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October 8, 2009

Restaurant news: Zheng Long to re-open as The Door! The San Franciscan to close

One of our favorite neighborhood "joints" is about to re-open. A new sign is up outside the former Zheng Long on South Main Street, across the street from Kaiser Permanente Medical Center. The new sign states the restaurant will be called The Door.

A peek inside shows that the renovations are almost complete and that the restaurant is just awaiting the arrival of furniture.

For those who follow downtown Walnut Creek's restaurant scene, and are fond, like my family, of Asian cuisine, we all suffered a huge loss back in May 2008 when an accidental fire destroyed the interior of the pan-Asian restaurant.

The building has been undergoing renovations since then, with the restaurant set to re-open sometime by the end of this year.

Well, it looks like it will be re-opening soon. With the same owner, Steven Chen, according to a license on file with California's Alcoholic Beverage Control. Just a different name: The Door.

Don't know what will be on the menu, but we're hoping it is reminiscent of what we so much enjoyed at Zheng Long.

Meanwhile, a Crazy reader reports that The San Franciscan on North Main Street will be shutting its doors this weekend. We heard this closure was coming. We just didn't know when. Our reader says that the new restaurant going in will be--Asian-themed! Indeed, the state ABC says that an eatery called A Modern China Cafe has been issued a license to open there.

We remember that an upscale Vietnamese restaurant, Three Seasons Bistro, operated in that space at 1525 North Main Street, before being replaced by The San Franciscan.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Main street has gone from heavy on Italian to heavy on Asian.

Anonymous said...

Wasn't there a bar in there at one time? I remember they a lot of problems with the WCPD.

Anonymous said...

You are thinking of Johnny Love ;-)

Anonymous said...

Johnny Love's, that's it. Thanks.

I don't think that place is missed.

Although, I wish Abernathy's was still around (showing my age.)

Anonymous said...

Ching Chong Bing Bong!

Arl your chefs are berong to us.

Elizabeth said...

I agree with the top comment. We went from way too may Italian restaurants, to now, so many Asian restaurants! That is why I go through the tunnel to Berkeley/Oakland for more interesting food. We see Tokyo Lobby closing, and another Vietnamese restaurant going in!! We already have three or more. Who decides these restaurants I wonder??!!

Anonymous said...

I miss Jonny Love's....

Anonymous said...

Walnut Creek is all Vietnamese food and hair salons these days. Oy vey.

Unknown said...

Hi Elizabeth,
It is the business owners that decide. That's the free market system. If they have a good business model, they succeed. If they don't have a good plan, they fail.
Basic capitalism.
I agree that we have some empty niches in ethnic cuisine so I hope we see some adventurers bring us new opportunities.
What particular styles would you like to see here? I would like to see Central or South American and African spots, for example.