HtownWxBoy Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 8 hours ago, samagon said: I think they are tenants of that building. maybe they were due for resigning the lease, they were about to exercise the option to walk, and the building owners had to offer some TI to keep them in the space? I think they're the only tenants in that strip center right now. the pandemic hit that specific lot hard. I walked by today and it looks like they are maybe ... key word "maybe" ... working on some of the other spaces in the strip center. They had the door of 1 other former place open (this is the 2nd or 3rd time I noticed this... I walk by several times a week going to and from downtown) and they had workers going in and out ... not sure exactly what's going on just something I noticed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedistrict84 Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 8 hours ago, samagon said: I think they are tenants of that building. maybe they were due for resigning the lease, they were about to exercise the option to walk, and the building owners had to offer some TI to keep them in the space? I think they're the only tenants in that strip center right now. the pandemic hit that specific lot hard. The timing is still odd. I thought the TXDOT buyouts were already starting along St. Emanuel? For instance, I’ve seen a number of moving trucks at the Lofts at the Ballpark, like tenants in the front building are clearing out. I wouldn’t think that leases in these buildings (which will be torn down soon) would be renewed, much less with accompanying renovations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 at the moment, if TXDOT hasn't acquired the land, they are not allowed to per federal request, which I don't know if that enters into it or not. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 https://preview.houstonchronicle.com/dining/east-downtown-vietnamese-restaurant-cafe-th-16314017 Vietnamese restaurant Cafe TH, a staple of the East Downtown weekday lunch crowd, is closing permanently this week. Its last day of service is Thursday, July 15. Cafe TH opened in the 1980s, back when the neighborhood was still Chinatown. Current chef and owner Minh Nguyen bought it in 2007. "Cafe TH has changed my life," said Nguyen in a Facebook post announcing the closure. "I have put forth almost 14 years to make my vision of a Vietnamese cafe come true and it has been the best decision ever." The cafe landed a spot in the Houston Chronicle's Top 100 restaurants in 2017. At the time, critic Alison Cook called it "a delightful and highly personal source of Vietnamese home cooking." Cook raved about Cafe TH's xiu mai banh mi and banh bot chien (pan-fried turnip pancake). Nguyen is selling or giving away everything at the restaurant — first come, first serve before it closes. Supporters of the restaurant over the years also have the opportunity to sign farewell boards. "We survived through hurricanes, heat waves, power outages, a winter blast, and a pandemic," said Nguyen of the resilience of the restaurant and its team. The post did not mention the reason for the closure. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ndwardOG Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 If you guys want to really eat authentic mexican food do yourself a favor and come down harrisburg past wayside where you will find a abundance of great food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 47 minutes ago, 2ndwardOG said: If you guys want to really eat authentic mexican food do yourself a favor and come down harrisburg past wayside where you will find a abundance of great food. any specific locations? I haven't been in years, but Taqueria El Aragan in the Fiesta Pawn parking lot on Wayside had some of the best street tacos I've had outside of Mexico. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
77011transplant Posted July 15, 2021 Share Posted July 15, 2021 5 hours ago, hindesky said: https://preview.houstonchronicle.com/dining/east-downtown-vietnamese-restaurant-cafe-th-16314017 Vietnamese restaurant Cafe TH, a staple of the East Downtown weekday lunch crowd, is closing permanently this week. Its last day of service is Thursday, July 15. Cafe TH opened in the 1980s, back when the neighborhood was still Chinatown. Current chef and owner Minh Nguyen bought it in 2007. "Cafe TH has changed my life," said Nguyen in a Facebook post announcing the closure. "I have put forth almost 14 years to make my vision of a Vietnamese cafe come true and it has been the best decision ever." The cafe landed a spot in the Houston Chronicle's Top 100 restaurants in 2017. At the time, critic Alison Cook called it "a delightful and highly personal source of Vietnamese home cooking." Cook raved about Cafe TH's xiu mai banh mi and banh bot chien (pan-fried turnip pancake). Nguyen is selling or giving away everything at the restaurant — first come, first serve before it closes. Supporters of the restaurant over the years also have the opportunity to sign farewell boards. "We survived through hurricanes, heat waves, power outages, a winter blast, and a pandemic," said Nguyen of the resilience of the restaurant and its team. The post did not mention the reason for the closure. What?? Noooooo. I really liked this place and Minh was so nice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
