By Kathy Chouteau
A block away from the hustle & bustle of 23rd Street lies Richmond’s hottest new takeout joint, known simply by its ultra-chic, minimalist moniker, “2207.”
The Cal-Asian eatery, which opened its doors in June, is located at 2207 Macdonald Ave. and shines on its block as a refreshing ray of sunshine. It’s run by a mother & son team, with “mom” at the register and “son” cooking in the kitchen—a duo that eschews publicity of any kind.
Upon entering the establishment, customers are greeted by a sleek, modern décor featuring a clean, bright space with Asian accents, complete with Japanese maples, palms, a chandelier, contemporary music and a skylight filling the room with natural lighting. A long, tall, wooden table sans chairs offers a focal point, but its message is clear: This is a take-out spot.
The Rich Life stopped by on a recent weekday around Noon to sample 2207’s menu, which is getting some serious online buzz. The menu is as minimalist as its home turf, offering up a diverse range of selections that seem to be both California and Korean-inspired.
For lunch, we ordered 2207’s Charcoal Grilled Korean Short Rib, which was served with a side salad consisting of arugula, onion, radish, pear, cucumber, sesame and a creamy, Asian-style dressing; and also the Fried Chicken, a large, breaded chicken breast served with the same side salad.
There’s a real farm-to-table vibe happening at 2207, with all of the ingredients tasting extremely fresh, most particularly the salad fixings, which seemed like they had just been harvested from the garden. This reporter has had the pleasure of sampling many tasty salads throughout Richmond, and 2207’s side salad is definitely one of the tops to date.
As for the Charcoal Grilled Korean Short Rib, it was cooked to perfection and flavored with a deliciously sweet BBQ sauce, an excellent complement to the side salad. The Fried Chicken was also a standout, with the chicken leg featuring a super-crispy exterior, yet wonderfully juicy interior. Both dishes exuded unfussy perfection and were well-priced at $11.95 for the hearty ribs and only $7.90 for the chicken, which came which a choice of the aforementioned side salad or fries.
While awaiting my pay-at-the-counter lunch order, I met Esther and Jeff Miller, two Los Angeles residents who keep a place at Marina Bay—and who were in town awaiting the arrival of their fourth grandchild. The couple had eaten at 2207 the day before and liked it so much, they returned the next day.
According to Esther, the previous day she ordered the Grilled Mary’s Chicken Salad ($9.90), which aside from grilled chicken, includes arugula and romaine lettuces adorned with avocado, fruit, veggies, feta, grains and sesame, which she said was “so great,” adding that they’re “very impressed with the menu—it’s a step up.” For his part, Jeff had the short ribs, which he said were “delicious.”
Later, Esther joked that they’re “eating their way through the menu” at 2207.
During my visit, a steady stream of customers entered the restaurant to order take-out, with “mom” quickly working her way through taking orders. Overall, my experience was that 2207’s emphasis appeared to be on quality and efficiency rather than on hospitality.
Hours of operation are Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more info, contact 2207 at 510.374.6390, visit their Yelp page here or follow them on Instagram at @twenty2zero7.
