Earlier this year, we shared the news that Pete Mrabe (of Don Pisto’s, Chubby Noodle, and more) was going to be moving the CHUBBY NOODLE NORTH BEACH pop-up out of Amante and into the former Pisto’s Tacos space (at 1310 Grant). That project is moving along, and Bon Vivants Design+Build is currently updating the space (they also designed Chubby Noodle Marina). Timing is currently set for an opening in mid-June.
Mrabe has brought on Alex Ong as a consultant for the project (they used to work together at Betelnut) to help develop the menu and hire the team; Ong will move on to other consulting projects in a few months once the project is steady. The menu will continue to feature some Chubby Noodle favorites—like the fried chicken, ramen, spicy garlic noodles, and Korean pork tacos—but will be taking more of an izakaya approach to the menu. Ong says it’s a style of food that’s missing in the neighborhood and something they crave—so they’ll basically be making the kind of food they like to eat. Don’t expect traditional Japanese izakaya dishes, however—the menu will be more playful and creative, with an emphasis on skewers from the grill (ranging from seafood to meats), plus some raw bar selections, salads, and noodles.
We’ll keep you posted on the opening next month. As for Amante, it’s going to have a limited menu for now and Mrabe is going to be launching a new food concept in the space, stand by for more on that. 1310 Grant Ave. at Vallejo.
The famed Chubby Noodle fried chicken. Photo: © tablehopper.com.
