Why does Chicken Charlie’s create crazy food? Has he had any failures?

How can a fried hamburger be even more fried?

What special event drives taco sales?

Why are cinnamon rolls and the fair synonymous?

“I think (food is) probably one of the top-two reasons (people enjoy the fair), after the the fun at the carnival,” Big Fresno Fair spokesperson German Amezcua said.

The Big Fresno Fair opened today and runs through Oct. 14.

Pickles and Dr Pepper? Another Chicken Charlie’s Offering

Chicken Charlie’s has long been known for its crazy fried offerings. From the obvious chicken to deep fried Oreos, there is always something new.

This year, Chicken Charlie’s is offering a hot honey funnel cake chicken sandwich ($16.95), and Dr Pepper served with pickles ($6.95).

“We made buns out of little mini funnel cakes with our fried chicken patty, topped it off with hot honey and powdered sugar. It’s sweet and spicy. It’s savory and it’s a great combo of flavors. And it’s delicious,” said Tony Boghosian, Charlie’s brother.

There will be no fair-weather fair weather. It will be hot and in the triple digits for much of the first week.

Perhaps a Dr Pepper with pickles might provide refreshment. Boghosian said the drink comes from a social media craze and has been a hit on the summer fair circuit.

“I know that sounds crazy, but it actually works really well together that there’s some pickle juice in there and flavor is just out of this world,” Boghosian said.

Tony credits his brother Charlie for coming up with the fried creations.

“He’s got a very unique and creative mind. And he just comes up with these weird and wacky items,” Boghosian said. “We do it for fun. Honestly, we do it because we love it. We love to see the reaction on people’s faces. It’s a great challenge and we enjoy it.”

Not all ideas are winners. Fried marshmallows on their own never worked out. But, when Charlie dipped them in fudge and served them with graham crackers, Fried S’mores were born.

A Fried Fried Hamburger

Hamburgers are supposed to be fried. But Fry Burger found a way to make them fry-ier.

Trevyn Mullins operates Fry Burger, based out of Eureka. This is their second year in Fresno.

“We love it here,” Mullins said.

What is a fry burger?

“Our patty is cooked in a deep fryer and our cheese gets placed on top of that patty and dipped in the deep fryer. So everything’s basically deep fried and then built around that deep fried patty,” Mullins said.

A single patty with fries goes for $17.99; a double goes for $19.99.

Mullins said he has no formal restaurant experience. He sold his first burger at a festival in Eureka and has hit the fair circuit since.

“I just have a love of cooking, and I’ve got to give glory to God on this one. That really wasn’t even my idea. I had an awesome burger and I decided to sell it. And it’s worked out so far and I hope it continues to,” Mullins said.

Four Generations of Taco Sellers

Wife and husband Nina and Benny Martinez from Stockton operate the Original Soft Tacos stand next to the horse racing entrance. They are continuing a tradition started in 1947 and are four generations deep.

Nina said people come to the fair for three foods — cinnamon rolls, corn dogs, and the original soft taco.

There is only one item on the menu, a rolled taco for $4.50. What’s new this year is a “naked” taco — which is the same as the regular taco, just without wax paper. Martinez said it’s easier to eat without the wrap.

“This is what is really neat about the soft taco because it’s ground beef and everything is delivered fresh every day. It’s mixed in with lettuce, some vegetables, the spices, and they roll it with this corn tortilla that is deep fried, but it’s soft. Very unique,” she said.

The stand goes through 500 pounds of ground beef a day. And, Senior Day (this year on Monday) is the busiest.

“It’s a tradition. It’s like my mom used to eat these. And so this is what I remember, for which I love hearing all these stories. It’s amazing,” she said.

Benny demonstrated the proper way to eat a rolled taco — using a straw to bore a hole in the center (lengthwise), and using that gap to pour hot sauce. He said it works for a burrito as well.

Of Course, the Cinnamon Rolls

No fair food story would be complete without cinnamon rolls.

Country Fair Cinnamon Rolls is back at the fair — a tradition since 1986. The Oakhurst-based company considers the Big Fresno Fair its hometown operation.

Owner Dane Baldwin said he ordered 16,000 pounds of flour, which he hopes will last the entire fair.

“We’ve been here for over four decades, and the product speaks for itself,” Baldwin said.

Cinnamon rolls range from $8 to $11 (slightly more with a credit card).

