Restoration, revitalization, and the food scene that is making waves along the Feather River. See what’s happening now and on the horizon for Union, Nori, and the new Coyote Cantina.

Oroville it's about time

If you’ve lived in Butte County long enough, Oroville has likely reserved a bit of your heart and mind for itself, though most memories contained therein probably involve recreation. After all, how could they not? Oroville is home to some of Northern California’s most beautiful outdoor gems— Table Mountain, Lake Oroville, the Forebay, the Afterbay, Phantom Falls, and so much more. If you were born and raised in this area, chances are you know exactly where those hidden “so much mores” exist. To top it off, Oroville is the gateway to beautiful hiking trails, scenic wonders like Feather Falls, and more recreational opportunities than most of us could possibly expect to experience in a lifetime. Truly, we are blessed to live here. for most locals, few could claim memories of Oroville’s nightlife or its food scene. After all, there wasn’t much of either to speak of, and most Butte County residents travel to Chico when looking a night out. Over the past few years, Oroville has elected to change that. With the investment of a handful of individuals, Oroville’s downtown scene is quickly becoming a bustling center for ambitious restaurant concepts serving delicious food, craft beverages, and plenty of entertainment. The rest of the city seems to be taking note too, as new restaurants, bars, and businesses seem to be popping up just about everywhere you look.

Indeed, it seems Oroville is growing and finally taking hold of the prediction we’ve all heard year-after-year, that it would be the next big thing. The rest of this issue highlights some of the more notable players in Oroville’s progressive movement to expand and make use of all the area has to offer. We begin with three of the most noteworthy individuals, Brian Wong of Union Fork and Tong Fong Low, Chio Saelee of Nori Asian Kitchen & Sushi, and Chaz Gaddie of Coyote Cantina. These three restaurateurs are leading the charge to reinvigorate and revitalize Downtown Oroville, putting their chips on the table and encouraging other businesspeople to do the same. We hope you enjoy their stories and set aside a weekend to take another look at Oroville and the many new things it has to offer, alongside those we have grown fond of over all these years.

brian wong UNION patio bar & GRILL

Starting a revolution is no easy task. We’d encourage you to confirm it by asking Brian Wong of Oroville’s Tong Fong Low and UNION Patio Bar & Grill restaurants, but it’s unlikely he’d reply. After all, the man has far too great a sense of duty, honor, and humility to take credit for such a thing. His wife Louisa? Same story. Luckily, what the two lack in ego, they more than make up for in instinct, drive, and an unfaltering vision of making Oroville one of Northern California’s premier destinations.

Brian moved to San Francisco in 1979 with the rest of his family, following in the footsteps of his grandfather who traveled to the United States three decades prior in search of a better life. By the time he arrived, his grandfather had been working at restaurants throughout San Francisco for over 30 years, and the family decided to join him. In 1987, they saw a restaurant for sale in Oroville, visited the town, and decided to buy it. They quickly turned the restaurant around and caught the attention of customers who frequented Tong Fong Low, Northern California’s oldest Chinese restaurant. When they were told the owners were retiring and looking for the right person to take it over, Brian’s dad connected with them and purchased the restaurant. They took over in 1988 and have been at the helm ever since.

Brian earned his degree in mechanical engineering from UC Davis and began working for FMC Corporation in San Jose. After three years with the company, he enrolled at Santa Clara University to pursue his MBA, but as the years went by, he found himself worn down by being stuck in traffic. He did some quick math and discovered that living and working in the Bay Area would equate to spending seven years of his entire life sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic. He remembered the pace of life he enjoyed in Butte County and decided to move back to Oroville in 1997.

“The beginning was very challenging.” Brian said, “I ran the restaurant with my sister, Sandy, and my wife, Louisa. There was a huge learning curve going from engineering to cooking. Louisa and I had many long days getting up to speed—we would work until 1am, go to sleep, and be back first thing in the morning to make up for our lack of knowledge and experience. It felt good to learn something new and continually improve, but it took a good five years before I was able to go through the entire menu and business to see how we could make things even better. It wasn’t until 2002 that I really had a handle on what was going on!”

Tong Fong Low celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2012 after winning Best of Oroville year-after-year. They had effectively tripled the volume since their parents took over the business, and it was, under all measures, a runaway success. The experience built the confidence they needed and opened the door to look at new ventures. They found one in Oroville’s old Miner’s Alley.

