I'm hearing reports today that Bon Air and Red Lotus may both be closed? That would be a big blow to Jay street, which if you haven't noticed, and I have, since I live around there, is really struggling. It's kind of the bro zone and non-bro-type restaurants (and even some bro-type ones) don't seem to be doing so well. I really hope this isn't true.
Also, I'm sure everybody already knew this but I was totally surprised that Temple moved. I've heard that the owner got a way better deal on rent and a bigger space, to boot. I'll never forget those first few weeks of Temple. Me and Smiller were so stoked on it! It got popular pretty fast which put and end to us ever getting those cozy window seats again.
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So, I must ask: do you think there will be a hole in the Bro-zone Layer as a result of these changes?
Ed C.
Bro-zone depletion is a myth, brah.
--W
Bon Air's popularity had long baffled me.
It always smelled of onions and bad coldcuts in there.
I work on Florin Road. The number of shuttered commercial properties in the area is frightening. Clearly, midtown has been more recession-proof, but maybe not so much anymore.
I have a kind ghoulish curiosity about the effect of the recession on people's psyches. Even though the U.S. (and Sacramento, in particular) has been in a prolonged economic crisis, my sense is that on the whole people don't quite yet appreciate this fact. Admittedly, my sense of things is not the best gauge of public perception, but I'll posit the notion that Americans have accumulated so much wealth compared to what what Americans had during the Great Depression that it is taking us a while to burn through the reserves. We're like those exiled Russian Aristocrats who slowly went to pot in some Parisian suburb in the 1920s -- first, selling off the jewels, then the furs.
On the other hand, maybe I have a blinkered view, since I still have a job.
--Knowcebo
Red Lotus confirmed: http://www.midtownmonthly.net/blog/tragedy/
Bon Air on the other is still rockin' I'm happy to report and I had an outstanding $3.39 sandwich for lunch to prove it. One rumor this weekend was on point and t'other was bogus.
Lil' Rebba and I ate at Red Lotus Friday night and it was fabulous as always and sadly really empty. Browest on the other hand was crackin' off. When we came out the first thought that popped into my head was that the BW patio smelled like ball sweat and BBQ. That's probably sarcasm but if I had to call it something else I'd be hard pressed to come up with an alternative. It sucked to see a place with horrible reviews and looking so lame tearin' it up when a far better place next door was struggling.
Lamesauce.
Most places that close make total sense to me. Mediocre ideas that don't really deserve to succeed. Red Lotus I'm bummed about but I feel like it was screwed by it's size. It always seemed empty even when it was doing a decent business. People see that from outside & don't wnat to check a place out. That & the fact that dim sum is equated with a cheap meal which Red Lotus wasn't.
Bon Air I would've been surprised by. It's a shadow of it's former self but it's still super cheap & one of the only places to get a deli sandwich downtown. Would not expect Rick to be in to this place! But it's great to take a touring band to on a hungover post-show Saturday.
But most of the closings: Spin, Brew it Up, CPK, Plum Blossom, Good Eats etc etc are no big loss.
What's next? I predict Bulls, McCormick & Schmick (unless it's propped up by more sucessful locations), and judging from the reviews, Garlic Shack.
-miller
The amount of horrific reviews for Garlic Shack have reached a point where it's probably drawing in business.
wow I gotta check 'em out. I no longer read yelp.
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