Sample Size Bargain on Thursday

Also at the fair is a new promotion, $3 Fair Bites. For four hours only today, 2 p.m. until 4 p.m., 44 vendors will be selling a smaller and affordable way to sample the food.

“That way you can figure out what is your favorite fair food at a very small price,” Amezcua said.

If successful, Amezcua said the promotion could return next year, or maybe another time this year.

Fair Facts

The fair runs now through Monday, Oct. 14. Regular price tickets are $15 for adults; and $8 for children (6-12), seniors (62 and over), and veterans. Children five and younger are free.

Hours are 10 a.m. through 11 p.m. on weeknights; open until midnight Friday and Saturday.

Horse racing runs Oct. 4-6 and 11-14, with a 1:45 p.m. post time.

The post From Traditional to Crazy-New, Big Fresno Fair Food Has Something for Everyone appeared first on GV Wire.

Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Company has introduced Red Wave Light Lager. The new brew is available at its downtown beer garden, Valley Children’s Stadium, Save Mart,  Total Wine, and independent stores.

Tioga-Sequoia president Michael Cruz said he is partnering with Fresno State. The beer has been three years in the making.

“It’s been a dream of mine to do a beer with my alma mater. And so I’m super excited to be able to share this with everyone. It’s a super drinkable beer. It’s meant to be the perfect tailgate beer for our hot summers,” said Cruz, a 2009 graduate of Fresno State.

This is Tioga-Sequoia’s first Fresno State partnership.

“Fresno State is the most iconic brand in the Valley, and we feel like we’re one of the most iconic breweries. So it’s a match made in heaven,” Cruz said.

Related Story: From Garlic to Chocolate: Brewing and Tasting Unusual Craft Beer Trends

A Beer for the Masses

The red can features the familiar eyes of Fresno State’s bulldog mascot.

The beer is a light lager, 4% alcohol by volume.

“It’s meant to be drinkable for everyone. It’s not an aggressive beer. I know we’re known as a craft brewery, but this is more of a beer for everyone,” Cruz said.

Tioga-Sequoia plans ads at the stadium, as well as big displays within Save Mart.

The post Red Wave, This Beer is For You! appeared first on GV Wire.

Over the last few years, several Nashville-style hot chicken restaurants have opened in town — Angry Chickz, Fluckers Hot Chicken, Al’s Hot Chicken, and Houston TX Hot Chicken (ignore the misnomer). This is on top of several food trucks with the spicy chicken theme.

Now, The Red Chickz is the latest entry, opening at Manchester Center (3520 N. Blackstone Ave., suite 106, Fresno) officially on Saturday. The first 200 customers get a free honey butter chicken sandwich with purchase.

Nashville hot chicken has an interesting back story and continues to be the “it” thing in the food industry.

The National Restaurant Association highlighted Nashville hot chicken as a trend in its “What’s Hot 2024 Culinary Forecast.”

Brining The Red Chickz to Fresno

Fresno is the fifth location for The Red Chickz, which is based in southern California. When owner Shawn Lalehlzarian jumped into the business, he had to decide between burgers or chicken. He flew out to Nashville first.

“We asked everyone from the Uber driver to the bellman at the hotel, if they had anyone in their family who knows how to make Nashville hot chicken. And, so a couple of these folks, they invited us to their homes,” Lalehzarian said.

Nashville hot chicken easily won out. He was only the fifth Nashville hot style to open in Los Angeles, just 10 years ago. Now there are more than 80.

Lalehzarian is partnering with franchisee Paul Riar. So, why Fresno?

“Fresno is a very great community as far as being a food hub, and there are new concepts coming in,” Lalehzarian said.

Lalehzarian said the market is not oversaturated yet — locally or nationwide.

Like most Nashville hot chicken restaurants, The Red Chickz offers its level of spices — from “country style” plain to “inferno” xx-hot.

The “inferno” style mixes Carolina Reaper peppers to the Cayenne base. It can instantly cause sweats, tears, and burning sensations. It may be best to have it with a milkshake.

Lalehzarian said there is more than the spice that makes his chicken special.

“Crunch is what defines the fried chicken,” he said.

Started in America with No English

Lalehzarian moved to America — San Diego — in 1998 with his family. At the age of 15, he spoke no English, and didn’t have any concept of American culture.

“So the easiest job to get was a dishwasher at the local restaurant. And that’s where I started,” Lalehzarian said.

