February 2, 2016 – He’s baaack. Irrepressible restauranteur Bill Lee just purchased the space occupied by Namu Asian Cuisine in Carmel’s Barnyard Shopping Village and is getting ready to open Billy Quon’s Sur at the Barnyard Carmel.
“Here we go again,” says Lee, who had a restaurant called Bixby Martini Bistro in the exact same spot nine years ago. “I’m very excited. It feels very much like coming home to me.”
Lee remodeled the space when he took it over from Thunderbird Books and says it’s still in good condition. Following some re-decorating he hopes to open in mid-March. The original Billy Quon’s, which Lee opened in 1982, was at the nearby Crossroads Shopping Center where Rio Grill is currently located.
“I want to make this my last restaurant,” says Lee, “and it feels right since I’ve already had two successful restaurants in the same part of Carmel.” The 4,500 sq ft space includes a bar and seats around 130 diners.
It will have a natural Big Sur look, with a fun and comfortable, family-friendly feel. “The emphasis will be on food, with a full bar and a fun, new atmosphere,” he says. “An eclectic menu of steaks and seafood and burgers, with a farm-to-table feel.” He hopes to be able to add to the increasingly lively atmosphere at the Barnyard.
Sur will be Lee’s tenth restaurant on the Monterey Peninsula. Most recently he was general manager at Rocky Point and before that at Lucky’s Roadside in Seaside (now Gusto).
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At Edible Monterey Bay, our mission is to celebrate the local food culture of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties, season by season. We believe in sustainability, and we believe everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. We think knowing where our food comes from is powerful, and we hope our magazine, website and newsletters inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans.
