Healthy rice bowl restaurant from SoCal wants to open Fresno locations. Here’s where
A healthy rice bowl restaurant wants to open locations in the Fresno area and Northern California.
WaBa Grill plans to open 20 restaurants in the region stretching from Fresno to Sacramento.
One is headed for the southeast corner of Brawley and Herndon avenues in northwest Fresno, according to leases reported to The Fresno Bee by retail brokers. That’s in the same shopping center as The Habit Burger and the first Chipotle in the area with a drive-thru.
A company representative did not share if any other locations are in the works.
WaBa is projecting it will open its first eatery in Fresno County in the first half of 2023.
A chain founded in Southern California in 2006, WaBa has nearly 200 locations either open or in the works. Most of them are in California and Arizona. It is franchising its concept, meaning entrepreneurs sign a contract to open new locations.
Franchisees Gurpreet and Navreet Boparai own three of the restaurants in Ventura County. They also have the rights to open WaBa in 16 California counties.
The food
WaBa touts its healthy menu, most of it in the form of rice in bowls or plates with meat, veggies and sauce.
It’s a pick-your-protein type of menu: Choose from two types of chicken, steak (or both), salmon, shrimp or grilled tofu.
WaBa also offers “Plantspired Steak,” a meatless plant-based protein it says is popular with vegans and vegetarians.
Salads and dumplings are also on the menu.
Franchises coming to Fresno/Clovis
WaBa is the latest of several franchises expanding to Central California.
The Red Chickz Nashville Hot Chicken and Teriyaki Madness both have announced plans to open locations in the area, but haven’t identified any yet.
Jollibee is planning to open in front of Fashion Fair. Nick the Greek is opening near Red Robin on Blackstone Avenue. Mr. Fries Man and Lee’s Sandwiches are coming to Campus Pointe.
More locations of franchises coming that already have a presence here include a Jersey Mike’s at Shaw and Leonard avenues in Clovis, another The Human Bean coffee drive-thru in front of Fresno Ag, and two more Capriotti’s Sandwich Shops — one near the Blackstone Red Robin and another at Shepherd and Willow avenues.
Of course, these franchises are all in addition to multiple new locally owned restaurants coming to town that aren’t franchised, and chains that are opening locations here, too.
