Popular neighborhood restaurant Franklin Southie (152 Dorchester Avenue) will close to make way for a new restaurant run by a former Franklin chef, says David Dubois. Dubois is co-owner of the Franklin Restaurant Group, which operates Franklin Cafes in Boston and Cape Ann. The group also runs the Tasty Burger chain.
Franklin Southie will be replaced by Moonshine 152, owned by Asia Mei. Mei was previously a chef at Franklin Southie four years ago and went on to work at Sam’s at Louis. She also worked at Hamersley’s Bistro, which recently closed. Mei’s move is a plus for the community, Dubois says.
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“She was one of the best cooks we ever had at Franklin Southie,” says Dubois. “She came to us and basically offered to buy it. She wanted her own restaurant. And it was the right fit: I’m a big believer in neighborhood restaurants and chef-owners, and the neighborhood already loves her.”
He expects that the menu will focus on locally grown, organic offerings. “She’ll really bring the level up,” he says. “Her style is clean and technically excellent.” Moonshine 152 should open early next year.
Meanwhile, Dubois is working on a Back Bay location for Tasty Burger, plus higher-end projects. “We also have a couple of concepts in the works for more Franklin Cafe-style restaurants in Boston,” he says.