A Crispy Cantonese Duck-Focused Restaurant Will Soon Land in Houston

The Blossom Hotel, the posh new Medical Center-area getaway that opened last month, has announced an exciting new lineup of restaurants opening on-site in early 2022.

The first, Duck House by Boon, is a sibling to Empress by Boon, the stunning modern Cantonese restaurant that opened in San Francisco earlier this year. Empress was the first solo venture for chef Ho Chee Boon, who spent three decades as the executive chef at Michelin-starred restaurant group Hakkasan.

As the name implies, Duck House will focus on Cantonese duck dishes using birds sourced from Joe Jurgielewicz & Son LTD, a fourth-generation family-owned duck farm in Pennsylvania. According to a press release, “JJS Pekin ducks” are known for their “distinct natural favor and unmatched crispy skin with an ideal meat-to-fat ratio.” Duck House will also serve dishes like stir fry, dim sum, and soups.

“I take pride in introducing Cantonese flavors and dishes that reflect my modern sensibilities and unique ingredients,” Boon says in a press release.

The second restaurant, AB Sushi, will be led by a professional snowboarder-turned-prolific chef Akira Back. Born in Korea and raised in Aspen, Colorado, Back gained fame for his modern Korean restaurant in Seoul, called Dosa, which won a Michelin star in 2018. He also owns several other restaurants, including high-end Korean barbecue joint AB Steak in Los Angeles, and contemporary Japanese restaurant Yellowtail in Las Vegas.

At AB Sushi, diners can expect high-grade sushi, premium sashimi, and Japanese-inspired dishes in a congenial atmosphere that is both “refined and unpretentious”, according to the press release. The menu will focus on premium ingredients and Japanese cooking techniques.

When the Blossom Hotel was first announced, there were rumblings of it also hosting a possible karaoke bar. Back’s Chinese restaurant in Toronto, Dasha, features private karaoke rooms, but no word yet if he’ll bring a similar concept to Houston.

The Blossom Hotel is located at 7118 Bertner Avenue. Both Duck Houseby Boon and AB Sushi are expected to open early next year. Stay tuned to Eater for more details as the date approaches.

Step Inside Empress by Boon for Modern Cantonese in a Historic Banquet Hall [Eater SF]

Inside ABSteak, Beverly Center’s New Modern Monument to Meat [Eater LA]

New Houston Hotel to Bring Ambitious Sushi Restaurant, Karaoke Bar and International Flair to Texas Medical Center [Paper City]