
And yes, he is bringing his wildly popular Millionaire’s Bacon with him.
The restaurateur, known for both Korean/Thai comfort food and brunches that feature a decadent sweet-and-spicy bacon, opened his first eatery in San Francisco in 2002 with wife Jiyeon. That was followed by several other restaurants in the city and the North Bay.
His big expansion plan gets under way this month, with Kitchen Story in Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood. Then in February, he will bring U :Dessert Story to Berkeley’s Shattuck Avenue. Next August, Palo Alto’s University Avenue will get an outpost of Choi’s Sweet Maple.
Two of the restaurants — Kitchen Story and Sweet Maple — will offer the much-ballyhooed bacon.
Many of Kitchen Story’s menu options will mirror those of the original in S.F.’s Castro District, with Cal-Asian dishes for breakfast, brunch and dinner. One key difference: The two-story location in Oakland will boast a full bar with craft cocktails.
U :Dessert Story is all about confections influenced by Korean, Thai and Japanese flavors. Think green tea matcha in everything from crepes to lattes, plus mochi balls and Korean snow ice.
Sweet Maple, exclusively a breakfast and lunch spot, will take over a restaurant space in downtown Palo Alto near High Street.
Details: The first of the expansion restaurants will be located at 5422 College Ave., Oakland. http://www.kitchenstorysf.com/