The restaurant business is all Lalehzarian has known. He worked his way up as a cook and manager as his English improved. He then worked with HMSHost for 10 years, helping operate airport-based restaurants. He thought he might open a restaurant after he retired, but an opportunity came about in downtown Los Angeles.

“I guess the universe had a different plan for me,” Lalehzarian said. “I’m definitely living the American dream.”

Fluckers Under New Management

The Hayer family came to Fresno just five months ago, from the U.K.

Already knowledgeable about Fresno when visiting family in the area, the Hayers knew they wanted to get into a new business. Fluckers was that opportunity.

Fluckers opened in 2022 in north Fresno at 8963 N. Cedar Avenue, #101. The Hayers bought it from Jack and Marina Garayan for $1250,000 in April.

It remains the only locally-owned Nashville hot chicken restaurant that Appetite for Fresno surveyed.

“We just fell in love with (Fresno). Like, the vibe is so chill. Everyone’s so sweet. And then we came across Fluckers, we couldn’t say no,” said Chanan Hayer. Her father, Jaswinder Hayer, previously operated restaurants when he lived in Germany. He is originally from India.

Fluckers Hot Chicken does have a unique vibe. Its walls feature murals of chickens in familiar scenes from movies like “Step Brothers,” “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” and “Meet the Fockers.”

Fluckers heat levels go from lemon pepper to “You’re Flucked.”

“The hotter the better for me personally,” Chanan said. Flucking medium is the most popular.

Nashville Origin — A Jilted Paramour

Timothy Davis literally wrote the book — “The Hot Chicken Cookbook: The Fiery History & Red-Hot Recipes of Nashville’s Beloved Bird — on the subject. 

Nashville hot chicken is really just a rub of a Cayenne pepper paste, Davis said.

The style started in the 1930s with Prince’s Hot Chicken, created by Thornton Prince.

“It wasn’t he that came up with it, it was one of his paramours who was trying to punish him for staying out late, gallivanting around town. To punish him, she just douses chicken with all kinds of hot spice and stuff. And as the story goes, the punishment wasn’t seen as a punishment. And he liked it a lot and kind of played around with it, and then eventually started selling it,” Davis said.

Fast-forwarding 90 years, Davis has a thought on how Nashville hot chicken became a craze (he actually wrote 10 of them on Medium).

“I think it is a food that is made kind of for social media,” Davis, also a Cumberland University instructor said. “It’s something that you can catch on a TikTok video of you eating it and, you know, tears flowing down your face.”

Davis said musicians coming to Nashville also helped spread the word.

More Popular Than Hamburgers?

Chicken is becoming the hot trend, more so than hamburgers. Price is one reason, experts say.

“Americans have become very enthralled with chicken. If you look at the overall usage of a lot of different proteins, chicken is very versatile and pretty reasonably priced. You can do a lot with chicken,” said Chad Moutray, vice president of research at the National Restaurant Association.

Moutray agrees that hot and spicy chicken is “in” food item. It is a way restaurants can differentiate themselves.

“It really attracts younger crowd. In fact, (restaurants) are going out of their way to try to reach out to social media influencers to try to advertise pretty heavily on social media,” Moutray said. “There is this temperature gauge to it that kind of makes it cool.”

Chanan Hayer from Fluckers agrees.

“Obviously, you know, it’s actually people from my generation. We do love to follow trends,” she said.

Fluckers does sell a smashburger, its the chicken customer go for, she said.

Eaters like to go out for food they can’t easily replicate at home, such as Nashville hot chicken, Moutray said.

“People are just sort of tired of the last 40 years of eating burgers that keep getting smaller and smaller and smaller and more and more tasteless,” Davis said.

Lalehzarian of The Red Chickz disagrees.

“I think hamburger would always be the number one staple,” Lalehzarian said. “Fried chicken or chicken in general can definitely be the second.”

The post Nashville Chicken Craze Continues in Fresno With The Red Chickz Opening appeared first on GV Wire.

The north Fresno restaurant, which describes its self as “Napa Valley meeting Mexico City,” took home the People’s Choice award at the local chapter of the California Restaurant Association. The industry group held its 2024 Best of the Valley award ceremony last week at Table Mountain Casino.

Related Story: Mad Duck Sets Mid-April Opening for Big Brewpub at Copper River

Brandon Smittcamp and his partners Kevin and Rema Koligian, operate several local restaurants, including Saizon.

Jimmy Pardini, operator of The Annex Kitchen and also Annesso Pizzeria, won Restauranteur of the Year. In addition, Annex picked up the Best Fine Dining award.

