Celadon Closes, Transforms Into French Concession

Several tipsters alerted us to a new sign posted at Celadon on 5th Avenue that renames it the French Concession.

Owner Alex Thao (Rama) decided that after 20 years, the restaurant needed a change; a speedy three-week refresh, facilitated by Jaime Partners, turned the former Thai spot into a 1930's Shanghai-style dim sum restaurant that soft opened last week.

The 3,500-square-foot space has a new coat of paint and the former piano bar on the lower level is now filled with casual communal bar tables. Thao, who's opening Lucky Liu's downtown, has his chef, Andrew Kwong, hand-making over 30 kinds of steamed, baked and fried dim sum, from black bean spareribs to pan fried turnip cake, baked BBQ pork buns and fried shrimp dumplings.

Open from noon to 10 p.m. all week, French Concession is hoping to appeal to the brunch and happy hour crowd. Traditional dim sum carts will roll through the restaurant on weekends and a 4 to 6 p.m. happy hour features half off all steamed dim sum.
· French Concession [Facebook]
· All Switcheroos on Eater [~ESD~]