Article Text

Chef Tan is preparing to bring its Hunan cuisine to Vienna for the restaurant chain’s first location in the Washington, D.C., region, though permitting delays have left its opening date uncertain.

The restaurant plans to occupy the former Zenola space beside Norm’s Beer and Wine at 132 Branch Road SE in Danor Plaza.

Chef Tan representative Albert Yang said Vienna was selected because the region lacks authentic Hunan cuisine and offers a culturally diverse, welcoming community.

Hunan province in central China is known for spicy dishes that are often stir-fried. Chef Tan expects its Vienna menu to largely match those at its other restaurants, with possible adjustments based on local preferences. Notable dishes served by the chain include fish head with hot red peppers, Mao-style braised pork and home-style sautéed pork.

Vienna already has several Chinese restaurants, including Chili Wok at the nearby Maple Avenue Shopping Center, longtime carryout Peking Express and newcomer Panda Dumpling. Restaurants specializing in a particular Chinese regional cuisine are less common.

Founder Kevin Tan, a Hunan native, comes from a family with more than four decades of restaurant experience. After immigrating to the United States, he continued that tradition by launching Chef Tan in Fords, New Jersey.

The chain expanded to Bridgeport, New Jersey, in 2012. Although its original restaurant later closed, Chef Tan now operates eight locations across New Jersey, Boston, Delaware and New York City. Its most recent opening was in Greenwich Village in 2022.

In a proposal submitted to Danor Plaza’s landlord, the restaurant team said ingredients, décor, tables, linens and serving utensils would be chosen to reflect Hunan’s food culture. The company described Tan’s goal as offering diners an authentic experience rooted in the region’s flavors and traditions.

The Vienna project, however, has run into delays. During a Feb. 20 hearing before the town’s Board of Architectural Review, a broker and adviser for the owner said the restaurant had badly underestimated the length of the permitting process. The business had exhausted its free-rent period before construction could begin, he said.

The board unanimously approved a sign that had already been installed and plans to replace an existing shed with outdoor walk-in refrigerators, moving the project closer to construction.

A buildout permit remained under review by Fairfax County, preventing the restaurant from setting a firm opening date. Yang estimated that the process could take about two more months but cautioned that the timeline could change.