Related Story: Alton Brown Wants to Find Good Eats in Fresno

It was also a good night for the Everk family. Father Lewis won for New on the Scene (best newcomer) award for The Woodward American Grill. His son Devin Everk won the Rising Star award.

Related Story: Why Tortillas Sold in California May Be Forced to Add a New Ingredient

Other selected winners:

Best Pizza: 99 Craft Pizza (585 W. Nees Ave. #123, Fresno)

Best Burger: In-N-Out Burger (several locations in the Central Valley)

Best BBQ: Dog House Grill (2789 E. Shaw Ave., Fresno)

Best Steakhouse: Yosemite Ranch (1520 E. Champlain Dr., Fresno)

Best Local Brewery: Mad Duck Craft Brewing Co. (four locations in Fresno/Clovis)

Best Food Truck: Senor Aji Peruvian Kitchen

The full list can be found here.

The post Which Fresno Restaurants Are Best? The Pros Picked These Places. appeared first on GV Wire.

The Food Network star, author, and lecturer appears in Fresno for the San Joaquin Valley Town Hall on Wednesday, April 17, at 10:30 a.m. The event is at Saroyan Theatre. Tickets, at $60, can be purchased here.

Appetite for Fresno spoke with Brown. He is still working on what exactly he will talk about.

“It’s kind of like everything from the philosophy of cooking to the philosophy of life. Now, these are parallels. They’re parallels that are pretty deep. And when I talk about it, I sound really smart,” Brown said, with his wit and humor.

Wants to Eat Local, But No Spoilers

One thing Brown wants to avoid is a deep discussion of any region’s specialty foods.

“That’s their food. Every region has them, every town has them. And I’ve got no business talking about them. I didn’t grow up in Fresno,” Brown said.

Authenticity, Brown said, is important to local cuisine, not whether he likes it or not.

“I’m going to eat all the local stuff that I can get my hands on, but I’m not going to talk about it because … that’s not who I am. That is like having a traveling salesman show up to tell you about your town. You know, it’s a very personal thing. And I think you’ve got to live in a place to be part of a community before you got any right to talk about the food,” Brown said.

This is Brown’s third trip to Fresno in the last nine years. His traveling show came to town in 2015 and 2017.

Brown certainly plans to eat local. He is asking for recommendations on local places to dine. He plans to eat, but he is not willing to share his superlative list.

“Hopefully I’ll be dining around with some with some locals, but nope. Nope. No favorites,” Brown said. “I love knowing what it is that people have on their mind. But I tend to just try to be a good guest in that case and never be a judge.”

Another Book and a Final Tour

Brown has authored 19 books — about food, his favorite kitchen gadgets, and companion pieces to his “Good Eats” TV show.

His next book will be a bit different. It is a book of prose, which will be out in February 2025, the same time Brown goes out on tour again.

“(I’m) doing another another national tour that’s going to be quite large. And it’ll also be my last one. It’s actually called ‘Last Bite.’ I’ll be hanging up my touring spurs after that,” Brown said.

Brown has hosted several food competition shows, including “The Next Iron Chef,” and “Cutthroat Kitchen.”

He also isn’t closing the door on another TV show. “Good Eats” debuted in 1999, running for 14 seasons, with a sequel “Good Eats: The Return” airing for two seasons in 2019.

“Maybe TV. But you know what? I don’t even know what TV it is anymore. Is that networks? Is that streaming? What is that? I do have a few projects that would be viewable on a television set,” Brown said.

“Good Eats” was more than a cooking show with Brown’s favorite recipes. He delved into the science and history of food, along with his favorite cooking tools. He was a filmmaker before going to culinary school.

“I very much approached ‘Good Eats’ as very short movies about food, and paid a lot of attention to  the narrative. They were 100% scripted. There was no ad-libbing. They were written in screenplay form, shot single camera, like movies,” Brown said.

Most of the “Good Eats” staff, Brown said, never worked on TV shows before. He assumed his audience was knowledgeable about food.

“We came at it from a just a very different place, a very different angle then other people making food shows at the time,” Brown said.

You Cook, He’ll Eat

The day Appetite for Fresno spoke with Brown, he was preparing a mushroom frittata for dinner. Wild mushrooms were in season in his part of Georgia.

Brown would rather be a guest, than the cook, at family and friend gatherings.

