Walking away from a Michelin-starred kitchen is either due to hubris, insanity, or a secret third thing. (In this story’s case, it’s a third thing.)
Chefs Nicholas “Nic” Webber and Jacob Jordan helped set Addison down the path toward becoming Southern California’s first and only three Michelin-starred restaurant. So, what on Earth could have pulled them away two years ago? Webber says it was a shared ambition to go from being part of a team to being in charge of one.
“I was just kind of ready to do it for myself and force myself into that new challenge,” says Webber, who left Addison after the pandemic. A few months later, over dim sum, he convinced his old kitchen mate Jordan to launch 24 Suns, a Chinese pop-up series focused on high-end dining service and using local, seasonal ingredients.
Webber says their concept of showcasing different Chinese regional cuisines using classical French techniques worked well since they started two years ago. But now, they’re taking it to the next level, partnering with Ed and Sunny Sanderson of IRS Cocktails to open Swan & Fox at 3375 Mission Avenue in Oceanside.
The Sandersons launched IRS Cocktails in 2020, first with the idea of packaging high-end cocktails with a quippy name. “Wouldn’t it be cool to bring good news from the IRS?” laughed Ed. “And it kind of stuck.”
But he saw more considerable potential.
“We realized pretty quickly after a couple of tasting events that people seem to gravitate towards cocktails paired with food,” he says. They decided to partner with someone who could handle the food aspect of a cocktail pairing. In their search, they attended a 24 Suns pop-up at The Lion’s Share.
“The third course, my wife starts crying,” says Sanderson with a laugh. “She’s like, ‘This food is amazing. We should talk to these guys.” The rest is history.
After several false starts searching for the right venue, the group acquired the former Angelina’s space in Oceanside a few weeks ago. They haven’t changed the name yet, but they plan to slowly introduce the high-end pairing approach to a clientele more accustomed to the space as a sports bar.
For now, Jordan and Webber will use the transition period to introduce new flavors and educate guests on how to pair what Webber calls “progressive Chinese food” from various regions alongside craft cocktails. Some of 24 Suns’ signature dishes will appear on the Swan & Fox menu, including their scallop, pork jiaozi, and smoked lamb rack cured in fermented black bean. Webber explains they’re also committed to a whole animal program with meat and fish from local suppliers.
Sanderson brought on Sam Peters (George’s at the Cove, California Modern) and his bar consulting firm SPK Bar Hospitality & Training to build the bar program. The bar will feature IRS signature beverages like Hotter Melon and Chai Old Fashioned, and others will be created specifically to complement Jordan and Webber’s menu.
Eventually, Swan & Fox will launch a takeaway brand called Pagoda, a spin on Chinese-American takeout favorites like General Tsao’s, orange chicken, lo mein, and more. It’ll be affordable for those who prefer takeout or late-night eats, and takeaway cocktails will be available under the space’s distilling license. Plus, Webber adds that Pagoda will offer another outlet for the kitchen’s whole-animal approach by using specific cuts at Swan & Fox and others suited for braising or smoking to go into dumplings and other takeaway options.
They estimate a complete renovation and rebrand into Swan & Fox from Angelina’s by mid-year, partnering with local artists to create one-of-a-kind traditional Chinese ink paintings on the walls and custom pottery by Green Bird Eco Pottery. Despite the slow transition, Sanderson is ready to get started.
“It’s really nice to be part of a fabric that allows us to make something unique and exciting happen there,” he says. “All we want to do is show respect to our community, bring something to the table that’s a little bit different and unique, and have them have an experience they’ll never forget.”
Swan & Fox will be operating under the name Angelina’s for now in Oceanside and are open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Currently, they don’t have a website or social media accounts.
