Asian Fusion Restaurant Coming to Highway 78

The old Dickey's Barbecue near Highway 78 and Cindy Lane in Snellville is being renovated into an Asian fusion restaurant. 

The new eatery, called the Rice Box, aims to open in mid-January, according to project manager Ken Chen.

While the menu is still in the works, Chen said the restaurant will have fresh-to-order noodles, rice and other Asian dishes for lunch and dinner through its fast-casual dining, delivery and pickup service. 

Chen and his brother, Jimmy, have been busy renovating the space after acquiring the location in August. 

"It's going to be modern and refreshing," he said, adding that they've stripped practically everything inside the building, from the floors to the wood on the walls. 

The Chens have been in and around the restaurant business their entire lives, with their dad being a chef and extended family running eateries. 

"Growing up, we never wanted to get in the restaurant business," Ken Chen said. "But when you grow up in the atmosphere, you notice some of the things that they could make improvements on, that they can do better."

So when they were old enough, the two brothers built and operated a few restaurants in Connecticut where they grew up. Having a working model of the Asian fusion restaurant up there, the Chens saw a potential for the restaurant in Atlanta and decided to move down here in May. They can particularly see that model thriving in the Snellville location.

"When we hopped on this building, we got a good feeling about it," Chen said, adding that they wish to open many more locations in the metro area.

Rice Box will be located at 2624 Cindy Lane in Snellville.