Nabi For Sale, Looks to Remain Open Under New Owner

Nabi, the Montrose restaurant that serves both Japanese and Korean food, has quietly been posted for sale for $325,000. The restaurant, not Bambolino's, is the subject of one of the two blind items that Houston Press critic Katharine Shilcutt posted last week. Reached by Eater, owner Ji Kang emphasizes that the restaurant is not closing. He is speaking to parties interested in buying the restaurant as a turn-key operation and hopes to be able to announce both a buyer and his future plans in the next two weeks.

Although only open since November, Nabi has earned fans for the quality of its food, including Korean fried chicken. However, almost every write up mentions service issues. Hopefully whoever purchases the restaurant can maintain the former while improving the latter.

Finally, despite Kang's assurances that the whole business is for sale and will remain open, one rumor making the rounds at last night's Eater happy hour is that a prominent, presently unemployed Houston chef has his eye on the space for his return. True or not, the situation bears watching.

· Westheimer at Montrose, Houston, TX, 77006 - Available for Sale [Loopnet]
· Openings & Closings: Blind Items and Other "Fun" Activities [Eating Our Words]
· Nabi-Hood Hangout [Houston Press]
· Hits and Misses at Nabi [Eating Our Words]
· Nabi: Neighborhood Restaurant [Official Site]
Nabi's Interior [Maigen A/Yelp]