Dashi Chinese Kitchen, which elevated Asian cuisine in San Antonio, has closed

Dashi opened for business in 2021, offering an elevated take on Sichuan cuisine. Credit: Instagram / teddyliang_eats

Acclaimed North San Antonio restaurant Dashi Chinese Kitchen + Bar has closed, ending a four-year run that elevated the city’s Asian dining scene.

Owner Kristina Zhao announced the closure in a weekend Facebook post, saying she made a strategic decision to focus on other business concepts, including her flagship restaurant, Sichuan House.

“Dashi was a dream realized. As you know, Dashi means Grand Master. We chose this name because a restaurant is a collaboration of the arts — what you see, smell, hear, taste, and feel. We sought to do that, and we did,” Zhao wrote. “We are immensely proud of the experiences we shared and the community we built.”

In the post, Zhao thanked diners for their support and her staff for their “passion, artistry, and unwavering commitment to hospitality.”

Dashi offered a full bar and hip dining environs. Credit: Instagram / teddyliang_eats

Dashi drew accolades with a menu that included familiar Sichuan standards such as cumin lamb chops and wok-seared green beans along with more adventurous fare including spicy whole fish with tripas and a variety of incendiary noodle dishes. The restaurant also included a full bar program built around cocktails, wine, beer and Asian whisky.

In addition to Sichuan House, 3505 Wurzbach Road #102, Zhao said she’ll continue to operate the nonprofit The Ciao & Zen Collective, which hosts public and private culinary events at Ivy Hall in Southtown.

Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.