Secrets of the City

Alexis confirms.

Sheeet. Where will I go to get my overpriced mixed drink and feel healthy about it.

Seriously, I thought that place was a big scam: co-opting exotic cultures and the spa culture to sell us insanely expensive drinks and hors d’ouvres. Maybe I’m not the only one?

“I wonder what happened? “

Spoken like someone who has never had dinner there. My experiences: bad service and mediocre food. The last time I was there Pham was on the floor the entire night but the service was still abysmal. A total different experience than Azia.

We ate there once with friends and it was a terrible experience. In three hours we only received 2 drinks and mediocre food. Service was terrible and when Pham stopped by our table he walked away in the middle of us telling him how we were feeling neglected from our server. I refuse to dine in anything he is a part of just based on that one meal.

Noooooo! Not Temple!

There goes the MPLS foodie scene.

Never ate there, probably because I’ve never heard one good review of the place. I love Thanh Do, however.

“A total different experience than Azia”

I’ve always thought Azia’s food was mediocre and way over priced, but the service was superb.

Temple??

Had it been anyone else’s restaurant … Temple would have been buried along with its hideous reviews long ago … count your blessings that the party lasted as long as it did …

Good riddance. I thinketh Pham to be a nice person, but both Temple and Azia have been EXTREMELY unimpressive.

They came off as places that screamed “impress the stupid Midwesterners with exoticism and concept, then rob them blind with overpriced mediocrity and empty trendoid hype.” I gave both joints SEVERAL chances and was disappointed every time. It was as if they were ‘aspiring’ to pull off the same bullshit scam marketing as Chino Latino, and that’s not saying much.

Pham’s restaurants gave the Twin Cities dining scene a couple places that lent credibility to the idea that it is “upscale diverse/eclectic”, i.e, places upper middle class people could feel both fashionable and guilt-free patronizing, because they are “minority-owned” yet “chic.” Little do they know the “minority” who owns these “chic” places was pulling the wool over their eyes, and losing his own shirt in the process. SO perfectly representative of the Twin Cities dining scene in general.

Because I always bring my racial guilt when I go dining?(wait I don’t have any- I’m an equal opportunity assh-le I call BS on the guilt free patronizing comments. I feel guilt free patronizing any joint that feeds me well and is clean. That’s my comfort zone; meat, vegetables and no food borne illness.

This place has been empty lately.

What happened?

No one went there, it was overpriced for the quality of food and service, it just wasn’t as good as Azia.

The location is a tough sell.

Yeah, that location is just no good.

Still love Azia & Thanh Do.

I’ll bet Pham is feeling a bit “beat up” by this.

Why didn’t he just beat up his creditors?

I heard in the late 1912 a woman starved herself to death in support of the suffragette movement at that very location. In her dying breath she uttered the following portent.

“No one shall every be hungry here again!”

And this is why restaurants continue to fail in that area.

failed d/t poor service and over-pricing, not “the economy” as ‘cco reported. has been failing/flailing for a while now.
location not bad for all the nearby law students at UST…they like to eat and drink (rumor has it).

location not bad for all the nearby law students at UST…they like to eat and drink (rumor has it).

I think the former owners of Willies Wine Bar would beg to differ.

Temple never established itself as a better/different dining experience over Azia. Far as I know they also did not have tables outside, which is a great draw for Azia.

I have always thought it would be fun to have a place like Azia/Temple, but instead of the standard ordering routine, that it would be more like a dim sum place. Small, tapas-sized portions of a variety of great tastes on lots of carts roaming the floor to pick and choose as the the mood strikes. Everyone gets a card as they sit down and the server marks them up as they drop off plates. Anyone can come and go as they please and pay on their way out the door. No minnesota credit card marathon at the end of the night to deal with as each person gets rung up as they exit(OK – 20 on this card, 56 on that card, 43 on that one, 20 on that one, 5 on that one and the rest on the Wells Fargo debit card, wait, they are all Wells Fargo Debit Cards, OK, 20 on Carl, etc). The format would also be perfect for people wanting to meet after work as it would be expandable as people showed up, no one would have to hold off on ordering because they wanted to wait for the whole table to get there. It would inspire more drink/food combinations as they could have a cart of a particular drink followed by a cart with a particular food that went well with it. Nights could be themed, vegitarians/vegans could be accommodated easily. And it would just be fun.

