Behind the gold doors, however, a lot is going on. In recent months, the space has been quietly transforming into something new and exciting.
Filbert “Fil” Ip, the son of Gold Marquess’ original owners, has been at the helm of the building’s most recent behind-the-scenes action, fervently working to reimagine the sprawling space into a food hall that will soon be home to a variety of food vendors, full bar, and entertainment space.
Ip is calling the venue Baoshi Food Hall, set to open next month at 8525 Pines Rd.
“I wanted the open space and original concept to stay,” Ip tells New Times. “But now, we’ll be taking advantage of the outside patio more and really activating the entire space like never before.”
Ip describes his vision as a giant market offering a variety of snacks, products, and merchandise sourced directly from Asian countries. The primary dining area will make way for a total of five vendors, three of whom are confirmed to begin serving when Baoshi opens in November.
They include Fort Lauderdale-based Asian-fusion hotspot Temple Street Eatery, which will debut its second outpost serving up favorite dishes like crispy edamame falafel bites, mini beef arepas served with a cilantro mayo dipping sauce, and Japanese panko bread crumb-crusted katsu burger patty complete with a bao-inspired bun.
“It’s an honor to have them as part of this project, and you just can’t go wrong with anything on their menu,” Ip says. “Our goal with all of the vendors we are inviting over is to ensure they represent the utmost in terms of quality.”
A second confirmed vendor is Gangnam Chikn, a South Florida-based pop-up serving Korean fried chicken and sandwiches.
And for Gold Marquess fans, expect to find the restaurant return as a streamlined fast-service vendor offering its most popular dishes, including roasted duck and dim sum.
“Since we’ve been closed, we’ve had people showing up from Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, and other spots, not realizing we were closed. It’s the food, quality, and authenticity that kept people coming back — and we can’t wait to serve them in this new setting.”
Additional tenants include a dessert-themed restaurant, a poke-focused establishment, and a bar area and lounge dubbed the “Zen Den,” with a minimalist design for those seeking a quiet reprieve. An outdoor bar space and murals featuring Japanese pop art designed by Esteban Bressan tie the space together, adds Ip, who encourages people to keep an eye on the Baoshi Food Hall Instagram account for the latest news and the opening date announcement.
“Pembroke Pines was really missing something like this,” says Ip. “And now it’s here, and the first of its kind in this area.”
Baoshi Food Hall. 8525 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines; baoshifoodhall.com. Opening in November.
