"Detroit-based chicken shawarma favorite Bucharest Grill is preparing to invade the suburbs. Owner Bogdan Tarasov confirms to Crain’s that he has two new locations in the works for metro Detroit. The first restaurant is slated to land in Royal Oak’s Woodward Corners by Beaumont development sometime next spring. The 1,300-square-foot restaurant will be carryout-only compared with Bucharest’s four other dine-in and carryout locations in Detroit. Tarasov is also planning a location in Auburn Hills at an undisclosed location. Bucharest is the latest addition to the Woodward Corners lineup, which includes Wahlburgers, New Order Coffee, Panera, and Brown Iron Brewhouse. It will mark Bucharest’s first step out of Detroit proper. Tarasov opened his Romanian shawarma restaurant inside Park Bar in the mid-aughts and grew an outsized following at the entertainment district bar. By 2014, the founder had expanded to a standalone location in Corktown was working on a third restaurant in Milwaukee Junction. Tarasov vacated the original Park Bar location in 2016 due to a disagreement with the landlord and reopened along East Jefferson. He’s since expanded to a restaurant on the Avenue of Fashion and a bar and grill in downtown Detroit near the original location." - Brenna Houck