No minnesota credit card marathon

If I was a server I would always carry around a pack of the 1.5″ x 2″ post-it notes and have people write what they want on each card and stick it to the card. That would save mucho time in this process and cut down on errors on charging the cards.

If someone was entrepreneurial they could have special ones printed up and sell them to restaurants.

Still love Azia & Thanh Do.

Azia?

Thanh Do?

Far as I know they also did not have tables outside, which is a great draw for Azia.

Wait, are you telling me they didn’t use that great patio they inherited from the days of Loring? That’s just plain dumb.

mnblrmkr, Thanh Do is Pham’s first restaurant (I think) and it’s on Minnetonka Blvd in SLP. I live a block away and they’ve got pretty good food.

MinnPost’s David Brauer takes note of the closing — and links to this thread — in The Daily Glean.

I’m sure the “poor economy” has people dining out less frequently, but it’s more like the double whammy of less consumer spending plus inflationary pressures on food products.

Of course: each failure has its own individual issues too. Temple: had trouble finding its focus. The other restaurants cited: Joe’s Crab Shack, Bakers Square, Krispy Kreme all had national issues.

New restaurants are still opening up, so it can’t be all bad.

I can understand David’s confusion. “Thanh Do” sounds like an expression of gratitude from a guy with a lisp. And “Azia” sounds like something SpellsGood would never write about a certain large continent.

Pham’s restaurants gave the Twin Cities dining scene a couple places that lent credibility to the idea that it is “upscale diverse/eclectic”, i.e, places upper middle class people could feel both fashionable and guilt-free patronizing, because they are “minority-owned” yet “chic.” Little do they know the “minority” who owns these “chic” places was pulling the wool over their eyes, and losing his own shirt in the process. SO perfectly representative of the Twin Cities dining scene in general.

As always bx hits it right out of the park. The food sucked.

I can understand David’s confusion. “Thanh Do” sounds like an expression of gratitude from a guy with a lisp. And “Azia” sounds like something SpellsGood would never write about a certain large continent.

And I just find dining out to generally be an unpleasant, PITA experience. Except for Baker’s Square, I don’t think I’ve eaten at any of the places mentioned in this thread.

New restaurants are still opening up, so it can’t be all bad.

Without smoking? Impossible!

Truth is, the hospitallity business has always been very competitive, and patrons can be fickle. Toss in a lousy economy and $3.50 gas, and it’s even tougher. My hat’s off to any owner willing to give it a try.

restaurants fail all the time
why is there a mnspeak boner for tom pham?
because alexis is his fag hag or something?

What’s the matter with you, Wayne? This post was submitted by a user.

I’ll bet Pham is feeling a bit “beat up” by this.

»» Submitted by bud jr at 9:50 AM on April 21

^^ this is the shittiest thing I’ve ever read on mnspeak, well done.

I would think someone could reopen the Baker’s Sqaure location in St Anthony and make some cash. That place was always packed and was only closed because BS closed all of their Midwest locations.

Lots of early bird specials and unlimited coffee, the blue hairs will flock!

Max, Judging from his two posts today, either he’s just coming down from his birthday bender two weekends ago, or he’s having a bad day at work.

I would think someone could reopen the Baker’s Sqaure location in St Anthony and make some cash. That place was always packed and was only closed because BS closed all of their Midwest locations.

That one ticked me off. So convenient to pick up pies. At least the Rosedale one is still open.

I guess they only closed the underperforming ones. I guess the Applebee’s was stealing all their business.

I don’t know I’m severely hungover and almost fell asleep in a meeting earlier

I’m just out of it today.

but there’s an awful lot of tom pham news. or not, I don’t even know today.

Wasn’t Alexis the Head Waitress there?

That place shoulda been making FIST FULLS of CASH.

