HEALDSBURG, CA — When a fire destroyed Bazaar Sonoma's original home in Forestville, fans were devastated. For a year, the trio behind the restaurant turned to pop-ups while they regrouped and searched for a new start.
Finally, they found a home in Healdsburg, where people have been waiting — possibly marking their calendars — for the opening of the new business, MeiMei.
Customers swamped MeiMei on Monday, its first day in Healdsburg, greeting Bazaar Sonoma's latest incarnation with a rush for the food that built a local following.
Owners Sean Quan and Jenny Phan have brought that food to the former Quail and Condor space, across from the Mill District and near Elephant Room, Acre Pizza, and Quail and Condor's new location.
MeiMei carries familiar flavors into a takeout format after a September 2025 fire damaged Bazaar Sonoma's original building and forced its closing.
By day two, Instagrammers were already sweeping through. Bazaar's casual charm carried across the counter, although a plexiglass barrier between customers and the food service area made conversation harder to hear.
The opening rush surfaced in conversations at the counter. One returning customer described arriving too late Monday and discovering that MeiMei had posted a sold-out sign.
The new concept was originally reported as Chinese-style food hall and grocery. The grocery might be something for the future.
For now, MeiMei simplifies ordering with combo bowls: noodles or rice, one entrée, and two vegetables.
Cookies, house-made teas, and canned and bottled drinks provide add-ons.
Customers choose their rice or noodles at the counter, workers guide them through the meal, and the food leaves in takeout containers.
The move follows a temporary stay in Forestville. After the fire, the couple's friend Gerard Nebesky provided kitchen space at Gerard's Paella on Front Street, between Forestville Club and Joseph Jewell Wines.
That cozy, personable setting housed rotating pop-ups, menus, and concepts. Quan and Phan served Korean dishes and comfort food alongside their Chinese cooking while sharing the paella kitchen. The fit, while temporary, was a good one.
Their original restaurant had already drawn praise for food rooted in family meals. Sonoma Magazine's review traced Bazaar Sonoma's cooking to childhood memories and the meals Quan prepared for fellow restaurant workers.
Quan, a SingleThread alum, drew on dishes he grew up eating and explored regional Chinese recipes.
San Francisco Chronicle food critics singled out Bazaar Sonoma's zhong dumplings and lotus pond salad, describing a playful Forestville dining room where stainless steel prep tables accommodated communal meals and cushioned milk crates supplied seats.
MeiMei changes the setting and the service, although there is a communal-style table. But, on the second day, the exchanges still included familiar faces, introductions, and an offer of a hug.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Healdsburg Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.