“I would really love to have somebody else (cook), every now and then. So no, I don’t think there’s an expectation of that. If it’s friends that know me very well, they tend to think that I’m going to do something really big and flashy. And then I don’t … I’d rather just roast chicken and make a salad and say, ‘there’s dinner,’ ” Brown said.

Tri-Tip: Great ‘for the Grill’

If tacos are Fresno’s specialty, tri-tip could be No. 2.

“We tend to butcher animals differently in the East. There’s a different, historical kind of breaking down of the beef critter that tends to change with the Rocky Mountains … You can get it here, but it’s usually part of another cut of meat. So it has not ever become the same that is out West,” said Brown, who is based in Marietta, Georgia.

Brown said he doesn’t even know where he can find tri-tip in New York, where he lives part-time. He has his tri-tip shipped from butchers out West.

“It’s a fantastic piece of meat, but it’s one of those things specialized to the West. … As somebody who does a lot of grilling, I think the tri-tip is just an amazingly good piece of meat for the grill,” Brown said.

The post Alton Brown Wants to Find Good Eats in Fresno appeared first on GV Wire.

Einstein Bros. Bagels opened in late December on Friant and Highway 41 — next to the Dave & Buster’s at 228 E. River Park Circle. It is the first of five planned locations in the Central Valley.

National chains in Fresno have come up bagels. The only dedicated purveyors of the doughy treat in town have been Fresno Bagel Co. (8839 N. First Street, at Nees Avenue), and four Uncle Harry’s NY Bagelry & Coffeehouse locations.

“There’s not a lot of competition. There’s some great establishments already created, but I’m just proud to have a little spice, a little different flavor as well. We take great pride in our sandwiches,” said local Einstein Bros. franchise owner/general manager Jaime Gonzalez.

Gonzalez is partnering with brother-in-law Patrick Monreal and Mohamed Alhalemi to bring the franchise to Fresno. Gonzalez, born and raised in Fresno, has experience running businesses, including a Target in Manteca.

“It just means a lot to me to be back home and just bring jobs here,” Gonzalez said.

Sandwiches are Einstein Top Sellers

One of the early top-sellers is the Texas brisket egg sandwich ($7.99 with one egg; $9.39 with two eggs). The sandwich includes smoked beef brisket, cheddar, smoky chipotle aioli on a cheddar jalapeño bagel.

The All-Nighter is another popular choice. It contains bacon, two slices of American cheese, and smoky chipotle aioli on a cheesy hash brown bagel ($7.99 with two eggs).

Einstein Bros. offers more than 20 different bagel selections (ranging from $2.19 to $2.99 each; a baker’s dozen for $14.99).  Several different shmears (an additional $1.89) range from plain — the most popular according to Gonzalez — to jalapeño salsa to onion and chive.

Why Fresno?

Gonzalez and his partners determined that Fresno needed another bagel shop.

“When we pitched the idea of bringing the corporation to the Valley, they said, ‘Whoa, we never heard of Fresno. ‘ … and we were like, ‘Hey, there’s an opportunity here,’ ” Gonzalez said.

Like many Fresnans, Gonzalez grew up on Fresno Bagel Co. and Uncle Harry’s.

“Competition is a great thing. It makes us all better,” Gonzalez said. “When you try a lot of bagels, you know, a dry bagel, a not-so-fresh, fluffy one. And here people say, ‘This is a great bagel. Thank you.’ And I’m like, there you go.”

A second Fresno Einstein Bros. is set to open at Herndon Avenue and Highway 99 by March or April. There are future locations planned for Clovis, Madera, and Visalia.

All the bagels are made in the local kitchen, every two hours. The oven starts firing up around 3 a.m. for the 6 a.m. opening. Store hours are 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. seven days a week.

Water is always a key ingredient for bagels. Einstein Bros. uses a triple filter system.

“The water that we have provided, it’s all really clean water. No water spots, no hard water. That means a lot to me, that quality, that ingredient. So when we were able to decide on that system, I’m like, let’s go all hands on deck,” Gonzalez said.

Uncle Harry’s: Labor of Love

Despite including “NY” in its official name, Uncle Harry’s is locally owned and operated by wife-husband team Rena Gazarian Rutledge and Wayne Rutledge. They opened in 1995 and currently operate four Fresno locations.

Harry is Rena’s grandfather, who immigrated from “the old country” to New York, operated a successful haberdashery, then moved to California to farm.

