It was almost exactly four years ago when the popular Laurel Heights/Inner Richmond dim sum spot Hong Kong Lounge II was destroyed by a gas explosion, caused by construction crews hitting a natural gas main while installing fiber-optic cable beneath Geary Boulevard. A year later, we learned that Hong Kong Lounge II would reopen in SoMa near Seventh and Folsom Streets, at the 99 Rausch building.
And last week it finally did reopen, but it's not called Hong Kong Lounge anymore. The Chronicle reports that owner Annie Ho’s new HK Lounge Bistro opened last week, and that the restaurant “bears a similar menu to its predecessor.”
Yelp reviews indicate the restaurant opened last week, and the Chronicle confirms the new HK Lounge Bistro opened Friday, February 10 in the ground floor of the 99 Rausch building. You may recall that the shuttered Brainwash cafe blamed construction at 99 Rausch for its closure.
While HK Lounge II was originally under the same ownership as Hong Kong Lounge (5322 Geary Boulevard, at 17th Avenue), owner Annie Ho sold it to start HK Lounge II. The two now have entirely separate ownership groups.
HK Lounge Bistro is at 1136 Folsom Street and open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., and 5 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
