The founder of San Diego's popular chain of ramen restaurants Tajima will open a Nashville-style fried chicken eatery this week in the space that last housed Cafe Chloe in the East Village.
Well before San Diego became inundated with ramen eateries, Isamu "Sam" Morikizono was a pioneer with the opening of his first Tajima location in Kearny Mesa in 2001. Tajima boasts six San Diego branches, one in Long Beach, and another outpost in Tijuana. In 2017, Morikizono teamed up with Cesar Vallin, the previous owner of now-defunct Prospect Bar & Grill in La Jolla, and Setaro Takashi, who operates more than 30 restaurants in Japan, to transform the 7,500 square-foot space previously occupied by the short-lived Entrada in San Diego's Little Italy neighborhood into what is now Cloak & Petal. Morikizono originally took over the longtime Cafe Chloe space in San Diego's East Village with the intent on opening a fast-casual modern Japanese steakhouse concept dubbed Butcher & Co., but last year he decided to jump on the Nashville hot chicken bandwagon and changed directions to turn the space into an Asian fusion fried chicken restaurant named Corner Chicken.
Corner Chicken will grand open this Friday, June 26. The fast-casual eatery will offer a menu centered around spicy fried chicken, available on the bone, as chicken tenders or as a sandwich. The chicken will be available at a variety of spice levels and can be paired with an array of Southern side dishes like like cheese fries, mac 'n cheese, kale slaw and steamed broccoli and cauliflower. There will also be 16 taps devoted to local craft beverages.
Corner Chicken sits at 721 9th Avenue in San Diego's East Village. For more information, visit thecornerchicken.com and check out the menu below.