Big WADS of it!

And I just find dining out to generally be an unpleasant, PITA experience. Except for Baker’s Square, I don’t think I’ve eaten at any of the places mentioned in this thread.

Why bother reading the thread and then commenting?

restaurants fail all the time
why is there a mnspeak boner for tom pham?
because alexis is his fag hag or something?

Wow, you’re an asshole.

Not even Naked Sushi could save Temple.

Why bother reading the thread and then commenting?

I tohught my comment fit in reasonably well with all the other comments about crappy service and mediocre, over-priced food.

I tohught my comment fit in reasonably well with all the other comments about crappy service and mediocre, over-priced food.

I disagree. You were blasting the entire concept of dining out. I’m sorry it’s an unpleasant experience for you, but we’ve heard your complaints again and again and again. We get it.

I DID wonder why there weren’t more naked sushi jokes in this thread, though. I almost thought I’d remembered the wrong restaurant until mjm’s comment reassured me my mind hadn’t gone. Although I guess it didn’t get too much play back then, either.

I can understand David’s confusion. “Thanh Do” sounds like an expression of gratitude from a guy with a lisp. And “Azia” sounds like something SpellsGood would never write about a certain large continent.

“Thanh Do” for the shout-out, Uncle Ethanol!

Wour Welcom

I tohught my comment fit in reasonably well with all the other comments about crappy service and mediocre, over-priced food.

I disagree. You were blasting the entire concept of dining out. I’m sorry it’s an unpleasant experience for you, but we’ve heard your complaints again and again and again. We get it.

So, other people are allowed to slam service but I’m not? I don’t think there’s been a restaurant posted here that hasn’t had their service slammed. Enough so, one could conclude it’s a miracle that ANY restaurant has survived.

Just like anyone else, I made no specific reference in this thread to the specifics of my service complaints.

They were total dicks to me and my friends the one time we went there. So, yes, basically they can go to hell.

I’m always disappointed when businesses leave downtown, regardless of the owner or history of crappy service. Am I the only one who is distraught that To Soho is going out of business?? Such a shame. I loved knowing that a business like that place could somehow survive in downtown. Now we’ll all have to get our gangsta gear at the MOA.

But seriously, I think we all need to make an effort to support downtown businesses. Our downtown is dying.

Couldn’t help but add my 2-cents. I ate at Temple twice … I didn’t learn my lesson the first time I guess.

The first time we went as a party of 5 – the food took FOREVER to make it to the table. On top of that it was lukewarm and overpriced. I swore I wouldn’t go back.

Then mid-summer I was cajoled into going with a group of about 8 – drinks took about 30 min to make it to the table and people across the restaurant who came after us were eating before we were. All we ordered were appetizers… after repeated excuses by the wait staff the food finally showed up and Thom strolling out after we complained about the 2.5 hour wait. He was rude and condescending – there were only about 8 tables filled in the entire place.

And about AZIA – 8$ for 4-6 potstickers is a rip-off. After I saw that I’ve never been back.

Just had to get that off my chest, I’m glad Temple is gone! I think the space is way too large for a restaurant in this area – it would be better served by 2 or 3 small eateries, you’ve really got to pack’em into this space to make it feel hoppin’

We ate there with another couple just last friday and thought the food was good (nothing compared to Ruth Chris). Service was average/good. Very surprised it closed so quickly. This was my first time eating there, I think the food was overpriced for the qantity you get.

