Restaurant industry entrepreneurs Randy Schoch, founder and CEO of Desert Island Restaurants and Michael McDermott and Jason Merritt, co-founders of Kona Grill and Rojo Mexican Grill, have joined forces to launch a joint venture dining concept in the Biltmore Fashion Park in early December. Ling & Louie’s Kitchen, an upscale urban brand expansion of Schoch’s successful Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill concept, will introduce the Ling & Louie’s story (where Ling’s Asian flair meets Louie’s American comfort food) to the Camelback corridor.
Similar to Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill, Ling & Louie’s Kitchen will offer Asian inspired cuisine with a contemporary American twist, but with even more exciting variations of American favorites including salads, burgers and sandwiches. Their signature dishes include Firecracker Chicken, Black Orchid Ahi, Braised Duck Flatbread and New Wave Pad Thai. Ling & Louie’s Kitchen will feature an upbeat full-service bar offering a variety of specialty cocktails, such as Ling’s Margarita and their famous Thai Mai, as well as a vast variety of beer including Ling & Louie’s Copper Ale, which is locally brewed, and a world-class selection of sake.
“With our modern Asian Cuisine and sophisticated take on American comfort food, Ling & Louie’s Kitchen will bring an inviting, but edgy lunch and dinner destination in a category of all its own to the Biltmore area,” said McDermott.
Development of the centrally-located 7,500 square-foot space, currently occupied by McDermott and Merritt’s Black Chile Mexican Grill, will begin Monday, Nov. 19. Black Chile will be open regular hours until Sunday, Nov. 18 at 9 p.m. Ling & Louie’s Kitchen will open in early December.
Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill has locations in Chandler and Scottsdale as well as Anchorage, Boise, Denver and Reno with a new location opening soon in Dallas. In addition to Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill, Schoch is well known for many notable concepts, including Nick’s Fish Market, Thaifoon-Taste of Asia, Black Orchid, and as a franchise owner of multiple Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Roy’s Pacific Rim and Romano’s Macaroni Grill restaurants. McDermott’s more than 20 years in the restaurant business include the development of popular dining concepts such as Kona Grill, Black Chile Mexican Grill and Rojo Mexican Grill.
For updates on Ling & Louie’s Kitchen, the first phase of this unique partnership between two hospitality industry innovators, visit www.lingandlouies.com.
