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Dumpling entrepreneur Hao Tran goes solo

By dani2011dhs@gmail.comJanuary 17, 2023No Comments

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