What's Eric Eating Episodes 304 and 305
Clever chef behind cool Houston Asian restaurants rolls out surprise new concept, plus hottest food news
Chef Pak Tsui is this week's guest.
On this week’s interview episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” chef Pak Tsui joins CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler to discuss his career. Over the course of his career, he’s opened multiple restaurants, including Fat Bao, Ka Sushi, and I Know The Owner.
The conversation begins with Tsui explaining how he grew up working for his parents Chinese restaurant. After learning to make sushi on Youtube, he began working at restaurants in Houston until he opened the first Fat Bao in 2012.
From there, Tsui and Sandler discuss the opening of Ka Sushi and I Know The Owner, his new project in the Heights. The chef also shares how he became involved temporarily as a partner in Montrose Vietnamese restaurant Kau Ba, which led him to contribute to the opening of Aya Sushi in Bellaire.
Tsui reveals that his next project will be a surprising new direction. He’s opening a taqueria called Little’s Taco Shop in the same shopping center as Fat Bao.
“It started with one of my main cooks at Ka, during family meal sometimes it would be tacos,” he says. “His family owns taco stands in Mexico. He even helped me at I Know The Owner. [We decided] let’s give it a good. They’re probably some of the best tacos I’ve ever had. Everything is homemade.”
In this week's news episode, Sandler and co-host Linda Salinas discuss all the latest happenings in the world of restaurants. Their topics include Permission Whiskey owner Peter Nolan taking over operations at The Ready Room; the opening of carnival-themed pop-up bar Saint Julian’s Social Club; and the debut of Nando’s Peri-Peri in the Galleria area.
In the restaurants of the week segment, they discuss two new sandwich restaurants. First, is Stuffed Belly, the new restaurant in Spring Branch from Masterchef winner Christine Ha and her husband John Suh. Then, they turn to Narwhal Jousting Club, a delivery and to-go concept from Ninja Ramen owner Christopher Huang and chef David Ramos.
-----
Subscribe to "What's Eric Eating" on Apple podcasts, Google Play, or Spotify. Listen to it Saturdays at 2 pm on ESPN 97.5.
