Rice Village's new dumpling destination

Chinese restaurant known for Peking duck and dumplings debuts in Rice Village

Rice Village has a new destination for Peking duck and xiao long bao. Duck N Bao has opened its third location at 5215 Kelvin Drive.

Created by owners Grace and Leo Xia, the new Duck N Bao joins its sister locations in Cypress and on Memorial Drive as well as Hongdae 33, the couple’s all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue concept that opened in Chinatown last year.

First opened in 2020, Duck N Bao has earned wide acclaim for its Sichuan dishes, soup dumplings, and Peking duck, which Texas Monthly included on its 2022 list of favorite dishes from restaurants around the state. They’re paired with cocktails that showcase baijiu and other Chinese spirits.

For Rice Village, the Xias have stepped things up with more luxurious ingredients. For example, diners can add lobster to the mapo tofu and caviar to the Peking duck. The menu also includes new dishes such as crispy, triple-cooked short ribs; duck fried rice; lobster tails, two ways (stir-fried salt-and-pepper style or XO sauce); black truffle soup dumplings; and a Sichuan-style rice-battered beef shank.

To transform the former Zoës Kitchen in the Hanover Rice Village apartment building into Duck N Bao, the Xias worked with the the same interior designed who created Hongdae 33. Details include display cases that showcase Chinese teapots and silverware; art prints of monkeys, dogs, and tigers by the artist Paige Gemmel; and a viewing window into the kitchen that allows diners to watch dumplings being made by hand.

“We hope the restaurant gives off a positive energy when guests walk in,” Grace Xia said in a statement. “Right away, they can see the magic of our cooks preparing the dumplings, which is always a big draw for kids and foodies alike. We hope that, combined with our delicious food and warm service, helps to create a memorable experience every time.”

The restaurant opens for lunch and dinner daily at 11 am. Delivery is available via third-party apps.

Photo by Jenn Duncan

Duck N Bao serves duck, dim sum, and more.

news-you-can-eat openings rice village

2 staples shuttered

Downtown Italian restaurant and Upper Kirby wine bar suddenly close

Photo by © Chinh Phan/Fotowerk Group

Cru, seen here in happier times.

Inevitably, the end of the year brings a surprise closure or two, and 2024 is no exception. Both a staple downtown Italian restaurant and an Upper Kirby wine bar have quietly closed this week.

Sambuca closed after service on December 16, owner Kim Forsythe shared on Facebook. Open for 22 years in downtown’s The Rice apartment building, the restaurant was well known for its live music and lively atmosphere. While the restaurant had long been a staple for both downtown office workers and residents, it never fully recovered from the lingering economic changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In recent years, we've faced challenges that have tested our resilience,” Forsythe writes. “The changing climate of our city, with rising homelessness and crime, coupled with the lingering impacts of COVID and the resulting empty office spaces, has created a perfect storm that we could not weather. Though we fought with everything we had to keep our doors open, we're choosing to close this chapter with gratitude, carrying countless memories over the past 22 years.”

Crú Food & Wine Bar has closed its location in Upper Kirby’s Shops at Arrive development, according to a post former managing partner Annette Amaya on Instagram. In addition to the post about the closure, it is no longer accepting reservations via Open Table.

First opened in 2011, Crú earned a following for its eclectic wine list and a food menu that focused on familiar fare such as cheese and charcuterie boards and pizzas. Its location in The Woodlands remains open.

The Shops at Arrive have been busy this year with new openings. Staples such as Eddie V’s and Pondicheri have been joined by PostScript, a female-focused restaurant inspired by Dallas’ XOXO Dining Room, and Kira, an intimate hand roll bar from the team behind upscale omakase counter Neo.

closings news-you-can-eat