New restaurants, businesses pop up around town

Davisites can get their fill of frozen yogurt, popsicles, wine tastings and more as new businesses open throughout town.

SugarPlum, a new yogurt shop in town, opened on Jan. 4 with its grand opening celebration on Jan. 15. The frozen yogurt bar is gaining popularity at its central location in the old Ritz Camera location in the University Mall on Russell Boulevard.

With 16 homemade flavors and over 50 toppings for $0.39 cents per ounce, store manager Jeannette, who opted not to give her last name, said the location is great for freshmen in the near-by dormitories.

“We offer board games so people can come and hang out,” she said. “We rotate flavors and take suggestions.”

Fiddlehead Cellars, based in Santa Barbara, had their administrative offices in Davis for years but recently opened a wine tasting room on Pena Dr. in east Davis. The room will hold their official grand opening on Jan. 30, although they have been open for Saturday tastings since December. For the event, $10 buys patrons wine tasting and a Fiddlehead wine glass. If any purchases are made, the $10 will be refunded.

“We are hoping the grand opening and getting the word out will get more people coming [into the tasting room],” said office manager Natalie Leschuk.

The celebration will showcase new vintages, offer special discounts and give the community a chance to catch up with Fiddlehead Cellars owner Kathy Joseph, alumnus of the UC Davis viticulture and enology graduate program.

Hometown Chinese Restaurant moved from its South Davis location to Mansion Square on E and 2nd streets. A newly painted sign is up, and Davis Downtown Business Association director Joy Cohan said the new location should be open for business within the next month.

At their old location, which was part of the South Davis Chevron gas station food mart on Cowell Boulevard and Research Park Drive, another Chinese restaurant is coming in, according to a Chevron attendant, who works next to the now vacant space. The South Davis location offered entrees ranging from $3 to $7, such as their $6 chicken chow mein.

On the outskirts of downtown Davis, Jaymes’ Fat Face has opened on L Street serving gourmet popsicles for $2.50 and other snacks such as sandwiches and soup, ranging form $4 to $6. The popsicle shop can also be found on Saturdays at the Farmers Market.

London Fish’n Chips, a Davis staple for the past 30 years, became The Dumpling House, said owner Linda Liu. Ten dumplings cost approximately $6.

“We have hand-wrapped dumplings and lots of choices,” Liu said. “We will still have fish and chips, too.”

On Sunday, the revamped restaurant will donate the day’s income to earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.

SASHA LEKACH can be reached at city@theaggie.org.