Someone was using the space all the time.' It was a Dairy Queen, a burger place, II Brothers & Grill. 'This space is in the center of Frisco - it may be the oldest restaurant space in Frisco,' he says. 'It was established in 1960. By 2014, he felt it was time to branch out and spent a year looking for the right spot in Frisco before finding the location at Preston Road and Main Street. He carved out a niche by making everything from scratch. A former techie, he founded Chopsticks Asian Cafe in 2002 in the aftermath of the telecom crash. The elegant atmosphere matches their aspirations.Ĭhen's story is inspirational. They're also doing a wine list with 15 to 20 bottles 'most Asian restaurants don't do that,' Chen says. Desserts are traditional with a twist, such as the crème brûlée made with matcha. Soups range from standbys such as hot and sour to unexpected selections like consomme with seared prawn and chicken. 'We'll do all kinds of Chinese food, including basics like Kung Pao and crab rangoon, but we're using good materials, and Li is a high-caliber chef.' 'This is not a regular Chinese restaurant,' Chen says. Their goal is to reinvent Asian cuisine with familiar dishes done in a new way. Bruce Chen, who has already carved out a dining following in Collin County with Chopsticks Asian Cafe in McKinney, extends his reach west to Frisco with the intimate yet elegant Aiya, located in a historical building at 9101 Preston Rd.Īiya is a collaboration between Chen and executive chef 'Li,' both natives of Taiwan.

Aiya chinese frisco