SAN ANTONIO – A new cocktail bar is coming to Pearl later this year.
Jue Let will be housed in the former Blue Box Bar space, chef Jennifer Dobbertin announced in a news release Thursday.
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Dobbertin is the chef and owner of Best Quality Daughter at Pearl and has recently been named a 2025 James Beard Award semifinalist in the “Best Chef: Texas” category.
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In the release, Dobbertin said Jue Let is named for the Canton-born Chinese chef who served as a private cook for James Beard’s family.
When Beard was still young, Jue Let returned to China, but he continued to have a lasting impact on Beard.
“It was Jue Let who introduced young Beard to Chinese cuisine, shaping his palate and trajectory as a culinary icon,” Dobbertin said. “Jue Let was a surrogate father figure to James Beard and he left a lasting impression on him, as well as a lifelong appreciation of fresh, seasonal ingredients and Chinese culture.”
Dobbertin, who is a first-generation Chinese American, learned about Jue Let after being named a James Beard Award semifinalist in 2023, according to the release.
Jue Let will offer a “concise food menu” with emphasis on bar snacks, small plates and cocktail-friendly fare, according to the release.
Interior design work will be done by Lake|Flato, the architectural firm behind Best Quality Daughter.
Lis Forsythe, the creator of Best Quality Daughter’s bar program, will serve as beverage director for Jue Let. Daniel Perez, the general manager at Best Quality Daughter, will maintain his position at the restaurant while taking on the role of director of operations at the new bar.
An opening date for Jue Let has not been announced.
Dobbertin started her culinary career on the opening team of the Asian fusion concept Hot Joy in 2013. She opened Tenko Ramen, the city’s first fast-casual ramen spot, at Pearl in 2017.
Since launching Best Quality Daughter in 2020, Dobbertin has been a repeat James Beard Award semifinalist, with additional nominations in the “Emerging Chef” category in 2023 and the “Best Chef: Texas” category in 2024.
“I have been dreaming up my next concept at Pearl for the last few years, and I am so excited to finally share it with the world ... We are eager to unveil more details of our new concept when the time is right,” Dobbertin said. “Until then, please stay tuned for this exciting new chapter.”
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