Houston’s Incoming Thai Eatery Brings Curry Beef Short Ribs to CityCentre

Memorial City’s gigantic CityCentre development will add a Thai destination this spring from an award-winning culinary couple.

Jett and Jira Hurapan’s latest project, dubbed Yi Peng, is named after the annual sky lantern festival celebrating the full moon in Chiang Mai. Lanterns will naturally be aplenty across the 3,500-square-foot corner space on Sorella Court (the former home of Freedom Supercars).

Early dishes in the works include Chiang Mai grilled spicy sausage dressed with herbs, roasted chili spices, and lemongrass and a Northern-style braised curry beef short ribs with Thai spices and Chinese broccoli.

The new lunch and dinner option will fit 60 diners in the main dining room and bar, along with a 28-seat patio, chef’s table for eight, and a mezzanine-level private dining room for 24. Yi Peng will also host Thai cooking classes.

Cocktails also come with a Thai twist. The Lemon-Ginger Lantern mixes Woodinville Bourbon, hibiscus, fresh ginger and mint, lemon, and club soda in a glass.

The sprawling mixed-use complex’s diverse restaurant roster includes Japanese (Ra), seafood (Eddie V’s), and South American (Sal y Pimienta). Fellini Gelato & Caffe sits next door.

In other CityCentre news, sweets shop Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams will open this summer just in time for scoops season. The cult Ohio-born chain’s second location in Houston will be super tiny (under 900 square feet) and sit on the plaza between Free People and Yard House.