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Chinese restaurants are having a moment in Colorado, with a new space opening near-weekly.
For every Chinese restaurant closure we see — such as the 40-year-old Imperial Chinese on Broadway that shuttered suddenly earlier this year — it seems two others are now popping up. Many are dumpling spots, leaning hard into the filled dough delights. Others are capitalizing on the hand-pulled noodle trend, and for good reason. Who doesn’t love noodles?
Adding to the mix is the “elevated Chinese” concept, seeking to bury the “hole-in-the-wall” stereotype many expect from the cuisine. Blossom by SYC just opened its doors last week in LoHi, bringing an elegant, downright sexy take on the concept with a slick and stylish dining space.
And now, chef Edwin Zoe — of Zoe Ma Ma, Dragonfly Noodle and Pearl Poké fame — is adding another with the newly announced San San, described as an “elevated American Chinese” restaurant opening next month just off Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall on 10th Street.
According to the announcement, San San (which means “three mountains”) is designed to celebrate “generations of Chinese immigrants who created the American branch of the Chinese culinary tree,” with refined takes on such classics as General Tso’s Chicken, Chop Suey and the like.
“Having spent years exploring various cuisines, time and experience led me back to American Chinese food,” Zoe says in a statement. “We’re excited to invite guests to experience this vibrant cuisine through an elevated lens of creativity and respect. This is about celebrating the foods that tell our stories.”
The opening is the latest evolution for Zoe, whose made a career on exploring the intersection of traditional Chinese cooking and contemporary dining. He first gained a loyal following with Zoe Ma Ma, the fast-casual eatery he opened in Boulder in 2013 before expanding to Denver’s Union Station. The Denver location closed last year after a decade in business, with Zoe citing rising operating costs and changing downtown conditions. But the Boulder location remains open.
He then brought Dragonfly Noodle to 16th Street right in the midst of the pedestrian mall’s renovation project, where it remains today, expanding his focus to regional Chinese noodle dishes that have earned national recognition.
When it opens, San San will feature an 80-seat dining room with booths, outdoor seating and a full bar overseen by beverage director Matthew Jansen. Like Zoe’s other ventures, it will operate under a no-tipping model, instead adding an 18% service charge to each check.
San San will be located at 2014 10th St., Boulder and will be open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.sansan.food.
