Photo: FLLewis/Media City G — Asian Box preview party 116 East Palm Avenue Burbank May 30, 2014
Two new restaurants opening in Downtown Burbank today. Both are part of the growing trend in fast casual dining. Asian Box 116 East Palm Avenue, across from the AMC Theaters, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and preview party last Friday, May 30. Burbank Vice-Mayor, Bob Frutos, was on hand to lead the ribbon-cutting event. Among the locals who dropped by to sample food and drink, Burbank Mom blogger, Jessica Cribbs and her three kids.
The restaurant features Asian cuisine, which it describes as freshly made “tasty and healthy food that’s lower in sodium and fat” served in a box. There’s a series of recommended boxes or a customer can create their own meal with items like veggies, rice or noodles, chicken, beef, pork, tofu, or shrimp, then finish it off with special toppings and sauces. The sides offered: spring rolls, jungle jerky (their own beef jerky), and green papaya salad.
Two years ago, the first Asian Box opened up north in Palo Alto. Burbank is the four location and most of the 35 staffers are local hires. It’s “important people who live in your community work in your store,” explained Asian Box CEO, Frank Klein, who mingled in the crowd at Friday’s event. Also, Klein says the downtown Media City site was chosen because “people come here from all over.” They hope this means a diverse population receptive to new concepts.
Asian Box hours: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Sunday 11 a.m – 9 p.m. Prices under $10 per box. Phone 818-563-4269.
Opening a little ahead of schedule, Tender Greens, 325 North San Fernando Road, between Magnolia Boulevard and Palm Avenue. Last month, Tender Greens held a job fair to fill some staff jobs. Tender Greens promotes itself as a “California fast casual restaurant” specializing in “slow food done fast.” The restaurant “focuses on the use of sustainable, fresh ingredients through partnerships with local farmers,” according to a media release.
The menu includes salads, sandwiches, hot plates, home-made pastries and daily specials. The Burbank location reportedly will be the first to feature a “Falafel Salad made with red little gem lettuce, tomato, cucumber, parsley, red onion, lemon, yogurt, and olive oil.”
Another relatively new company, the Burbank Tender Greens is location number 13. Store hours: Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Phone number: (818) 333-8340.
