Tour The Bakery At Fat Rice, A Whimsical Trip Through Asia, Opening Tomorrow

Chicago-style hot dog baos are just the start

by Ashok Selvam@Shokdiesel Jul 5, 2016, 4:00pm CDT

Photography by Marc Much

Ashok Selvam is the editor of Eater Chicago and a native Chicagoan armed with more than two decades of award-winning journalism. Now covering the world of restaurants and food, his nut graphs are super nutty.

Fat Rice ushers in a new era on Wednesday morning when The Bakery At Fat Rice opens to offer unique Asian-inspired pastries in Logan Square. The bakery, which neighbors Fat Rice, will take on a new identity during at night. That's when Petisco will serve Portuguese-inspired small plates in the same whimsical space.

"Pasteleria" is the Portuguese word for bakery, and guests will see the word above the door as they enter. However, Portugal is only one source of inspiration for the Fat Rice crew. Guests can sip on Vietnamese-inspired coffee from Sparrow, eat Sri Lankan curry beef rolls, and even try a Chicago-style hot dog bao. A colony of Chinese-style birdcage light fixtures hang overhead, with benches decorated with a bright floral pattern. Co-owners Abe Conlon and Adrienne Lo have converted the space, which was their former waiting room for Fat Rice customers. Now, if lines are too long for Fat Rice customers, they have a new option.

The bakery is just one sign of change for Fat Rice 2.0. On Friday, their long-awaited bar, Ladies' Room opens. But for now, check out the bakery photos below.

The Bakery At Fat Rice, 2951 W. Diversey Ave., (773) 661-9544, open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday through Sunday; closed on Monday.