Hawker Fare to Spinoff as Fast Casual Chicken Spot in Oakland

Though Hawker Fare’s original uptown Oakland location is gone, it is not forgotten. And now, it will live on — sort of — as Hawking Bird, a fast-casual, chicken-focused restaurant in Temescal. Thought not a carbon copy of Hawker Fare, fans of the restaurant’s classic khao mun gai (poached chicken and rice) will be happy to hear that it will be resurrected at Hawking Bird.

It’s going into Blackwater Station’s space in Temescal, a cocktail bar that’s seen several iterations, including the breakfast sandwich pop-up Cracked, and Bunaburger (no word on what will become of those popular dining options). Now it will be the scene of Syhabout’s latest project, which he tells the Chron will not be a direct copy of Hawker Fare. “I don’t want to do Hawker Fare all over again. You just can’t.”

The fast-casual model makes sense for many reasons, including the labor shortage that’s plaguing the entire Bay Area. Hawking Bird will have a liquor license, too, which could mean late night dining and drinking, though Syhabout isn’t fully committed to that just yet. Details are scarce, but Syhabout takes over the space on October 1;stay tuned for more details on the menu, though it’s probably safe to say that it will include beer from Old Kan, the brewery owned by Syhabout and partner Adam Lamoreaux.

• Hawker Fare to see new life as Oakland spinoff Hawking Bird [SF Chronicle]
• An Elegy for Hawker Fare Oakland Before It Closes [ESF]