The next few days are going to be melancholic for one of Austin's most cherished bars: Ah Sing Den is closing up shop on Sunday, June 9, to make room for a new Southeast Asian food and beverage concept scheduled to open in fall 2024.
Ah Sing Den is leaving its space at 1100 E. 6th St. after eight years in business. In a June 5 Instagram post announcing the closure, the beloved Victorian London-inspired lounge shared its gratitude for its dedicated supporters.
"Thank you for the wonderful years, unforgettable moments, and the most delicious tipples & morsels we’ve shared," the post said.
Ah Sing Den added that the social media account would be rebranded to OKO, the new culinary establishment taking its place.
According to a release, OKO will be "a celebration of Asian cultures filtered through a Texas prism." The new project is backed by Trinity Concepts (Ah Sing Den, Parlor Room) and FAM Hospitality Group (Thai Kun, East Side King).
OKO's 1,600-square-foot space will be designed by Austin-based Michael Hsu Office of Architecture.Rendering courtesy of OKO
"Years of dreaming and brainstorming led to this collaboration with FAM, born from friendship and a mutual interest in expanding our visions,” said Trinity Concepts founder Donny Padda in the release. "We’re so grateful to the Austin community for their support of Ah Sing Den the last eight years and look forward to creating a new space for Austinites to embrace."
Chef Harold Villarosa, who has previously worked for Michelin-starred New York restaurants Aureole and Aquavit, will lead OKO's culinary program alongside FAM Hospitality co-founder and James Beard Award-winning chef Paul Qui.
Menu offerings will have distinct Southeast Asian influences "presented in the cultural context of the Filipino diaspora," the release says. There will be a "kinilawin" (raw seafood) bar serving Filipino-style ceviche and Texas oysters with pinakurat (spicy Filipino coconut vinegar), and other dishes like lumpiang sariwa (fresh spring rolls), various Filipino street foods on skewers, and Filipino classics like Texas lamb adobo.
"OKO is a way to introduce Filipino cuisine in a way that is both thrilling in its newness and familiar in its makeup," said Villarosa. "OKO celebrates diversity within its narrative of the Filipino culinary journey."
The cocktail bar, which will specialize in agave-forward and rum cocktails, will be helmed by beverage director Jarmel Doss.
An official opening date and operating hours are expected later this summer.
