Mukja Korean Fried Chicken has closed after nearly five years, a Peruvian pop-up is setting up at a local brewery for the month, a Burger King employee goes viral for all the best reasons and more happenings from the metro area’s dining scene in recent days.
Credit: Elena Veselova
Credit: Elena Veselova
Mukja Korean Fried Chicken closes its doors
After almost five years of operation at 933 Peachtree St. NE in Midtown, Sean Chang of Mukja Korean Fried Chicken closed the restaurant on Tuesday.
It’s been an uphill battle for Mukja. Chang first opened the restaurant with business partner and longtime friend Peter Chung in 2020. They signed their lease just before COVID-19 entered the U.S.
While Chang and Chung pushed through the pandemic, Midtown’s office landscape shifted, and the location’s high overhead costs made business challenging, Chang said.
Chung left Mukja several years ago, and Chang has run operations ever since.
He decided to close this week to focus on his health. Chang was in a car accident in December, and ever since he’s been trying to manage constant nerve pain, he said. Without Mukja, he can dedicate more time and energy to finding options to manage his pain.
“It was the craziest uphill battle, and we fought all the way, we created something beautiful that was championed really well,” Chang said. “We left really gracefully.”
Fans showed support after the restaurant announced the closure on social media, which wasn’t a surprise for Chang. His goal for the business was being “personable,” and serving as “your neighborhood restaurant.”
On the final week of service, Chang saw longtime customers visiting the restaurant for the last time. And plenty of people have asked for Mukja’s kale slaw recipe.
Chang said he has no plans to open another restaurant — rather, he’s hoping to find a work-from-home job.
“Whether the door was going to close on me one day or the other, win or fail, I want to at least say that I did it, because it’s an experience not many people go through,” he said.
Credit: Courtesy of Tyde Tate Kitchen
Credit: Courtesy of Tyde Tate Kitchen
Tyde Tate Kitchen coming to Krog Street Market
Thai restaurant Tyde Tate Kitchen will open a third location at Krog Street Market this summer.
The eatery began as a pop-up in 2019 from cousins Sai Untachantr, Bank Bhamaraniyama, Matt Bhamaraniyama and Pak Raparpesh. The family opened its first location in West Midtown’s Chattahoochee Food Works in 2021, followed by a standalone restaurant in South Downtown in 2023.
Tyde Tate Kitchen will be located in the former Recess stall across from Little Tart with dishes like pad see ew, panang curry, basil kitchen, Thai ice tea, limeades and rotating mocktails.
It will join other food and beverage concepts at Krog Street Market including Soul: Food & Culture, Dips Kitchen, Gu’s Dumplings, Jai Ho Indian Kitchen and Fred’s Meat and Bread.
99 Krog St. NE, Atlanta. tydetatekitchen.com
Other news of interest
Mykale Baker, a high school student from Dacula, went viral on TikTok when he showed up to his Burger King job right after his high school graduation. Burger King customer Maria Mendoza filmed him stepping in to help his co-workers catch up with the rush while still wearing his graduation paraphernalia. Mendoza launched a GoFundMe to raise money for his post-graduation goals, according to a news release.
After a few days, the fundraiser had raised almost $200,000. After seeing the story, the Burger King foundation on Monday gave Baker a $10,000 scholarship toward his education, and they awarded Mendoza’s daughter and fellow graduate Daizie Chavez with a $10,000 scholarship to support her studies at Georgia State University.
Hermanita, a pop-up from the team behind Poncey-Highland Peruvian restaurant Tio Lucho’s, is setting up at Wild Heaven Beer’s Avondale Estates patio for a monthlong summer residency June 12 through July 13. Hermanita will serve Peruvian street food with a Southern influence featuring charcoal-roasted chicken, anticuchos and rotating sides.
135B Maple St., Avondale Estates. instagram.com/hermanita_atl
Tacos & Tequilas has temporarily closed its Poncey-Highland location because of a kitchen fire, according to a social media post. The restaurant’s team said that it’s working toward reopening and that there were no injuriesfrom the fire.
More restaurant openings
Credit: Jody Horton
Credit: Jody Horton
Whataburger, the Texas-based burger chain has opened in Grayson, bringing the total number of Georgia locations to 32. The 24-hour restaurant features a menu of burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, salads, milkshakes and breakfast served from 11 p.m.-11 a.m.
1900 Grayson Highway, Grayson. 770-375-2023, whataburger.com/home
Credit: Angela Hansberger
Credit: Angela Hansberger
Desi Tadka has opened a second location in Duluth. The Indian restaurant serves a menu of small plates and entrees like biryani, chicken kahdai, korma, chana masala and dal tadka.
3890 Satellite Blvd., Duluth. 404-359-2102, instagram.com/thedesi.tadka
Arden’s Garden is opening its 19th store in Benteen Park near Red’s Beer Garden from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on June 9. A grand opening celebration will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony, juice for every customer, Arden’s Garden Popsicles and plenty of fruit and smoothie samples. The Atlanta-based company offers fruit and veggie juices, smoothies, wellness shots and vegan snacks.
1334 Boulevard SE, Atlanta. ardensgarden.com
Hilltop Bottle Shop has opened in Sandy Springs. The bottle shop, from restaurateur David Abes of Dash Hospitality Group, will hold a grand opening from 6-8 p.m. June 12 with food from Abes’ Dunwoody restaurants and tastings of Hilltop’s brands.
7277 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs. hilltopbottle.com
New restaurant announcements
Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux will open at the Battery June 23 in the former Mac McGee’s space. The Louisiana-based chain was developed by LSU walk-on basketball players Brandon Landry and Jack Warner. It offers a Cajun-inspired menu with dishes like mozzarella logs, fried alligator, Bayou pasta and redfish.
950 Battery Ave. SE, Atlanta. walk-ons.com
Credit: NOAH FECKS
Credit: NOAH FECKS
Playa Bowls is opening a location in Decatur in June from franchisees Erica and Randy Walker. The eatery will offer bowls with base options like acai, pitaya, coconut, kale and banana as well as cold brew and juice.
335 W Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur. playabowls.com
Luella, a steak bar from the team behind longtime sports bar Ivy in Buckhead, will open this fall in its place.
Restaurant closings
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