Mexican-Asian fusion restaurant opening in north Bibb County

A new locally owned restaurant is opening off Riverside Drive in north Bibb County.

Chico & Chang is planning to open to the public at 11 a.m. Monday, said Ning Chiou, who owns the restaurant at 3850 Riverside Drive, Suite A with her husband, Jack Chang. The business will be normally open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday and closed on Mondays.

"We are serving fusion-style Mexican and Asian food," Chiou said. Fusion food is when cuisine from different cultures are combined.

On the menu will be items like Bulgogi Taco which has marinated beef with lettuce and a vinaigrette sauce and Bibimbap, which is a mixture of rice and vegetables and topped with a sunny-side up egg and "a touch of seaweed," she said. It comes with a choice of a hot peppered paste sauce or a soy-based sauce.

The restaurant is in about 1,900 square feet of the former Shoki Japanese restaurant with a patio. The remaining space of nearly 4,000 square feet will be leased, Chiou said. The couple completely demolished the interior of the space for Chico & Chang, and it has new walls, ceiling, floors, bathrooms and kitchen.

It will employ from five to 10 people, and while it has hired some workers, "we always welcome applicants," she said. Anyone interested in a job should apply at the restaurant.

While a restaurant in Atlanta has the same name, she said this business is not affiliated with that one and that she and her husband are the sole owners.

To contact writer Linda S. Morris, call 744-4223, or follow her on Twitter@MidGaBiz.

This story was originally published March 24, 2016 at 5:03 PM with the headline "Mexican-Asian fusion restaurant opening in north Bibb County ."