Excitement is building as Happy Crane prepares to open its doors in the former Monsieur Benjamin space on Gough Street, just two weeks away from its grand opening on August 8.
Happy Crane, the latest venture from former Benu chef James Yeun Leong Parry, will be located at 451 Gough Street and aims to bring a fresh twist to Cantonese cuisine.
Parry, who has honed his skills in Michelin-starred kitchens in Hong Kong and served as chef de cuisine at Palette Tea House, brings a unique culinary perspective shaped by his upbringing in both England and Hong Kong.
The move to this space represents a significant transition as Chef Corey Lee, the owner of Benu and former Monsieur Benjamin, has acted as a mentor to Parry.
Monsieur Benjamin, which had been a staple of the Hayes Valley dining scene for ten years, closed last summer, paving the way for this new culinary endeavor.
The restaurant features an open kitchen, allowing diners to watch the action unfold, with a prominent wok station that emphasizes a dynamic cooking environment.
Additionally, a high heat ‘duck oven’ has been installed specifically for roasting whole Peking duck, signaling Parry’s dedication to authentic flavors.
Happy Crane will offer a combination of an à la carte menu and a $120 chef’s tasting menu, both of which showcase Parry’s innovative approach to traditional dim sum and other dishes from Cantonese cuisine.
Dim sum, closely associated with Hong Kong, has its origins in Guangzhou, and represents a modern subset of Chinese cuisine that first emerged in tea rooms along the Silk Road in the late 19th century.
Parry’s creativity shines through as he uses traditional dim sum formats—such as dumplings, rolls, and buns—as canvases for exciting new flavor combinations.
Noteworthy dishes include a rice roll made with fresh-milled rice and filled with Dungeness crab, served with a sauce crafted from crab shells, butter, and shaoxing wine.
A dish inspired by his heritage is fish-stuffed eggplant topped with uni and a touch of Worcestershire sauce.
Parry also plans to revive a once-popular Hong Kong dish, the gold coin, consisting of a skewer stacked with pork fat and chicken liver, which has been fading from menus in recent years.
The opening menu will feature a highly praised grilled meat dish from Parry’s past pop-up, pork jowl char siu topped with ginger-pressed green apple.
Other offerings include Peking-style duck and roasted quail, both prepared Cantonese-style and characterized by their lacquered skin.
“A lot of my inspiration comes from humble ingredients or humble dishes and those techniques, I feel, are dying,” Parry explained in a recent discussion.
He further elaborated that modern cuisine does not necessarily imply the need for fusion, indicating a commitment to honoring traditional techniques and flavors.
Past pop-up menus featured inventive dishes such as shrimp and shiso spring rolls dusted with crispy rice, alongside maitake mushroom “biang biang” dressed with Silk Road spices, and many of these may reappear on the inaugural menu.
Interest in Parry’s culinary style was highlighted in a Chronicle feature in fall 2023, which examined the rise of modern, delicate Cantonese cuisine showcased in establishments like Empress by Boon, and previous pop-ups like Four Kings.
While Four Kings has enjoyed a high level of visibility since opening, Parry’s former workplace, Mister Jiu’s, continues to be recognized as a pioneer in modern Chinese cooking, being the first and only Chinese restaurant in the United States to earn a Michelin star in 2016.
As anticipation builds for the debut of Happy Crane, it is clear that both the pressure and excitement surrounding the opening are substantial.
The restaurant will also feature a prominent central bar offering cocktails crafted by Kevin Diedrich of Pacific Cocktail Haven, under the guidance of bar manager Carolyn Kao, who has previously worked at establishments like True Laurel and Good Good Culture Club.
In addition, Justin Chin, previously from Ju-Ni and Gary Danko, will take the role of general manager and sommelier, ensuring an elevated dining experience from both the culinary and beverage perspectives.
Reservations for Happy Crane are now open and will commence on August 8, marking the start of a new chapter in the Hayes Valley dining scene.
image source from：sfist