“Michael Trolinder suggested we take over Miner’s Alley so it wouldn’t close and present another vacancy in Downtown Oroville.” Brian remembered, “I asked myself, why not? We knew how to operate a restaurant successfully, but we weren’t up-to-speed on running a restaurant with a bar and a different style of food. Louisa and I talked it over and came to the realization the only way we could truly revitalize Downtown Oroville was if people like us were all-in, so we decided to do just that.”

The two set out to build a business focused on joy, celebration, and unity, appropriately naming the new restaurant UNION Patio Bar & Grill. “Right after the Civil War, many businesses changed their name to include the word ‘union’.” Brian said, “With everything going on in the country, I wanted a name that spoke to what I felt was needed, and unity was it. We wanted everyone to feel connected, and to accomplish that, we made sure the entire restaurant felt connected—both inside and out. Everything is big—the windows, the doors, and it’s all open so you never feel like you’re missing out on any part of the experience. We wanted to give visitors the opportunity to not only feel comfortable, but like they were being whisked away to a special place far away. Louisa has been in charge of creating that atmosphere, and the patio proves she knows what she’s doing!”

Creating a flawless experience takes far more than just building a beautiful

restaurant though, it requires the complete buy-in of everyone working there as well. To that end, Brian and Louisa went in search of the perfect individuals to fill various roles throughout the restaurant. Executive Chef Matt Ritchie, previously of 5th Street Steakhouse in Chico, heads up the kitchen. As a lover of the culinary arts, his skill was instrumental in building the perfect menu for UNION and celebrating flavor with every dish his team creates. Bar manager Jacob Rust, previously of Farwood Bar & Grill in Orland, ensures the celebration never ends with a list of delicious signature cocktails and a team of bartenders who welcome a challenge from customers. Finally, Jordan Vogel, previously of Tin Roof Bakery in Chico, brings everything together as UNION’s general manager, not only tasked with managing staff but coordinating talent as well.

“Performance is a big part of celebration.” Brian smiled, “The food has to be art, the drinks have to be art, and you have to enjoy them with art. The whole thing is a performance, and we book incredible performers to accompany the dining experience.” Acts like Joe Craven, Max Minardi, Doug and the Crawlers, and many more have already graced the stage at UNION, and the list of performances to come is just as impressive.

“There is no doubt in my mind that Oroville is about to boom!” Brian said, “Yes, we have a hand in getting things started, but it’s a group effort. There are so many exciting new things coming to Downtown Oroville, like Chaz’s new restaurant, Coyote Cantina, and Chio’s revitalization of Copa de Oro for his next evolution of Nori. Each and every one of these businesses creates a sense of joy and community here; in the end, it’s this feeling that will keep people coming back and entrepreneurs looking to start something new here. Where UNION is concerned, our staff makes all the difference—from the dish pit to management, the entire team works in harmony, and it’s allowed us to do what we’re doing right now.”

UNION Patio Bar & Grill has set a new standard in Oroville, and we look forward to seeing what their example inspires. Visit them at 2053 Montgomery Street in Oroville and see why Downtown Oroville is earning a sparkling new reputation.

CHIO SAELEE NORI Asian Kitchen & SUshi

Chio grew up in Oakland but moved to Oroville in 2004 during his sophomore year of high school. His parents were in search of a change of pace from the Bay Area, and they found it alongside his mother’s family who had lived in the Oroville area since the 80s. He graduated from high school and enrolled at Chico State, but after his first year realized his true passion was in the culinary arts. He trained at The Kitchen Academy in Sacramento, a Le Cordon Bleu culinary school, and returned to Butte County to put his skill and knowledge to work.

During the years that followed, Chio worked his way through a number of the larger kitchens in our area including Gold Country Casino and opening the brewery at Feather Falls Casino. After years of fast-paced, highdemand cooking, he decided on a change of pace himself, taking on the position of chef at Bird Street Cafe in Downtown Oroville. He remained there for five years, and made one final move to Downtown Chico’s Momona, as part of the restaurant’s original staff. Less than a year later, an opportunity arose to take over the Bird Street location and open his own restaurant. Daring as he is, he jumped at the chance.

“I loved working at Momona, but I had always wanted to open my own restaurant.” Chio said, “The Bird Street location was perfect, and having worked there for years, I knew just about everything there was to know about the building. I was working with a small budget, so I got in and quickly flipped the space into an Asian fusion restaurant. I named it Nori and made as few changes as I possibly could, while promising myself I would do more as funds allowed. We slowly made those changes, eventually adding sushi a year-and-a-half later as there wasn’t another true sushi restaurant in the area. It’s now become what we’re known for, and we’re proud to offer a good variety of options that you’re unlikely to find elsewhere in Oroville.”

