Red Bao Kitchen is preparing to open its first brick-and-mortar restaurant at Polaris Fashion Place, with founder Alicia Long telling What Now Columbus the fast-growing concept is targeting a mid-August debut, pending final health inspections.
The Southern Chinese street food concept will be located inside the food court at 1500 Polaris Pkwy., marking the next step for a business that has quickly built a following through its ghost kitchen, farmers markets and community pop-ups.
Long said the decision to open a permanent location was driven by overwhelming customer demand.
“People kept asking when we were going to open a location where they could come in and sit down and enjoy the food together,” she said. “That’s when we realised we really needed our first brick-and-mortar location.”
Founded just months ago, Red Bao Kitchen has already gained popularity through appearances at the Dublin Farmers Market, Grandview Farmers Market, Grandview Hop, North Market Downtown and Bridge Park’s North Market. According to Long, guests frequently lined up to try the concept’s signature bao buns and asked when a permanent restaurant would open.
As a Chinese native who grew up eating authentic cuisine, Long said her goal has always been to introduce Columbus diners to traditional Southern Chinese comfort food.
“I wanted to be able to bring some authenticity to Columbus and for people to try authentic Chinese bao buns, noodles and other traditional dishes,” she said.
The Polaris location will feature the same menu offered through Red Bao Kitchen’s ghost kitchen while introducing additional noodle dishes, including dan dan noodles, Shanghai-style peanut butter noodles and Beijing-style zhajiang noodles.
For first-time visitors, Long recommends trying the restaurant’s steamed bao buns, describing them as soft, pillowy dough filled with pork, beef, chicken or vegetables.
“It’s kind of like an empanada, but it’s steamed instead of deep fried,” she said. “It’s healthier, and the flavours really stand out.”
Many of the recipes are family traditions, including the restaurant’s bao bun recipe, which comes from Long’s mother, and its chilli crisp recipe, passed down from her grandfather.
Looking ahead, Long said the Polaris restaurant is only the beginning.
The company hopes to open five Columbus-area locations by the end of the year, with discussions already underway for additional sites at North Market Downtown, North Market Bridge Park, Easton and near Ohio State University. Long added that Red Bao Kitchen’s long-term goal is to become a national franchise brand.
In addition to expanding its restaurant footprint, the company is growing its catering business, serving organisations including Chase, Huntington Bank, Turner Construction, Upstart, schools, the U.S. Army and the Department of Defense. Franchise opportunities are also available, according to Long.
