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A month after Allston’s Refuge Cafe closed — apparently due to an artificial intelligence takeover — a hot pot restaurant stands poised to take its place. Mala Kungfu has moved in and will open soon at 155 Brighton Ave.
After bouncing back from a rumored closure in the fall of 2016, Refuge closed for good in June 2018 after a series of bizarre posts on its Facebook page. Now, Mala Kungfu has posted signage within the space, and though Mala Kungfu has a bare-bones website and social media presence, both indicate that the forthcoming restaurant will serve hot pot and tea, operating seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Mala Kungfu joins several other hot pot restaurants in Allston-Brighton, including the recently opened Pot Bar, as well as Shabu Zen and Spring Shabu-Shabu.
Update, August 21: Mala Kungfu is now open.
• Refuge Cafe Has Closed for Real This Time [EBOS]
• Mala Kungfu [Official Site]