“He was a very special man. He worked hard. He was an immigrant. We learned the English language. He became very successful at what he did,” Rena said.

Wayne says baking bagels “is not an easy business.” Bakers will come in as early as 11 p.m. the previous evening for a 5:30 a.m. opening. Uncle Harry’s bakes its own bagels and mixes its own shmears at its West Shaw Avenue location, sending them out to the three other stores.

“We just thought we wanted to be fully local and independent. So we opened then. Neither one of us had any restaurant experience. The first day that we opened, our friends were in the store making sandwiches for folks that were coming in the door. The first store was at Palm and Bullard. We just grew from there,” Wayne said.

The company’s mixer has been with Uncle Harry’s for 25 years. The bagelry offers nearly 30 different varieties — from the traditional poppy and sesame seed to sweet creations like red velvet.

Uncle Harry’s took over the River Park location when national chain Noah’s Bagels pulled out about 20 years ago.

“It’s a competitive environment. The real estate costs, insurance costs, all of our costs doing business have been going up. But thanks to our employees, our management team, we’ve been able to survive,” Wayne said. “It’s challenging to keep the quality up for our customers.”

Right now, Uncle Harry’s plans to remain at four stores in Fresno. A few years ago, the company shut its Fig Garden location.

“We’re not as young as we used to be,” Wayne joked.

As for its new competitor, Einstein Bros., Rena says they “wish them the best.”

Wayne says the customers will decide. He said they have strong customer loyalty, dating back to the beginning.

“We’re just trying to get a little bit better each day, trying to stay current with all the new technology. And, so far we’ve been blessed,” Wayne said.

The most popular bagels, according to Wayne, are pesto provolone, cinnamon raisin, and plain.

No Connection to Albert

Colorado-based Einstein Bros. Bagels is part of Panera Brands, which include other bagel chains such as Bruegger Bagels, Noah’s New York Bagels, and Manhattan Bagel. Einstein has 688 stores nationwide, including Okinawa Air Force Base in Japan.

There are no Einstein brothers per se, and the brand is not connected to Albert. Rather, the Einsteins are cartoon mascots Elmo (with the glasses) and Melvyn (with the mustache).

The post Einstein Bros. Gives Fresno a New Place to Get Your Bagel Fix appeared first on GV Wire.

“We believe in Fresno. Honestly … we’ve been here many decades. And we think with a new look and a more of a focus on the food … hand-cut choice steaks, that we really have a place here in Fresno,” said Robert Clark, chief growth officer for Sizzler. “We’re invested in in this community for sure. We want to be here.”

The renovation includes new flooring, tables, bathrooms an upgraded salad bar, a new beverage station, and brownies in the dessert bar.

Corporate Sizzler — based in Orange County — recently bought the franchise back from its franchisee, the Reese family. Fresno was the second location to undergo modifications; Visalia, which it also bought from the Reeses, is next.

The menu at Sizzler remains largely the same — steaks, seafood, salads.

Surviving in the New Restaurant World

Sizzler is not affected by a new California law that will raise the minimum wage for most fast food restaurants to $20 an hour. But that doesn’t mean it won’t feel the pressure.

“There’s no question about that. I think what we offer our team members is a wide variety of different jobs … We want to create opportunities for people,” Clark said.

Several other national chains serving similar food — Texas Roadhouse, Buffalo Wild Wings, Outback Steakhouse —are within blocks of Sizzler (3121 W. Shaw Avenue, west of Marks Avenue).

Clark says price and variety set them apart.

“There’s something for everybody. So if you if you want that steak experience, we can we can definitely offer that. If you want something lighter, quicker, you can have a salad bar or you can have both for that matter,” Clark said.

The business model — order up front and have servers bring out the food — also helps keep prices down, Clark said.

“Sizzler invented fast casual,” Clark said. “That’s really our competitive advantage, is that we can manage our labor better by having the guest order at the counter. Come get a seat. And there’s labor savings in that for us.”

The post National Steak Chain Reopens in Fresno After $700,000 Upgrade appeared first on GV Wire.

“We believe in Fresno. Honestly … we’ve been here many decades. And we think with a new look and a more of a focus on the food … hand-cut choice steaks, that we really have a place here in Fresno,” said Robert Clark, chief growth officer for Sizzler. “We’re invested in in this community for sure. We want to be here.”

The renovation includes new flooring, tables, bathrooms an upgraded salad bar, a new beverage station, and brownies in the dessert bar.

