Best Quality Daughter, the culinary dream on its way to becoming a reality from locals Jennifer Hwa Dobbertin, Quealy Watson and Jennifer Ling Datchuk, is returning with a pop-up dinner on San Antonio’s East Side. Now in its third year, the ticketed eight-course dinner event will feature an array of Asian-American cuisine curated by Chefs Jennifer Dobbertin and Quealy Watson of Tenko Ramen. This pop-up dinner is a taste of what is to come at the future brick and mortar location. Tickets for the dinner are available online. (Best Quality Daughter, 2019)

Tickets for the Chinese Laundromat Dinner are $108 which grant guests access to a cocktail hour and an eight course seated dinner featuring cocktails and wine from William Chris Vineyards. Eight is a common theme in the Asian-inspired, recurring pop-up series because it is the most auspicious number in Chinese culture. The menu includes Thai Fermented Sausages, Sizzling Rice and Aromatic Chorizo Prawn Dip, Smoked Brisket Fat Sticky Rice Shumai, Salt and Pepper King Crab with Thom Kha Gravy, Twice Baked Banana, Shaved Gailan with Fermented Tofu XO Caesar, Oolong Tea Smoked Prime Rib and Asian Pear and Cheese Foam Kakigori.

Best Quality Daughter is the collaborative effort of Jennifer Hwa Dobbertin, Chef Quealy Watson and ceramic artist, Jennifer Ling Datchuk. With the help of architect Vicki Yuan of Lake Flato Architects and designer, Jamie Stolarski, the home, formerly an industrial steam cleaner shop, will transform into the Best Quality Daughter Chinese Laundromat. The dinner will be spearheaded by Dobbertin and Watson and the art installations and decor, which will reflect the Asian immigrant labor experience, will be presented by Datchuk and Yuan. There will also be a sound installation by Shanghai sound artist, Terence Lloren, craft cocktails by Denise Deglopper, of the newly opened Pastiche and live music from DT Buffkin.

Chinese Laundromat Dinner – Saturday, October 26 beginning at 7p.m.

• • 7p.m. to 8p.m. – Cocktail hour in an intimate courtyard setting with live music and mingling
  • 8p.m. to 10p.m. – Seated, eight-course dinner at a converted industrial steam cleaners

The concept was originally dreamt up by Datchuk and Dobbertin, who connected over their shared cultural identity as Asian women in Texas. The name was inspired by a scene in the mother-daughter film Joy Luck Club and created in an effort to increase the availability of Asian-American food in San Antonio.  With future brick and mortar plans in the works, Chef Quealy Watson of Tenko Ramen (formerly of Hot Joy) will also step in as a partner. Watson will assist with developing the menu for the upcoming permanent location.

“We love watching our vision come to life and are always excited to provide San Antonians the opportunity to try our interpretations of authentic Asian cuisine. Best Quality Daughter is largely inspired by the shared family meals we grew up with.” – Jennifer Hwa Dobbertin