Good seafood in our neck of the woods is difficult enough to find as it is, but Chio has invested heavily in bringing the best quality to our nook of the Northstate. Sure, he carries the usual suspects—lobster, dungeness crab, ahi, and shrimp—but he also takes the time to source more exotic options, often found in Nori’s specials, that set it apart from other locations nearby. “We keep the menu really small.” Chio said, “It gives us the opportunity to rotate items often, which keeps everything new and fresh. The size of our kitchen has kept us pretty limited, but I intend for that to change very soon.”

Intention is coming to fruition as Chio is taking on one of the more ambitious projects we’ve recently seen in Butte County—converting the 15,000 square foot building that was once home to Copa de Oro into Nori’s new home. With three levels, the building is anything but short of space and opportunities. The first level will be home to a lounge, full bar, stage, and Asian fusion restaurant with the largest sushi bar in Butte County. The second level boasts a gigantic 5,000 square foot banquet facility with yet another stage and bar of its own. Finally, the third level will provide an outdoor patio dining space and the restaurant’s administrative offices.

“We’re building the ground level first and working our way up!” Chio said, “You talk with guys like Chaz and Brian, and they get you fired up. I figured I’d follow along and add to the splash they’re making in Downtown Oroville. I’ve always seen the potential here—I’ve been working downtown for 11 years now, and I always make a point of inviting friends to Oroville so I can show them all that we have to brag about. We’re building a real community here and creating a vibe that I know everyone is going to love. I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of it!”

Nori’s new location will open in a few short months, featuring a brand new menu with a host of items you’d surely have trouble finding elsewhere. In the meantime, you can enjoy Chef Chio’s culinary skills and delicious menu at 2025 Bird Street in Oroville. Get there early to secure a table— they fill up fast!

chaz gaddie coyote cantina & cocina

Chaz Gaddie started in the restaurant industry, as many do, washing dishes. Over the years, he worked his way up, filling the positions of busboy, server, bar-back, line cook, assistant manager, manager, area director, and finally regional director. He is, what they refer to in the industry, as a truly “ground up” restaurateur. He has an unusual blend of book smarts, street smarts, and real world restaurant experience that, when mixed with his larger-than-life stature, turn him into a venerable force of nature. With such a combination of traits, one might wonder why he would even consider opening a restaurant in Downtown Oroville during the COVID crisis, but as he has proved time and again, there’s more to every situation than meets the eye.

Though Chaz got his start in the restaurant industry washing dishes, it wasn’t until he took a chef’s training course in high school that he found his true calling. During his time in the program, he received a number of scholarships and eventually enrolled in the Hotel & Restaurant Management Program at Diablo Valley College in the Bay Area. For one of his class projects, he needed to open a theoretical restaurant and create a menu to present to the class. After his presentation, his teacher suggested he try to put together the finances to open the restaurant.

At the age of 19, Chaz did just that. He left school, raised the money from a couple investors, and opened a small French bistro named Le Café Blanc in The Prindiville House—a historic Victorian Mansion in Downtown Marysville. He ran the restaurant for just shy of one year and sold it when he was 20.

When escrow closed on the business, he took a road-trip and stopped in Tucson to visit his aunt and uncle. The visit turned into something more permanent, so he picked up a job as a costumed server playing the role of The Lone Ranger at the once famous Bobby McGees. While waiting on a table one night, a customer suggested Chaz should consider opening a restaurant of his own. He told the customer it was funny he should say that, as he had just looked at a restaurant in Downtown Tucson which he thought would be a good opportunity. As the two got to know each other, Chaz found the customer was a doctor from his hometown of Yuba City; he was also a friend and business partner of someone who originally wanted to invest in his first restaurant, Le Café Blanc.

The doctor agreed to give Chaz the investment capital to open the restaurant, so Chaz left Bobby McGees and opened Chaz’s Bistro, an American Bar & Grill in Downtown Tucson, where he earned a federal grant for the revitalization of Downtown Tucson.