Corporate Sizzler — based in Orange County — recently bought the franchise back from its franchisee, the Reese family. Fresno was the second location to undergo modifications; Visalia, which it also bought from the Reeses, is next.

The menu at Sizzler remains largely the same — steaks, seafood, salads.

Surviving in the New Restaurant World

Sizzler is not affected by a new California law that will raise the minimum wage for most fast food restaurants to $20 an hour. But that doesn’t mean it won’t feel the pressure.

“There’s no question about that. I think what we offer our team members is a wide variety of different jobs … We want to create opportunities for people,” Clark said.

Several other national chains serving similar food — Texas Roadhouse, Buffalo Wild Wings, Outback Steakhouse —are within blocks of Sizzler (3121 W. Shaw Avenue, west of Marks Avenue).

Clark says price and variety set them apart.

“There’s something for everybody. So if you if you want that steak experience, we can we can definitely offer that. If you want something lighter, quicker, you can have a salad bar or you can have both for that matter,” Clark said.

The business model — order up front and have servers bring out the food — also helps keep prices down, Clark said.

“Sizzler invented fast casual,” Clark said. “That’s really our competitive advantage, is that we can manage our labor better by having the guest order at the counter. Come get a seat. And there’s labor savings in that for us.”

The post National Steak Chain Reopens in Fresno After $700,000 Upgrade appeared first on GV Wire.

The Standard shut down in July for a four-month remodeling project. It recently reopened its doors, with a Nov. 8 formal ribbon cutting.

General manager Raj Bisla said The Standard (9455 N. Fort Washington Rd., in the corner of the shopping center) needed a refresh, and shutting down in July made sense since it was always the restaurant’s slowest month. He wouldn’t reveal how much he invested in the remodeling.

Watch: The Standard Re-Opens with New Renovations

Bisla’s uncle, Steve Bisla, opened The Standard in 2008.

“You can have a tendency to get a little bit complacent and be happy with the way things are. We didn’t want that to happen with us, so we really wanted to elevate ourselves as well as our staff and give Fresno something new they can enjoy,” Bisla said.

Almost everything is new, Bisla said, from the lounge, bathrooms, patios, and the kitchen.

One of Standard’s signatures, the stone walls, remain.

Related Story:

A Bartender Show

The Standard is also known for its cocktail menu, especially the whisky selection.

Bartender Brian Bader has served at The Standard for four years, working his way up from a busser. He has learned well.

Bader showed off one of The Standard’s most popular drinks, the River Styx ($18).

Watch as The Standard’s Brian Bader Makes The River Styx Cocktail

“It’s kind of a spin on an Old Fashioned, but you’re using a little bit of crème de cocoa and coffee to influence,” Bader said.

Pikesville rye, a 110-proof liquor, is the base for River Styx.

“(It) has more of a punch and more of a kick. So that way it’s not diluted by the time you get the final product,” Bader said.

The mix is two ounces Pikesville, a quarter-ounce of Mr. Black coffee liqueur, and a quarter-ounce of house-made crème de cocoa, Angostura bitters, and allspice.

On top of the drink, Bader smokes a topper of rosemary, orange rind, and applewood with a mini-blowtorch.

“I really want to get the oils of the rosemary and the orange on the inside wall of the glass. And it really pairs well with the coffee and the heat of the rye. And the applewood gives it a nice flavor as well,” Bader said.

The drink is served with a giant clear ice cube, stamped with The Standard logo on it. They are specially made at Below Zero Ice.

“The ice does make a difference in the cocktail as well. It does melt slower because the ice is so dense. So it doesn’t water down your cocktail,” Bisla said.

The Food

The Standard offers an eclectic menu, without focusing on any one type of food.

“The menu is very versatile. We didn’t want to be just an Italian restaurant or just a Mexican restaurant for reference. Fresno itself is a melting pot,” Bisla said.

Chef Daniel Luera has been at The Standard since the beginning.

“I call it California cuisine because we’re a melting pot of all those cultures, and I try to incorporate that into my menu,” Luera said.

One of the tastiest items is the po’ boy sandwich ($21) — Hawaiian BBQ beef short rib, in a French roll, served with lettuce, tomato, and mayo. Luera calls it his “go-to lunch.”

“We do a boneless (beef) short rib and I marinate it in — it’s like a teriyaki type marinade — real good ginger, fresh ginger, fresh garlic in it, and other spices that I don’t want to mention, but it makes it real good,” Luera said.

