Asian Box Opens in the Marina with ‘Fast Cocktails’

Asian Box has expanded to the Marina for counter-service pan-Asian food and, why hello there, “fast cocktails” in a boozy first for the chain. The new location at 2031 Chestnut Street will be familiar to area diners as the former Tacolicious space, and Asian Box founder Frank Klein is calling the local Marina crowd “essentially our core demographic.”

The perhaps regrettably named Asian Box opened in Palo Alto in 2012, first expanding to San Francisco in 2013 with a location in the Union Square Macy’s food court. That mall location quietly closed earlier this summer, as did one SoCal location (in Burbank) last year. Today, Asian Box(es) can be found in Burlingame, Mountain View, San Jose, Los Angeles, and Irvine Campus Plaza.

At the Marina Asian Box location, as elsewhere, daily special boxes with cheeky names like the “surf Vietnam box” and the “ox box” are offered alongside the option to create a custom box with noodle, rice, or salad bases, plus protein, sauce, and additions like “Asian Street Dust,” which is trademarked. The chain’s culinary director is Chad Newton and its executive chef is Grace Nguyen.

Food is available now, and cocktail service starts on Saturday, July 15. Klein promises a “unique brand of Asian-style libations:” Drinks include a Saigon Shot with cinnamon infused tequila and a Green Tea Spritzer with vodka, organic green and spearmint iced tea, preserved lemongrass, and a splash of soda water.

• Asian Box opens in the Marina, continues rapid 2017 expansion [Chronicle]