Hello, as a former employee there, and resident to this area for a while now. Its obvious the place was in a bad location. The service can be blamed do to poor choices in hiring and not enough attention being placed on the floor. For example one particular manager would be speaking to one guest for a half hour, while ignoring the service that was lacking. Another manager that was promoted to Azia as GM, who was the best they had, was recently fired after helping Thom close Temple. Meaning clearing things out of coolers, moving stuff, ect. He decided that after the manager helped with all this stuff, that they would surprise him with the news. And worse of all, the owner couldnt even do it himself, instead had the other manager do it. What does that have to say about Thom? This type of firing for no good reason happened anytime anyone questioned decisions or judgement. Completely unfair, and no respect, as far as I see it. Any place like this should have their doors closed. As much as I like Azia, I will never be back there. The same reason why I ignore places like Spin, The Drink and Aqua…I hope they all close and learn how to treat guests….
Now the food at Temple was always getting better and better, with the introduction of sushi (the best I have had in terms of quality and creativeness from the chef kevin) The food items were continuously being changed, I mean they eventually got rid of many items that even I thought were terrible. The sous chef (ben)definitely had great ideas and they were beginning to be implemented to the menu.
Things were consistantly changing for the better. Rising prices were do to rising food cost. I do admit that prices started off high, but were talking fine dining as well. You pay not just for food and drink, but for the experience too.(which was lacking as said) Unfortunately the changes came all to late…
That being said its too bad for everyone involved that had a job there. Im just glad I got out of there before all this mess.

I’m always disappointed when businesses leave downtown, regardless of the owner or history of crappy service. Am I the only one who is distraught that To Soho is going out of business?? Such a shame. I loved knowing that a business like that place could somehow survive in downtown. Now we’ll all have to get our gangsta gear at the MOA.
Sad to see it go, There is always status at the Calhoun Square in Uptown, check it. Although I have to agree, it sucks that to SOHO is going down. Thats the first I’ve heard. Thats the Economy for you….

“This type of firing for no good reason happened anytime anyone questioned decisions or judgement.”
Are you kidding? Coming from somebody who has worked for Thom at his restaurants, Thom never fires people for no good reason. He has a business to run and if he feels that he has an employee that isn’t propertly doing their job, he has to make the best decision that will help, not hurt, his business. There is always a reason behind a termination. Perhaps your source isn’t tell you the whole truth.

Well you dont know as much as you think you do then, I obviously do. So therefor I disagree.

the comment from jasbo is correct, pham is a coward who never fires anyone himself, he always leaves it to his managers, he loves to rip people off, when he has large parties who want drinks on their tab he opens bottles of very expensive wine that dosent sell and puts it on their tab at $20+ per glass, and he uses stoli elite $18 per shot when guests ask for vodka drinks. all this is first hand as I did work these parties. his own ego and mis-management sunk the place- not anything else.

Jasbo,

You need to back up your claim, my friend. To make a generalized statement such as,
“This type of firing for no good reason happened anytime anyone questioned decisions or judgement.” The manager was fired because he was messed up in more ways than one. Unless you own a restaurant and have been put in that stressful position, you should probably keep your mouth shut. You clearly have no idea what you are talking about.

I’m very disappointed. Temple had the best Sushi I’ve ever tasted, and I’ve enjoyed sushi all over the world. After just moving here from NYC, I found Temple to be outstanding.

Manager Ryan treated me and my friends like kings every time we went in.

I think this is a big loss for the area.

Ate at Azia for dining out for life last Thursday. The service was pretty decent considering how fucking packed the place was. The only qualm I had was the oysters I ordered. Every oyster on the menu was around the $3 range. Of course they were completely out of every oyster on the menu. I ordered 6 of their choice to make it easier on the server.

Each of the 6 oysters I had were shucked poorly and when the bill came!

To my shock $4.95 an oyster. That is fucking criminal. I doubt I will ever return. $9 glasses of house pinot grigio seems a little shocking also. I’m guessing that Azia is probably one of the most expensive restaurants in the city and truly not worth it.

Samantha,
Well it seems you have it figured out then. Restaurant owners are all the same when it comes to letting people go. I have nothing to prove to anyone, its okay, have a good one:)

seriously, pham sucks, he is an asshole, you think that he was just randomly beat up ? no, he treats people like shit and karma repays him. ps ever seen the kitchen at azia, its filthy, you’ll never eat there again after you see it.

What does the kitchen at Azia have anything to do with this thread? I have seen the kitchen and it’s spotless. Dumb ass.

Deleted.

Previous commentors, keep it civil, or don’t bother to comment.

bad service, bad food. wont try any of his other places after such a poor showing at temple.