Eddie Huang Closes His Famous Bao Shop in Manhattan After 10 Years

October 7, 2020

Eddie Huang has announced that Baohaus, his famous steam bun shop in East Village, Manhattan in New York City, is permanently closing.

Sad news: The 38-year-old author, restaurateur and attorney, who inspired the hit TV show “Fresh Off the Boat,” made the announcement in an Instagram post this week. He also gave a shout-out to his team and talked about his upcoming movie “Boogie,” according to Hypebeast.

Huang wrote that Baohaus turned on the iconic neon light sign one last time before closing the restaurant’s front doors for good.
“It’s been a wild and fulfilling 10 year ride with Baohaus but Id be lying if I said ‘I cant believe whats happened,’” Huang said. “I opened this restaurant to tell my family’s story through food at a time when no one was giving Asian-Americans a chance in tv, film, books, or media generally.”
He also updated his followers about upcoming projects, including the movie “Boogie” and the animated series “Chinos.”
Huang also paid tribute to American rapper Prodigy, who died in 2017, and the late American celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain.

Not just a cheap eat: Before opening in New York City’s East Village, Eddie and his brother, Evan Huang, opened Baohaus’ doors on Rivington Street in the Lower East Side on Christmas Eve 2009, according to the steam bun shop’s website.

Instead of staying in their family’s Steakhouse down South, the Huang brothers decided to open up a restaurant where they could share the same homestyle Taiwanese-Chinese food they grew up with.
“They didn’t do it just to sell baos, but instead create a mouth piece for the social, cultural, and political issues they cared about,” the website said.
Baohaus has achieved a lot of things since they first opened beyond social media-worthy cuisine, including feeding over 200 homeless people in Orlando, Florida.
The steam bun shop originally offered Chairman Bao, Haus Bao and Uncle Jesse along with Bao Fries, Boiled Peanuts and Taiwanese Sodas on its menu.
But eventually, it expanded to include cheap eat favorites such as Birdhaus Bao (fried chicken), Uncle Jesse Bao (fried tofu) and Fried Fish Bao, Time Out reported. Even the FUNG BROS. have come knocking on this restaurant’s door in the past to try the food.
“Baohaus isn’t just a restaurant, it’s a futuristic YMCA where brothers in snap backs and nike boots can find that motivation (I see you Jizzle!),” the website said. “It’s the place the brothers wish existed in their neighborhood when they were coming up. Our families came on boats, but now we on a space ship, f**k with us.”

Feature Images (left) via @baohausnyc, (right) BAOHAUS RESTAURANT NYC

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