The Michelin-starred chef behind one of the most lavish restaurants in San Francisco is planning a new concept in the Marina District.
Ho Chee Boon, a Malaysian-born celebrity chef, opened Empress by Boon in Chinatown during the pandemic. It’s proved a lasting addition to San Francisco’s fine-dining scene with its take on modern Cantonese cuisine, extravagant decoration and city views.
And Boon is now launching another restaurant on the city’s Union Street. The new restaurant, Blue Whale, will also serve Asian cuisine and is scheduled to open in September, according to a press release.
“Blue Whale will offer an authentic seasonal menu that celebrates Asian cuisines,” the press release said. The restaurant will offer an a la carte menu with highlights including crab meat xiaolongbao, wasabi crispy tiger prawns with pineapple and baked lobster with buttermilk and chili, the release said.
Ho has decades of experience in the high-end Asian cuisine world, earning him multiple Michelin stars. He was formerly the international executive chef of Hakkasan. Empress by Boon is in the Michelin Guide but does not yet have a star. Eater SF first reported the new Blue Whale restaurant.
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Blue Whale will be open for both lunch and dinner Tuesdays to Saturdays.