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SAN RAMON — A San Ramon fine-dining establishment that closed last year may be replaced with ... another fine dining establishment.
The owner of Pican restaurant in Oakland said he's eyeing the site for a new restaurant of his own at the spot where Mudd's provided gourmet and organic meals to the Tri-Valley for 27 years. Michael LeBlanc, who opened Pican in downtown Oakland seven months ago, said he was originally interested in a spot at the soon-to-be constructed San Ramon City Center, but when he saw the Mudd's property on Boardwalk Place things changed.
He said it would be a perfect spot to create an antebellum home serving upscale Southern and California fusion cuisine, similar to Pican's fare.
"I had this vision of these old type of Creole homes I saw in Louisiana, in New Orleans," he said. "It was like a vision."
Leblanc, who made his debut as a restaurant owner with Pican, describes his cuisine as "Paula Deen meets Alice Waters."
LeBlanc said his negotiations with city are pretty far along, but the details have yet to be worked out.
"We all want to do it," he said. "It's a matter of making it work for everybody."
San Ramon's redevelopment agency purchased the site last year for $2.085 million rather than to allow the 2-2-acre parcel to be sold for development.
At the time, the director of Parks and Community Services said the site might be used to expand Crow Canyon Gardens, a city-owned garden on
The building could have been used to house a nature center, to replace a portable building now used for that purpose.
It was also suggested the building could be used to house a preschool program and nature-oriented clases, a mini-science institute with hands-on exhibits, a year-round farmers market and an events center available for public rental.
Marc Fontes, the city's economic development director, said that at the time of the purchase the city was just focused on acquiring the property, and the use of the building would be decided later.
Leblanc said he and the city are about 70 percent done with their discussions. A proposal could come back to the redevelopment agency board, made up of the five sitting city council members, in the next few months.
Mayor H. Abram Wilson said a restaurant and an expanded nature garden could both happen at the site. He said having a quality restaurant in the Tri-Valley helps everyone.
"We definitely need it," Wilson said. "The demographics say we need it."
Reach Sophia Kazmi at 925-847-2122. Follow her at twitter.com/sophiakazmi.
