The trademark neon sign that marked the location of Mel’s Tea Room for seven decades will remain on the building outside, but the space that once housed the beloved diner has been transformed into something completely new.

The mint green walls have been painted black on one side, and exposed to brick on another. Modern lighting hangs over a simple bar, where patrons will soon be able to order a beer and pay their bill. Underfoot is still the same black and white tile floor that was once part of the Mel’s Tea Room aesthetic, the one crossover to the new restaurant opening soon in this space in the coming weeks: Oh Chicken.

Oh Chicken is the creation of Paul An, owner and operator of Song’s Chopsticks across the street. An says when he saw the Mel’s space up for lease, he started imagining what else he could bring to the restaurant landscape of Sackville. A Korean favourite came to mind: Korean fried chicken, what is sometimes called “the other KFC”. Chicken pieces, either boneless or bone in, marinated, deep fried, and then glazed with a number of different sauces, the most popular being yangnyeom (pronounced yang-nyum).

“It’s like a sweet chilli, but different,” says An. “I can’t really describe the sauce, you have to try it.”

An says he’s been working on the recipe for the past two months. “I had chicken almost every day,” says the restaurateur. “Our Asian tastes and the Western tastes are a little different. So we kind of changed it to fit more towards Western culture. So I hope people like it.”

An says he’s heard from students who are familiar with the dish, which is growing in popularity in Canada. “A lot of people know about it,” says An. “I’m sure we’ll have people from Moncton coming in to try it… We’re very excited. I want to open as soon as possible.”

An has been working on transforming the Mel’s space since early August, and he’s near the finish line. He hopes to wind up construction this week, and start work on getting the correct permits the week after. If all goes well, Oh Chicken could be open in mid-September, or at the latest by the end of the month, he hopes.

Besides the new look, the first thing to notice about the restaurant space is that it’s smaller. The back left hand portion of the restaurant has been walled off, and An says he’s not aware of any plans for the space. “Hopefully, if we do really well, we have space to expand,” says An. “But as of now, it will just be empty space.”

‘Hopefully, they will accept something new.’

An moved to Canada from Korea in 2015, and has been living in Moncton ever since, commuting to Song’s, which he took over in 2019. “We’re happy we’re in Sackville… I think it’s a pretty nice small town where everyone knows each other,” he says. One of the things An enjoys about small town restaurant life is having regulars. “They don’t even order,” he says. “I see them… okay, you’re getting the same things. I just make the food right away. I don’t think you see that a lot in bigger cities.”

His fondness for the town and his experience at Song’s prompted him to take on the Oh Chicken project. “If there’s more opportunity, I’m looking to do more stuff in Sackville,” he says.

But opening in a space that was occupied by the same restaurant for over 70 years can be daunting. An says he knows there is a lot of nostalgia for Mel’s Tea Room. “People grew up here with Mel’s together, so I do understand that,” he says. “They’re very sad. Something new is coming in. It’s totally different.”

“Hopefully, they will accept something new,” says An. Ultimately, he’s hoping the fried chicken will win people over. “If they like the food, I think they will slowly be okay with it,” he says.

As for the sign hanging over the sidewalk outside, An says he told his landlords John Ernst and Tyler Gay that he’s fine with it. The Bridge Street fixture is technically owned by previous Mel’s owners Dave and Wendy Epworth, and An says he doesn’t expect any changes to its location anytime soon.

With the opening of Oh Chicken coming in the next few weeks, An is understandably excited, but its not just for the new restaurant. After seeing Song’s through the pandemic (“I didn’t really have much fun there,” he says), he’s looking forward to the year ahead for both Song’s and his new venture. His brother, who has worked with him at Song’s before, will take over there while he focusses on Oh Chicken.

“We’re excited for both,” he says. “And for Sackville, with other restaurants, everyone’s been through a long pandemic. So I think everyone is excited for this year.”

Hear this story as reported on Tantramar Report: