The hot pot varies from country to country, but the communal dish is quick and easy to make. Thinly sliced meats, seafood, vegetables and noodles are poached in a broth. The flavors might differ, but it’s all about gathering and sharing. Photo by Meda Kessler
Last year was a mixed bag for Tran, a Fort Worth schoolteacher by day and dumpling maker whenever she could find the time.
She ended her partnership in The Pantry and took over the lease of The Table Market + Culinary Studio after her partners there opted to devote their time to a new concept in downtown Fort Worth’s Sundance Square. But a new year means a new beginning. She has rebranded The Table as Hao’s Grocery & Cafe and expanded into an unused space next door.
The original Table will be dedicated to a market featuring Asian goods plus local foods from new vendors, including a curry maker living in Denton and some veterans from The Table. The new space will be known as Lao Che Lounge, a bar in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. “I love Harrison Ford, so I hope he hears about it and visits,” she says with a laugh. (Tran has hired Fort Worth architect Marta Rozanich of konstrukcio studio to work on the concept.)
But her lounge will be used for classes, tastings and other events, including pop-ups such as a hot-pot dinner. And, yes, there will be dumplings, as production is ramping up to produce more stock for the take-and-go freezer case. For updates, follow on social media.
Where: 120 St. Louis Ave.
More info: instagram.com/haosgrocerycafe