Restaurant-y News

- The buzz about the Town Talk boys' new spot on East Lake has died down a little, so I'll spark it back up.  I've already been asked half a dozen times in person about the closing of Carne Asada (kitty corner from the Midtown Global Market), and why the windows are all papered up, and if that's where the new concept is going, and I cannot tell a lie: Yes, that's the location.  I still have to keep my mouth shut about the type of restaurant, but as soon as I'm allowed to give full disclosure, I will.

- Kim Bartmann is looking at a June opening for her new supper club at 509 1st Ave NE.  Like Barbette, the menu will feature organic and locally produced ingredients.  I hate to keep another secret from you, but I have to: I know who's going to be running the kitchen, and you should definitely be excited.

- Thom Pham's upcoming Mix Restaurant is also scheduled to open in June.  He's been so busy with Temple stuff that we haven't been able to talk about the menu or the bar, but I'll get the scoop from him over dinner tomorrow night.  We're going to La Belle Vie to rock the tasting menu and sip on Johnny's delicious tangerine sidecars.

- Rick Nelson's 2-out-of-4-star review of Temple was enough to upset Thom, and he's reached the conclusion that this market just isn't interested in another fine dining, French fusion restaurant.  He's been donning his chef's coat late at night and creating new dishes in the Temple kitchen, and the new menu rolls out April 1st.  Expect a stronger emphasis on Asian cuisine, lower price points on some items, and absolutely no more skate wing.

Comments

[s4xton]

It's great that the Town Talk folk are doing 809 E Lake St. Phillips and Powderhorn need more decent places and hopefully this helps. Being situated across the street from the transit station will be mixed blessing too. I have a hard time thinking I'll go there more than the Town Talk, regardless of what it is. I hope it rocks.

I'm more excited about Mix. Is that still slated to be at 3300 Lake St E, (old Molly Quinn's building)? What happened to the "Manhattan Martini and Cocktail Lounge" project at 3533 Lake St E?

[Rich G.]

On another note -- Doug Flicker is taking over the kitchen at Mission. Should be interesting to see what he does.

[Alexis]

Word, Chandrew broke the Mission news a couple of weeks ago. I'm excited to go back after having less-than-great meals there.

Aaron, everything is still in place for Mix, meaning that it will be in the old Molly Quinn's space. I was always a little confused as to the plan for the Manhattan Martini Lounge, and I haven't heard much about it lately. So I really don't know.

[geoff]

I've set the over / under on Doug Flicker & Anoush working together at 4 months. Any takers?

[Dave]

The complaint about the Kobe beef being "undercooked" indicates that this reviewer knows NOTHING about Kobe meat.

Kobe beef is a masterwork of animal farming, and you are WASTING it if you serve it cooked any farther than medium-rare. While in Japan, I occasionally even had it served to me raw with my sashimi dinner, and it was delicious.

That said, if he was the only reviewer unimpressed with Temple's bang-for-the-buck, I would ignore him... but we all know that this is far from the first ho-hum review.

To put it simply, I think "fusion" menus are boring. If I want French food, I'll go to a French restaurant. When I walk in to an Asian restaurant, especially a high-end one, I'm looking for a dining experience that escapes from Western/Eurpean concepts. Serve me a meal that's as exotic as the wall art.

Cheap chow-mein joints need to westernize their dishes for the masses. People who go out of their way for Asian food usually want exactly that. Make me think I've somehow teleported to the best family-owned restaurant in all of Saigon.

That's my two cents, anyway. I think Mr. Pham is absolutely correct to be discouraged by the reaction to his restaurant, and very wise to change it up a bit.

[geoff]

I have a good idea of who's running the kitchen @ Bartmann's new place, and I have to admit that I am less than excited, but solely for selfish reasons.

also, I saw Tom Pham in deep discussion @ MASA during lunch yesterday with a woman who looked like a designer of some sort

[Alexis]

That was one of our Temple managers. She is a snappy dresser.

Thom and I had a lovely dinner at Cosmos last night, after we decided to skip out on the Bellanotte thing. I requested a vegetarian dish other than the tart, and I got an awesome little platter of tempura artichoke hearts, asparagus, arugula, pesto, and that rutabaga gnocchi. The bar was full when we left, so I imagine a few others migrated upstairs.

[Reetsyburger]

Alexis, have you heard anything about the possible Town Talk and Pham partnership mentioned in the strib in January?

"He [Thom Pham] bought the former Molly Quinn's on Lake Street and is talking to Town Talk Diner partners Tim Niver, David Vlach and Aaron Johnson about turning it into an Asian-fusion spot. No contract has been signed, but they're all on the same page. 'I love those guys,' says Pham, 'and would love if somehow we could work together.'"

[Reetsyburger]

Supped at Town Talk tonight and discovered that the Town Talk trio ain't partnering up with Pham's new joint on Lake.

[433]

Well, Dave, maybe I know NOTHING (is that a shout?), but I've had Kobe beef at medium, and it was one of the best things I've ever eaten. Was it still WASTED if I enjoyed it at the wrong level of "done-ness"?

[David Foureyes]

Re: pat's near north or the red stag or whatever it will be called: It's not fair that you know who's rocking the kitchen! Two names come to mind; Marianne Miller (not sure why, I think I just miss Bobino still) and Steven Brown (because I have seen him in the neighborhood a lot lately and have overheard some conversations).

Now begins my assault on Kim's email trying to pester her into telling me. ;)

[geoff]

David...you're cold. I can't say for certain, but I'd guess that you've never heard their names....though if they have prepared meals for you (which is entirely possible, even likely) they would rank among the best meals you've ever had in a restaurant, especially in this part of the world.

[David Foureyes]

Thomas Keller's dishwasher at Per Se!?!?

I've been waiting for Guillermo to get his big break, the sleeping giant awakes!