Jian, a Mid-City Korean barbecue restaurant, grilled its last galbi on August 8th. Signage was posted on the windows informing customers that Jian, which opened two years ago, would be closed from August 7th to November 15th. “It just wasn't right for the area,” said Howard Chan, managing partner and general manager of Bao Dim Sum House, the restaurant replacing Jian.

Bao soft-opens Monday and opens to the public Wednesday, November 17, serving veggie dumplings, shu mai, barbecue pork buns and rice and noodle dishes, among other items. “Unlike traditional dim sum places we have a full bar and we are a DIM SUM HOUSE, which means we will be serving dim sum for lunch/brunch as well as dinner. It will be what we are known for. We have the coveted bao milk buns that are like fluffy clouds of heaven in your mouth.”

“It was too close to Koreatown. Too much competition,” Chan said of Jian BBQ.Though the space won't look much different in design than before and is still under the same ownership, the management and staff has completely changed. Chef Hoi Man Chan from Macau, China, along with “his brigade” will be the tour de force behind Bao's new menu.

Credit: Celia Soudry

Credit: Celia Soudry

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