77011transplant Posted July 15, 2021 Share Posted July 15, 2021 More re: Cafe TH. Stopped by today for farewell food. They ran out of food around noon. Minh seemed to be happy to be leaving their spot (it seems they may have had some issues with building management?). But he seemed confident that he'll open up another concept in the future and like he wanted to stay in the East End community if possible. You'll be missed Cafe TH and Minh. We'll be the first in line at your new place! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtownWxBoy Posted July 17, 2021 Share Posted July 17, 2021 On 7/12/2021 at 7:51 PM, HtownWxBoy said: They are also building booths for sitting on the outside side patio. Sign is up at the former Eado's / Lucky's Lodge in EaDo.... hopefully that's a temporary sign since it seems like it cost less than $10 to make. 🙄 2 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Ewert Posted July 19, 2021 Share Posted July 19, 2021 Is the name of this place 24, 2024, or 2420 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilcal Posted July 19, 2021 Share Posted July 19, 2021 35 minutes ago, Andrew Ewert said: Is the name of this place 24, 2024, or 2420 I'm pretty sure the address is 2024, so I'm guessing it is that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedistrict84 Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 4 hours ago, wilcal said: I'm pretty sure the address is 2024, so I'm guessing it is that. Hopefully TXDOT will acquire and bulldoze it soon, to put it out of its misery. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtownWxBoy Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 5 hours ago, Andrew Ewert said: Is the name of this place 24, 2024, or 2420 I was literally trying to figure that out, too! lol .... I concluded "Twenty 24" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EaDolivin Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 I can already tell this bar is trash before I ever set foot in it. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 (edited) 15 hours ago, thedistrict84 said: Hopefully TXDOT will acquire and bulldoze it soon, to put it out of its misery. from the looks of the strip center, the owners have been answering every phone call, hoping it's the one from TXDOT. this building is not a shining example of why the realignment shouldn't happen. 13 hours ago, EaDolivin said: I can already tell this bar is trash before I ever set foot in it. one man's trash is another man's smelly bar they can curl up into a cheap glass of really bad, but overpoured booze. if you drink enough, the smell would eventually go away. Edited July 20, 2021 by samagon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staresatmaps Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 13 hours ago, EaDolivin said: I can already tell this bar is trash before I ever set foot in it. As long as the drinks are cheap I could care less. If they keep everything from the last place, it was actually pretty nice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 1 minute ago, staresatmaps said: As long as the drinks are cheap I could care less. If they keep everything from the last place, it was actually pretty nice. see! and actually, I agree, I'm more impressed with the places that have decently priced alcohol and aren't trying to attract the see/be seen crowd. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilcal Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 Had lunch at Acadian Coast today and it was pretty rough. There were 3 of us, and we were the 8th-10th people in the restaurant, and it took more than 30 minutes for us to get our food. Waitress said that it was the head chef's first day off after working 23 days in a row and the sous chef just had a baby and is out, so the line cook was the only one back there and that she was having to help prepare the food. I know things are tough in the industry, but not a great experience. Lunch took north of an hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBTX Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 3 hours ago, wilcal said: Had lunch at Acadian Coast today and it was pretty rough. There were 3 of us, and we were the 8th-10th people in the restaurant, and it took more than 30 minutes for us to get our food. Waitress said that it was the head chef's first day off after working 23 days in a row and the sous chef just had a baby and is out, so the line cook was the only one back there and that she was having to help prepare the food. I know things are tough in the industry, but not a great experience. Lunch took north of an hour. Interesting. I've had a good time when I've been. Hope your experience is an anomaly and not a new trend. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naviguessor Posted July 21, 2021 Share Posted July 21, 2021 I think that we should all give, even well established restaurants, a little leeway right now. It’s no secret that labor is a major issue. Sounds like Acadian Coast explained the issue pretty clearly. