Atlanta-based Tin Drum Asian Kitchen is coming to Houston in the concept's first expansion outside Georgia. Houston restaurateurs Shairoz Lakhani, Avez Maredia, and Faizan Momin will own and operate the imprint, inspired by street-side Asian cafes.
The concept is named for the "tin drummer" of Asian culture, who served as something of a town crier. Legend has it, every morning, he'd walk the streets, banging his drum, urging people into bustling cafes, where he could share the news of the day as they fed their bodies.
The menu is a mashup of bold flavored Asian’s greatest hits, sharing space with sandwiches and what the chain calls "urban garden" items, all of it taken from the cultures of China, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Japan, Korea, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Look for choices like tikka masala, Singapore curry noodles, Thai curry with coconut milk, Korean fried chicken sliders, Saigon summer salad, and crab and cheese spring rolls.
“Houston is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the country with diners who crave international flavors,” said Steven Chan, Tin Drum's founder and CEO in a press release about the expansion. “Shairoz, Avez, and Faizan are the perfect owners to help us grow our brand. They are quality young entrepreneurs who have been die-hard fans of Tin Drum since the beginning. Their combination of operational experience and ability to understand our customer make them the perfect team for our Houston debut."
The trio currently owns and operates three Wingstop restaurants in Texas with two more under construction. They fell in love with the Tin Drum concept while they were university students in Atlanta, where the concept has been a favorite since its opening more than 15 years ago.
“We have wanted to open a location in Houston since we got into the restaurant business after graduating,” said Lakhani. “There are not many Asian fusion restaurants in Houston; we think Tin Drum will fill that void.”
No location has been set, but Tin Drum should open by the end of the year.
