Menlo Park diners might have been excited to hear earlier this year that celebrity chef Bradley Ogden planned to expand his restaurant empire to the Peninsula city, aiming for a late summer opening. B.F.D, or Bradley's Fine Diner, was slated to replace the Gambardella's on Merrill Street across from the Menlo Park train station.

But months later, the space is still empty.

Why the delay? Timing, said Steven Hall, founder of public relations agency The Hall Company, which represents Ogden.

"The Houston restaurant Funky Chicken just opened and (we) want to get that fully operational before moving to another project," he said.

He added that the Houston restaurant was delayed due to permitting and they didn't "want to open back to back."

They're now aiming for a spring 2014 opening date in Menlo Park.

Hall passed along a description of B.F.D. from Ogden:

"It will be my Midwestern approach to my California style of food. Food that is inspired throughout my decades of cooking with the new veil of my son Bryan and the new age techniques and everything from wood burning suckling pig cassoulet to a whole roasted pork rack, to grilled trout, to homemade sausages with little stews, charcuterie plate with cheese. And there will be some fresh pizzas out of the oven to great salads and sandwiches, especially at lunchtime. Really fresh, fresh approach and everything from scratch and made in-house. We want a bar crowd, you know oysters, a fun place to hang out."

(Ogden's son, Bryan, is also a successful chef who recently helped open a Las Vegas restaurant and will also do so for Menlo Park.)

Ogden, a James Beard-award winning chef, cookbook author and restaurateur, owns a home (and restaurant at Santana Row) in San Jose. His Lark Creek Restaurant Group operates a total of 14 restaurants from Santa Clara to San Francisco, Napa, Larkspur, Walnut Creek and beyond. Menlo Park will be his first Peninsula outpost.