Casual Dining Hit Chiko is Expanding to San Diego

Barracks Row gem Chiko is shipping its creative Chinese-Korean cooking to a second location in California that will also offer a generous kitchen counter tasting menu.

Drew Kim, one of the co-founders of the critically acclaimed neighborhood restaurant, is leading an expansion effort that will send dishes such as chilled acorn noodles, Korean-style fried chicken wings, and buttery, furikake-spiced brisket across the country to Encinitas.

A company spokesperson says the new Chiko (101 North Coast Highway) will be modeled after the original, with roughly 30 seats inside, 30 seats on the patio, and a 4-seat counter parked in front of the open kitchen. Customers there will also be able to eat their way through the majority of the menu via a budget-friendly tasting option, though management says Californians are likely to get more seafood and vegetables.

Chefs Danny Lee and Scott Drewno will travel back and forth to help with the opening and to train the kitchen staff at the beachfront restaurant. Kim, who lives on the West Coast, will handle the day-to-day operations.

The new Chiko is currently scheduled to open this summer.

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