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtownWxBoy Posted July 21, 2021 Share Posted July 21, 2021 19 hours ago, Naviguessor said: I think that we should all give, even well established restaurants, a little leeway right now. It’s no secret that labor is a major issue. Sounds like Acadian Coast explained the issue pretty clearly. Agree... had Sunday brunch a few weeks ago with several friends at the newish Acme Oyster House in Montrose... food was great but service was so slow and we were shocked that on a Sunday when they were obviously busy that they were closing between 3pm and 5pm. Well after a quick talk with our server we found out why... it was a labor issue... they were short staffed and the cooks were very overworked. So obviously we understood. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilcal Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 On 7/20/2021 at 10:34 PM, Naviguessor said: I think that we should all give, even well established restaurants, a little leeway right now. It’s no secret that labor is a major issue. Sounds like Acadian Coast explained the issue pretty clearly. I completely agree. Food was cooked well, which is what I was looking for. However, if I had known it was going to take that long I would have gone to Roostar 😄 On 7/21/2021 at 6:22 PM, HtownWxBoy said: Agree... had Sunday brunch a few weeks ago with several friends at the newish Acme Oyster House in Montrose... food was great but service was so slow and we were shocked that on a Sunday when they were obviously busy that they were closing between 3pm and 5pm. Well after a quick talk with our server we found out why... it was a labor issue... they were short staffed and the cooks were very overworked. So obviously we understood. For the first few weeks they were open, they were literally running out of food on Sundays. They are closed on Monday/Tuesday so I kind of get it. The waitress we had there was really good and she said she was actually driving down from Cleveland to work. She was also taking shifts at two other restaurants trying to decide which one paid more. Restaurant labor shortage definitely real! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staresatmaps Posted July 24, 2021 Share Posted July 24, 2021 CobosBBQ moving in next door. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedistrict84 Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 On 7/24/2021 at 12:53 AM, staresatmaps said: CobosBBQ moving in next door. So this is another new place going in at this strip center which is definitely in the path of the I-45 reroute. Leads me to believe that the owners of this land know something about the project that perhaps hasn’t been made public. Maybe the federal Title VI investigation has some momentum to it and the efforts to undermine the project have a chance of succeeding. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilcal Posted July 27, 2021 Share Posted July 27, 2021 I'm not sure why the owner wouldn't still rent it out, especially since TXDOT is actually stopping ROW acquisition. I would continue business like normal if I was the property owner until the property was acquired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sapo2367 Posted July 27, 2021 Share Posted July 27, 2021 On 7/25/2021 at 4:30 PM, thedistrict84 said: So this is another new place going in at this strip center which is definitely in the path of the I-45 reroute. Leads me to believe that the owners of this land know something about the project that perhaps hasn’t been made public. Maybe the federal Title VI investigation has some momentum to it and the efforts to undermine the project have a chance of succeeding. Idk, seeing the state that strip mall is in these days I feel like they are just running out the clock. BBQ might be a good fit, seeing as the actual cooking equipment can often be attached to the back of a truck and driven away when the time comes. Plus you can just slap down some cheap plastic tables and chairs and that makes it a more 'authentic' BBQ experience :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted July 27, 2021 Share Posted July 27, 2021 3 hours ago, sapo2367 said: Idk, seeing the state that strip mall is in these days I feel like they are just running out the clock. BBQ might be a good fit, seeing as the actual cooking equipment can often be attached to the back of a truck and driven away when the time comes. Plus you can just slap down some cheap plastic tables and chairs and that makes it a more 'authentic' BBQ experience :) serve the meat in wrapped up butcher paper and it's even more authentic. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eastdwntwn Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 On 7/24/2021 at 12:53 AM, staresatmaps said: CobosBBQ moving in next door. I saw workers out there this week working on this location. It looked like they had rolls of artificial turn. Maybe they are going to use part of the parking lot as outdoor space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustonMidtown Posted September 19, 2021 Share Posted September 19, 2021 (edited) Not sure what they are doing here? Edited September 19, 2021 by HoustonMidtown 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustonMidtown Posted September 20, 2021 Share Posted September 20, 2021 I think EastDwnTwn was right, looks like they are putting artificial turf over the cement 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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