Luera’s favorite dish to make is the Alla Norma pasta ($22) made fresh with rigatoni, wild mushroom, parmesan, parsley, and a spicy vodka sauce.

The Standard also features the Mexican street favorite elote ($14).

“It’s something that’s popular right now everywhere you go. And I just wanted to put it in there because it’s some of my background. Being raised Mexican, it’s just something we always had as a kid, and I just want to incorporate it into the menu,” Luera said.

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15 Years in Business

Bisla said The Standard’s vibe is not to be a “turn and burn” restaurant. They want people to stay for a while. Technically, the name includes “restaurant and lounge.”

Being around that long has been a challenge.

“The restaurant industry is very difficult. I mean, food costs and payroll costs and things have just continue to rise. So we don’t always want to put those costs onto the customer, which some restaurants, I think, do to keep themselves profitable. For us, it’s a combination of staffing and being able to find a fair balance between costs and customer acquisition,” Bisla said.

Bisla took the four-month closure to revamp many aspects of the restaurant, from staff attire to the plates and silverware.

With the reopening, Bisla hired 15 new staff, while retaining most of his workers during the shutdown.

The minimum increase in minimum wage has been the toughest.

“Once you start increasing minimum wage, then anyone that is above minimum wage, they need to get bumped up. We’re very understanding and just food increases are cost increases in general. So we really want to create a family atmosphere here. So we are very cognizant of what our staff may need, but we do our best to accommodate those things,” Bisla said.

An Immigrant Story

The Bislas, of Indian descent, immigrated to America from England in the 1980s.

“My uncles have all been in the nightclub and bar industry just about since I was born,” Bisla said.

His cousins also helped with the family business, but one by one, they moved away.

Bisla’s mom, Raj Sodhi-Layne, attended the ribbon cutting. She is running for the northeast seat on the Fresno City Council in 2024.

The Standard is open Wednesday through Sunday, opening at 4 p.m. Dinner is served until 9 p.m. and the bar is open until midnight most nights. On Fridays and Saturdays, the location turns into a nightlife spot, open until 1:30 a.m.

The post After Renovation, The Standard Lives Up to Its Name appeared first on GV Wire.

Love & Thai (4821 E. Butler Ave. in Fresno, at the northeast corner of Chestnut Avenue) picked up where his Tasty Thai left off.

Tasty Thai operated at First and Belmont, but closed down in May for safety reasons after racist messages were left about the restaurant on social media. The message perpetuated untrue Asian stereotypes tying in Rasavong’s eatery.

“Today’s our grand opening, but for me today, it marks the end of a chapter that was filled with hate and the beginning of a new one that is filled with love,” Rasavong said at the opening.

Rasavong recalled the morning when social media comments were directed toward him and his family, filled with “hate and anger.”

“I remember waking up my wife and said, hey, I think we have a problem. And then I also remember calling my brother and saying, hey, I think I need your help. And then when we realized how bad it got, I remember talking to my parents and saying, Hey, I don’t think we can open today,” Rasavong recalled during Friday’s grand opening.

Despite the hardship, Rasavong received messages of encouragement, not just locally, but globally as well. The community reached out with love and support, and Rasavong rebounded with his new Love and Thai.

“The amount of love and kindness that we receive, that’s something that I do wish upon everyone. I wish that everybody could feel what we have felt once the word got out and the support that we received,” Rasavong said.

Fresno City Councilman Luis Chavez said he admired Rasavong’s tenacity and not letting the haters upset his life.

“This is a story about resilience,” Chavez said. “What was really inspiring is that because of something negative and nasty that occurred, something beautiful was born.”

On the Menu

Love & Thai calls itself a Lao-Thai kitchen with a menu that reflects southeast Asian cuisine.

The by-number menu can be ordered at the counter and offers more than 50 dishes. Choices include several noodle combinations; traditional — such as Lao beef jerky — Laab chicken, beef, and fish; specialty plates such as basil and curry dishes; with sides like rice and sausage.

Love & Thai offers several tables to enjoy the meal, and there’s a mural depicting the Rasavong immigrant family journey — traveling through San Francisco to Fresno.

“I love the mural that you have inside because it symbolizes the history of the immigrant story in our community,” Chavez said.

(Correction: an earlier version of this story identified the dancers as Hmong. They are Lao.)

The post A Fresno Restaurant Rebirth Made with Love & Thai appeared first on GV Wire.