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Tag: Kit Syn

  • Q&A: What’s going on with Ben’s Hawaiian Cafe in Citrus Heights?

    Ben's Hawaiian Cafe, Citrus Heights
    An old food truck sits along Auburn Boulevard advertising for the now-closed Ben’s Huli Huli Chicken & Hawaiian Cafe. // CH Sentinel

    Sentinel staff report–
    Doors are locked. Unopened mail is strewn on the floor. The phone number doesn’t go through. And the faded green truck advertising the cafe sits in the parking lot along Auburn Boulevard with a yellow boot lock on one of its wheels.

    So what’s going on with Ben’s Huli Huli Chicken and Hawaiian Cafe?

    A little over a year after the cafe moved from Folsom to Citrus Heights, the business has closed. Multiple attempts to contact the owner, Kit Syn, over the past week were unsuccessful, but a neighboring business in the shopping plaza said the restaurant had been closed for over a month.

    The once-popular Hawaiian barbecue joint at 7697 Auburn Blvd. had earned nearly 5-out-of-5 stars in online reviews, but on Nov. 15, 2017, the owner posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page that he was struggling to keep the business open and was forced to reduce his hours to just three days a week.

    “I’m doing everything I can to keep my dream alive and reducing the cafe hours is just something I have to do as a business owner. I hope you all understand and can be patient with me. My hope is that it’s only temporary until we get busier,” the post read. “I’m not proud to say this, but after 3 years in business, I’m out of working capital and reserves. It’s not easy for me to do this, but I realize that I need to ask for help.”

    Syn said he was looking for someone to buy the cafe, or an investor who was willing to help him with a short term loan or an investment in a new line of pre-packaged Hawaiian foods and sauces that he recently launched. On Dec. 9, in a final update, Syn posted that he was selling the cafe.

    “I’ve decided to sell the cafe so I can pursue and focus on building my product merchandising business,” said Syn. “Hopefully you’ll see my Teriyaki Ginger Beef Jerky, Asian Salad Dressing, Huli Huli marinade and other of my recipes in the shelves in the stores around the country. I’m currently working with a buyer who will be taking over everything and continuing my Hawaiian food concept.”

    No updates have been posted since, leaving the question remaining as to whether the cafe will ever re-open under new ownership.

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  • Citrus Heights News Briefs: MOB, vacancies, development, Hawaiian food

    Ben's Hawaiian Cafe
    A temporary sign announces the new location for Ben’s Hawaiian Cafe in Citrus Heights. // CH Sentinel

    Latest local news briefs include an update on the medical office building project on Greenback Lane, a new Hawaiian Cafe on Auburn Boulevard, controversy over a planning commission appointment, and an update on Watt Communities’ proposed 261-unit development.

    Hawaiian Cafe in Citrus Heights featured on Good Day Sacramento
    A new Hawaiian restaurant that moved from Folsom to Citrus Heights in December was featured Saturday morning on Good Day Sacramento. Ben’s Huli Huli Chicken & Hawaiian Cafe opened last month at 7967 Auburn Blvd. in the Grand Oaks Shopping Center, and features Hawaiian-style BBQ that’s already earned 4.5-out-of-5 stars on Yelp.  In a prior interview on Fox40, owner Kit Syn explained “the secret” to his moist meats is an overnight marinade. Most menu items run $5-10, with several entrees priced in the $11-12 range. (Watch Good Day interview)

    Mayor: medical office building will reportedly begin construction soon
    In an update during Thursday’s city council meeting, Mayor Jeff Slowey said a letter had recently been sent to the city by a Dignity Health representative reaffirming their commitment to working with the city to construct a three-story medical office building at the corner of Greenback Lane and Fountain Square Drive. Although the project has yet to break ground nearly two years after being approved in March 2015, the mayor said a finalized lease agreement between Dignity Health and the city is expected to be signed next week, with a groundbreaking ceremony soon to follow. He said there were “a couple of changes in the program” that dragged out the process and required attorney involvement, but he did not elaborate on what the changes were.

    City seeks bids for environmental review of proposed 261-unit development
    In a posting on the city website earlier this month, the city announced it is seeking proposals from consultants to prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) associated with Watt Communities’ proposed 261-unit development off Arcade Drive. Preparing an EIR is a necessary step required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which requires that state and local agencies “disclose and evaluate the significant environmental impacts of proposed projects and adopt all feasible mitigation measures to reduce or eliminate those impacts,” according to the state attorney general’s office. The deadline listed to submit bids is Feb. 17, with the process often taking several months to one year to complete.

    Related: Watt Communities proposes huge 261-unit development in Citrus Heights

    Council rejects Daniels’ nominee, appoints two new members to planning commission
    On Thursday, Citrus Heights council members appointed 2016 council contender Marcel Weiland and former planning commissioner Jack Duncan to the city’s influential seven-member planning commission. With four seats up for appointment, the council also voted to re-appoint Christy Decelle to serve another term on the commission — but rejected a nomination attempt by Councilman Bret Daniels, who sought to give 2006 council contender James Remick a seat on the commission. (Full story coming next week).

    Also published last week: