Three Fold Noodles and Dumpling Co., a new restaurant specializing in traditional Chinese food, is planning to open in mid-December at 215 Center St., the former home of Your Mama’s Good Food, according to assistant manager and business development manager Rebecca Yan

The menu will include handmade dumplings, steamed buns and hand-stretched noodles. Service will cafeteria style, similar to Chipotle, where diners travel along a line and pick a base, a protein, a spice-level and among various sides of vegetables — likely including taro chips, pickles and slaw — that will change with the seasons.

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Nearly everything, from dumpling dough to sauces to stock, will be made in house, using as many local vegetables and meats as possible, Yan said. Only the noodles will come from an outside provider, though Yan promised everything would be authentic, unlike anything currently available in the market.* 

Hours, at least initially, will be 10:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. The restaurant won’t serve alcohol from the outset either. 

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Yan’s mother, Lisa Zhang*, is the restaurant’s chef and, along with other family members and friends, owner. The menu will include a number of regional styles. Zhang grew up in Heilongjiang, China’s northernmost province, and lived in southeastern China with her husband, Jian Yan. Before the family immigrated in 1999, Zhang said she guessed she’d probably traveled throughout two thirds of the country. “That’s why I really have the experience to explore … regional cuisine” from all over China,” she said.

Zhang said she’s been preparing to open the restaurant for five years since she graduated with a degree from The Art Institute of Dallas, a culinary school. (It’s her second degree; she graduated with a chemistry degree from college in China and spent years management in manufacturing.) 

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The kitchen will be open so diners will be able to watch Zhang cooking from the dining room, or they can sit at a small table in the kitchen to watch dumplings being made at the pastry station.

The hexagonal tile, seen above, is just one example of a massive renovation happening the space. You can get a few other looks at Three Fold’s instagram page

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*A previous version of this post incorrectly suggested that Three Fold won’t make its steamed buns in house and misspelled chef/owner Lisa Zhang’s name.

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