Wanting more, Chaz returned to college and graduated cum laude with a degree in Hotel Restaurant Management. He traveled abroad and worked in Frankfurt, Germany, where he oversaw the Community Operations Division for the Department of the Army Officer’s Clubs, NCO clubs, golf courses, bowling centers, and slot machine program. He also worked for the DOA in Hawaii, overseeing business operations, budgeting, and policy and procedures in Hawaii, Japan, Alaska, and Korea.

When he returned to the mainland, he moved to Southern California and launched Italian restaurant concepts Fritto Misto in Santa Monica, Café Misto in Pacific Palisades, and Cappiello in West Los Angeles. He tried his hand at Asian fusion with Bamboo Cafe & Lounge, and finally settled on south of the border flavors with Coyote Cantina in Redondo Beach.

Coyote Cantina served Mexican and Southwestern cuisine, had an extensive tequila selection, and was a huge success. After 5 years, Chaz decided to sell it to a friend and move on to his next venture. While the business was in escrow, Chaz’s father was diagnosed with cancer during a routine check-up. After the escrow closed, Chaz moved back to Yuba City to be his primary caretaker for a year until he passed away.

“It was a difficult experience.” Chaz said, “Truly, there are few jobs more difficult than being someone’s caretaker. After my father passed, away I had to separate from the stress of dealing with his illness and passing. I knew I had to reground, regroup and reconnect with myself. I had always wanted to do a round-the-world trip and discovered a company in Thailand that specialized in them, so I decided to start my trip there. A friend who knew about my plans suggested that if I was going to Thailand I should first stop in Bali. He also had a friend there who I could stay with when I arrived.”

Chaz did just that, but his planned stopover in Bali quickly ended up lasting seven years. He said, “While I never ended up doing the round-the-world trip, I had some incredible experiences during my travels through Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos, India, Timor Leste, Java, Singapore, and many other special places”.

While he was in Bali, Chaz began buying artifacts, art, wood and stone carvings, and other things of interest. When he moved back to the United States, he brought back a lot of what he had purchased and stored it in Los Angeles.

“I knew I wanted to leave Los Angeles and move to a smaller town.” Chaz laughed, “I began searching Google using phrases like ‘cool old historical building in a funky town.’ In many of the towns I was looking at, it was cheaper to buy a building than pay rent to store my stuff in Los Angeles. On one of my searches, I came across the building I now live in. I knew of Oroville, as I had grown up in Yuba City. I drove up the day after I saw it, made an offer the next day, and was in escrow a few days later. It took a couple years to renovate the building, but as I stayed, Oroville continued to grow on me. I decided it was somewhere I wanted to stay, so I began looking for business opportunities in the area.”

Chaz found the exact opportunity he was looking for when he leased 1975 Montgomery Street in Downtown Oroville— previously home to The Exchange. In addition, he leased the corner of the same building, its 5,000 square foot basement, a courtyard out back, and an area to expand the kitchen. It is a spectacular space with 14foot ceilings, 12-foot arched metal windows, and more importantly, incredible local history. “It is crazy to think that this building was built before the Civil War.” Chaz mused, “To have this kind of a palette to work with for a restaurant is a very rare opportunity, and it inspires me to take things to the next level to do that history justice with the respect it deserves.”

His business will open in several phases— the first taking place in the old Exchange space. Appropriately named Coyote Cantina & Cocina, the restaurant will be a take on a modern taqueria, featuring small Southwest plates like tacos, quesadillas, and salads, alongside margaritas and a full bar. “I’m still trying to decide what to do with the ground floor space on the corner.” Chaz said, “It’ll either be an extension of Coyote Cantina & Cocina, with an expanded menu similar to what I had in Redondo Beach, or I may go in a completely different direction and revive one of my Italian concepts from Los Angeles. My vision for the basement is to turn it into something resembling a speakeasy. It would be the perfect fit for this building.”

Though Chaz is incredibly accomplished in his own right, he is the first to offer respect for others in his industry. He lauded the contributions of Brian, Sandy, and Louisa Wong who have run Tong Fong Low for decades and are actively investing in the downtown area while enjoying tremendous success with their new restaurant concept, UNION, across the street. He also complemented fellow restaurateur, Chio Saelee, who is reopening the historic Copa de Oro building and turning it into the next evolution of his Asian fusion restaurant, Nori.

Chaz is putting the finishing touches on phase one of his build-out in the old Exchange space and plans to open the doors to Coyote within the next month. Keep an eye out for its grand opening date, and more information on their social media sites which will be launching soon. Follow Instagram at @coyoteoroville and their website at coyoteoroville.com.