Michael & Marcus Kwan
Downtown Business / Wokcano
Brothers Michael and Marcus Kwan are the forces behind the Wokcano Restaurant Group of Pan-Asian restaurants. Emigrating to Los Angeles from China in 1989, the brothers started in the industry at a restaurant in Chinatown as busboys. After climbing the ranks, and borrowing some money from their mom, the brothers opened their first restaurant in 1995, called The Islands, located on 3rd Street in West Hollywood. Six years later, Michael and Marcus closed The Islands, renovated the space, reinvented the menu, and reopened the doors as the first Wokcano in 2001. Since then, the Kwans have successfully opened five additional Wokcano locations. Wokcano's menu focuses not just on the traditional Chinese dishes inspired by their mother, but also features fresh sashimi, innovative sushi rolls and a few Thai and Korean dishes, to complete the Pan-Asian influenced menu.
The newest Wokcano location opened in early April 2009 at The Promenade in downtown Long Beach. The 14,000 square foot restaurant includes a teppanyaki room, a sushi bar, a private dining room with karaoke, outdoor dining and eight 60-inch plasma screen televisions, all housed within a multi-level building.
The Kwans chose downtown Long Beach for its high-density urban living and entertainment district. "It's so close to the Convention Center, and there's a lot of office and hotels around here, like our other locations," says Michael Kwan. "It's a great area, and more people are moving downtown now."
The Wokcano Restaurant Group is a contemporary Asian Restaurant and Lounge venue with six locations currently operating throughout Southern California. Featuring fresh sushi and creative maki rolls as well as modern riffs on traditional fare, Wokcano offers guests a broad and savory tasting tour of popular Asian cuisines. Innovative signature dishes like Seared Albacore with Ground Radish in a Soy Ponzu Sauce, Black Pepper Beef Mignon and Honey Walnut Shrimp make up the modern fusion menu and is available for delivery, take out and corporate dining. Design elements at all locations reflect a chic and relaxing atmosphere perfect for everything from solo dining at the sushi bar and large groups at a communal table to happy hour drinks in the lounge that offers a host of Asian-inspired cocktail selections and an inclusive yet reasonably-priced wine and sake list. Currently in a dynamic period of growth, Wokcano has recently expanded with the opening of Long Beach in April 2009; other locations include Santa Monica; West Hollywood; Downtown L.A.; Burbank; and Pasadena. Wokcano also recently broke ground on a future location in Valencia.