A new Asian restaurant focusing on dumplings and handmade noodles is in the works at 505 State St., the former home of Osaka House.
Chen’s Dumpling House, owned by married couple Amanda Chen and James Jiang, will open in early February. The restaurant, which can seat about 40 people, will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. Jiang, who has been in the restaurant business for 25 years, is the former owner of World Buffet, which has locations in Madison, Monona and Monroe.
Jiang recently sold the World Buffet restaurants and is looking forward to working in a smaller restaurant where he can focus on quality instead of quantity. “A buffet is a little different, you’re making food for a whole bunch of people,” he says. With a smaller eatery, he’ll be able to do “the best I can do.”
Originally from China, Jiang studied cooking in Beijing and has traveled throughout Asia getting ideas for recipes. He says he and his wife have been looking for a location for this type of restaurant for about 10 years. Chen’s Dumpling House will serve traditional Chinese dumplings filled with vegetables, chicken and pork. Other menu items include steamed buns with a variety of fillings, stir-fried lo mein, spicy Szechuan noodles and ban mian noodles. All noodles will be fresh and handmade, Jian says. “We do real Chinese-style,” he says. “Not many places can do that.”
Jiang bought the building after Osaka House closed and has done an extensive interior remodel over the last two months. On Jan. 17, the city’s Alcohol License Review Committee approved beer and wine licenses for the restaurant, which expects 10 percent of its sales to come from alcohol.
At the same time, the ALRC tabled a decision on a license for a Midwest-themed sports bar called Sweet Home Wisconsin, planned for 910 Regent St., the former location of O.S.S. Co-owner Brett Best declined an interview, saying the restaurant concept was still in development. The ALRC application describes the establishment as a “Wisconsin sports and food-themed restaurant with a strong Chicago twist.” Alcohol is projected to account for 60 percent of sales, and sample menu items were listed as burgers, salads, Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches and deep-dish pizza.
Editor's Note: This article has been updated to correct the status of Sweet Home Wisconsin's liquor license. The decision was referred; it was not approved, as the article originally stated.
