Citing space issues, Richie told Scott Joseph’s Restaurant Guide that the concept should really be housed in a restaurant about half the size. Baoery employed about 20 people. Some will move next door to Soco, Richie’s sister concept.
Owner TPRG has no current plans for the space.
Our restaurant critic, Faiyaz Kara, visited the restaurant in February 2016 (“Pan-Asian eats at Baoery Asian Gastropub liven up the Thornton Park dining scene“), pointing out that Richie’s new concept was close to the chef’s heart – Greg Richie famously loves martial arts and martial arts films) – and that the “tongue-in-cheek dish names and sake-bomb atmo” seemed to indicate that Baoery was meant to be “an antidote to Soco’s decidedly more serious climate.”
We’re pretty bummed about the closing, because, while the ramen and bao weren’t our favorites in town, and desserts seemed like an afterthought, we loved the small plates — especially those sticky ribs and mac ‘n kim-cheese. Care to share the recipe, chef?
This article appears in Mar 29 – Apr 4, 2017.