A now-closed spot for Shanghainese soup dumplings in Boston’s South End will soon become a new restaurant.
Husband-and-wife team So Lim Ting and Yingqi Su of Ting Management Group Corp are preparing to open Novo Lantern in the former site of Nan Xiang Express at 1750 Washington St, according to Boston Restaurant Talk.
The name Novo Lantern translates to “new lantern,” with the lantern referencing Asian and Chinese cuisine. Ting said the concept blends classic cooking methods with more contemporary ingredients, shaped by his and his wife’s travels and their experience growing up American-Chinese.
“We’re taking traditional methods and pairing them with new ingredients,” he told What Now Boston. “The food really symbolizes me and my wife—traveling, growing up here in the States, and bringing our values around food and culture together.”
The menu will lean into creative cross-cultural comfort dishes, including items like Sichuan tuna tartare, kale dumplings, and dandan gnocchi. The gnocchi, Ting explained, is a playful nod to his daughters’ love of carbs. “We have two girls, and they love pasta—that’s kind of where the gnocchi comes in,” he said.
Soup dumplings will remain a centerpiece, with a dedicated dumpling station where guests can watch chefs prepare them fresh.
Novo Lantern will operate as a sit-down restaurant with just under 50 seats, designed to feel cozy and intimate. Minor cosmetic renovations are underway, including new booth seating and round tables designed to encourage sharing.
Ting Management Group also operates Nan Xiang Express in Chinatown, Friendship BBQ in Allston, and co-owns JiangNan in Boston, bringing more than two decades of combined industry experience to the new venture. “We love this industry,” Ting explained. “It’s our passion—for food, for service, for bringing everyone together.”
A soft launch is planned for early January, with a grand opening expected in the coming weeks. “We’re not in a rush,” Ting said. “We want to open when the staff is comfortable. It’s very community-friendly, and we like it that way.”
