Asian-fusion restaurant sets the bar high for 2012

By Monica Garske | SDUN Reporter

Wang’s North Park – the highly anticipated Asian-fusion restaurant located at 3029 University Ave. – will be hosting its grand opening the weekend of Jan. 27-28, in conjunction with the Chinese New Year.

The 40,000-square-foot restaurant occupies the historic building that began as a J.C. Penney department store in 1942, operating for decades as the retailer.

The building later housed other retail stores but has sat vacant since 2008. In 2009, business partners Joel Herzer, Tom Eads and Beth Gattas decided to turn the large, empty space into what is now Wang’s North Park.

Eliana Barreiros, Project Manager of the North Park Redevelopment Agency, said the Wang’s “rehabilitation project” cost approximately $1,775,000, including a $500,000 forgivable loan from the Agency. The project was approved in June 2010 as part of North Park’s redevelopment plan.

Barreiros also said Wang’s North Park has hired over 80 employees to date and managers estimate half are North Park residents that can walk to work.

Co-owner Tom Eads said, “We signed a 15-year lease and are in this for [the] long haul. We’re lucky to be in a building with so much history that’s located at the cornerstone of this great neighborhood.”

Eads, who worked as an owner and operator for the restaurant P.F. Chang’s until 2007, said the biggest challenge has been turning the vast, cavernous space into a more intimate setting without compromising the building’s unique layout.

“The openness is its strength, but now we’ve got these little pockets where customers can sit and feel cozy while dining, even if the building is big,” he said.

Restaurateur Joel Herzer created the Wang’s concept in 2004 and commutes between the new location and the original Wang’s in the Desert location in Palm Springs. He said, “We want to become a local meeting place, grow with the neighborhood and use the building to its best potential. We have a responsibility to add to the quality of life in North Park.”

After the grand opening this month, the business partners will begin work on the next two phases of the restaurant. By summer, they said they hope to expand Wang’s to include a mezzanine lounge upstairs and, by 2013, open a large banquet room downstairs for private parties and local events.

Since the soft opening in November, Wang’s executive chef Richard Torres said top-rated dishes among customers have included the Edamame Hummus and Mongolian Beef, as well as the Lamb and Rosemary Dumplings. During the grand opening, Torres will debut new concoctions, including a whole fried catfish dish.

“We’ve been working really hard on recipes. I like my food to be good, casual and relaxing. I want people to feel like they can sit back, chat and eat a great meal when they’re here,” said Torres.

Wang’s North Park is open for dinner from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays as well as Sundays, and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. For menus and information, visit wangsinthedesert.com or wangsnorthpark.com