Nick Wong, the former executive chef behind Underbelly Hospitality’s now-shuttered UB Preserv, plans to open his new modern Asian American diner, Agnes and Sherman, in the Heights. But instead of telling diners what to expect, he’d rather show you.
The chef, who has only offered sneak peeks and small tidbits about the new restaurant on Instagram, is teaming up with Abbas Dhanani, the chef-owner of smash burger joint Burger Bodega, to give diners a preview in an upcoming pop-up event.
On Wednesday, October 23, the chefs will serve Taiwanese beef chopped cheese sandwiches and honey pecan shrimp toast — a crossover between Burger Bodega and the Asian American flavors Wong is set to showcase at Agnes and Sherman, according to a release. Wong and Dhanani will offer the collaborative items at Burger Bodega (4520 Washington Avenue) from 11 a.m. until food sells out.
Little information about Agnes and Sherman has officially been released. When Eater Houston reached out to Wong in July, Wong said he and his co-owner managing partner Lisa Lee had little to share at the time, but the chef and his partner debuted Agnes and Sherman’s scallion waffle and roasted garlic sambal butter at the Rock and Roll Picnic charity event and concert held in September.
Inspired by his upbringing, Wong has also said that the restaurant is named after his mother, Agnes, who immigrated from Hong Kong to the U.S. for college, and his father, Sherman, who was born and raised in San Francisco. “I wanted to try and distill those memories into an experience where I could invite others to connect. I named this restaurant after my parents because if all I want to do is tell my story, then that story is ultimately about them,” Wong wrote on Instagram.
Agnes and Sherman is slated to open sometime this year in the Heights (250 West 19th Street, 77008), next door to Boomtown Coffee, according to a rep, though the restaurant’s website says it’s slated to open in 2025. The restaurant already seems to be staffing up: The Agnes and Sherman Instagram account posted about hiring a general manager in October.
Pop-ups have seemingly been a go-to this summer for chefs ahead of restaurant debuts. New Orleans chef Dominick Lee of the anticipated Houston restaurant Augustine’s and chef Tristen Epps, who plans to open an Afro-Carribbean tasting menu restaurant Buboy in 2025, have both held pop-ups to give diners a preview ahead of their official openings.
Chef Nick Wong of Agnes and Sherman and chef Abbas Dhanani of Burger Bodega will host their pop-up at 11 a.m. at Burger Bodega, 4520 Washington Avenue.