New restaurant to open Former Bennigan’s to be Japanese eatery

Posted by admin on January 27th, 2010

Photo by Rachel Denny Clow, photos by Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times
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Ma Hueng works on the entryway of Take Niwa Japanese Restaurant on Thursday on South Padre Island Drive near La Palmera mall.

The Take Niwa Japanese Restaurant will feature Japanese cuisine, a hibachi grill and Mongolian beef.

CORPUS CHRISTI — Renovations are under way to transform the old Bennigan’s on South Padre Island Drive into a Japanese restaurant.

Joe Chen, the project manager, said a privately owned company, which he refused to name, purchased the building for about $1 million this past summer. The owner is investing another $1 million in upgrades, he added.

The owner of the building is listed as Corpus Christi-based A&A June LP, according to both the Texas secretary of state and the Nueces County Appraisal District. It is managed by Corpus Christi-based A&A LB Inc., whose owner is Hong Jun Jin, the owner of Jin’s Asian Buffet in Corpus Christi, according to the Texas secretary of state. Attempts to reach him were unsuccessful.

“He is expanding the restaurant from about 5,000 square feet to more than 6,000 square feet. It’s Japanese-style dining, not a buffet,” Chen said.

Chen said the eatery will feature Japanese cuisine, a hibachi grill and some Mongolian beef. Some decór pieces are being imported from Asia and one special feature is the outdoor Japanese pond, he said.

“We’re knocking down some walls and changing 99 percent of the look,” he said.

Rain in recent months has delayed the opening of the restaurant, originally scheduled around Christmas, Chen said. Then the date was moved to Valentine’s Day, but it, too, has been scrapped.

Chen said the owner hopes to open in March, if weather cooperates.

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