Pink Samurai in Jamaica Plain Closed, Windows Papered Over; Exact Status Unknown

Earlier this month, we reported that a long-awaited and highly-anticipated dumpling spot in Jamaica Plain had finally opened. Now it has apparently closed again, and it is not known what the future holds for the place.

According to a source within the restaurant industry, Pink Samurai on Centre Street is locked up and dark, and a photo sent indicates that its windows are now papered over. Several others on Facebook and Twitter have confirmed this, and another source says that the place has been closed for a few days now and may be shuttered for good, though this last bit of information has not yet been confirmed.

Plans for Pink Samurai were first announced in the summer of 2015 and it looked like it might open that fall, but the restaurant encountered a number of delays and lost two chefs before it even opened. The dining spot did finally open at the beginning of this month after it looked like it might open in August, though that opening was delayed at least a couple of times.

The address for Pink Samurai is 658 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, MA, 02130.

[September 26 update: The Tables section of The Boston Globe states that Pink Samurai is now under new management and that it is closed "temporarily." It is not known exactly when it might reopen (the restaurant says it will be announced on their social media pages), nor is it known if the concept will remain the same.]

[October 14 update: Pink Samurai remains closed, and a check on its Facebook page shows that it has been taken down once again while its Twitter page has not been updated for over a month.]

[December 28 update: Although it was assumed over the past few weeks that Pink Samurai was closed for good, now there seems to be proof, as a licensing board page within the City of Boston website indicates that a liquor license transfer from the restaurant to the upcoming Shake Shack in Boston's Seaport District is now in the works.]

[Earlier Article]
Pink Samurai to Open in Jamaica Plain

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Philz Coffee to Expand to the Boston Area

A small but growing chain of coffee shops based in San Francisco is planning to expand to the Boston area.

Eater is reporting (via Forbes) that Philz Coffee is looking to open locations in and around Boston, bringing to the region higher-end coffee shops that focus on pour-over (drip) coffee in a variety of flavors. An exact number of locations has not yet been given, nor is it known exactly where they might open (Forbes simply says sometime in 2017), but once they do, they will join existing shops in the metro areas of San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Washington, D.C.

Philz Coffee, which started out in the Bay Area in 2002, has been a favorite among college students and high-tech workers, with one shop being located at the Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park. The website for the chain can be found at http://www.philzcoffee.com/

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Stadium Sports Bar and Grill Building in South Boston Demolished to Make Way for Condos, Retail Space

In early 2015, we reported that a sports bar in South Boston had shut down and that a residential complex might replace it. Now we have learned that this is indeed the plan, and that the building housing the dining and drinking spot is in the process of being demolished.

According to a tweet and a second Twitter post put up yesterday, photos show that the former Stadium Sports Bar and Grill at 232 Old Colony Avenue was being torn down, with the tweet saying "RIP Stadium South Boston." A Boston Redevelopment Authority post and a page on the bldup.com site have confirmed that a mixed-use development consisting of 24 condos, parking, and ground-floor retail space will be built at the site of the Stadium, though it is not yet known if the retail space will include any restaurants.

Stadium Sports Bar and Grill once had four locations--in South Boston, downtown Boston, Waltham, and Quincy--but they have all closed down.

[Earlier Article]
Stadium Sports Bar and Grill in Downtown Boston and South Boston Have Closed; Quincy Location Remains Open
Stadium Sports Bar and Grill in Quincy to Become Iron Furnace

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Dig Inn to Open New Locations in Boston's Downtown Crossing, Prudential Center

A New York City-based group of "farm-to-counter" dining spots that recently opened its first location in Boston is going to be opening at least two more in the city.

Eater Boston is reporting that Dig Inn is planning to open new outlets on Washington Street in Downtown Crossing and at the Prudential Center in the Back Bay, joining an existing shop on Boylston Street across from Copley Square. The article says that this is part of a bigger expansion for Dig Inn, which hopes add a total of five or six new restaurants to its twelve existing shops by early 2017.

Dig Inn, which first started out in 2011, offers healthy food options using locally-sourced ingredients, including "market bowls" that have a grain or salad base with items such as chicken or steak added.

The website for Dig Inn can be found at https://www.diginn.com/

[October 20 update: The Boston Globe mentions that the Downtown Crossing location of Dig Inn will be at 277 Washington Street and that both the DTX and Prudential locations plan to open by next spring.]

[May 28, 2017 update: The locations page for Dig Inn states that the Downtown Crossing location plans opens on Tuesday, May 30.]

[September 26, 2017 update: The Prudential location of Dig Inn may be close to opening, as a Craigslist post indicates that it is holding a job fair today.]

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Kimchi Kitchen in Cambridge Has Reopened

A few months ago, we reported that a Korean restaurant in Cambridge closed its doors for repairs; now we have learned that the dining spot is open once again.,

Eater Boston states that Kimchi Kitchen on Cambridge Street has reopened after the space apparently sustained some type of damage to it. Back in early June, a Facebook post from the eatery simply said "we will be closed for several weeks for some repairs. Please check back for news of our return. Thank you for your support!" but it remained closed through the summer with no indications as to what had happened.

Kimchi Kitchen first opened in the fall of 2015, offering such Korean specialties as japchae, bibimbap, and bulgogi as well as a house-made kimchi.

The address for Kimchi Kitchen is 847 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA, 02141. Its website is at http://www.kimchicambridge.com/

[Earlier Article]
Kimchi Kitchen in Cambridge Closes for Several Weeks for Repairs

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Food Items from Asian Restaurants in the Boston Area]

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Fran's Place in Lynn Is Closing

The oldest gay bar in Massachusetts is getting ready to close its doors forever.

Eater Boston is reporting (via NECN) that Fran's Place in Lynn plans to have a goodbye party on Saturday, September 24, as the business is in the process of being sold. The bar dates all the way back to the 1920s, though it moved to its current location in the 1940s and was called Lighthouse Cafe until changing to its current name in the 1970s.

While the party takes place on Saturday, Fran's Place officially closes on Monday, September 26, according to NECN.

The address for Fran's Place is 776 Washington Street, Lynn, MA, 01901.

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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