Jai yun 2017

According to the manager on their Yelp page, they’re moving to a temporary location on Clay St. and have “exiting new changes coming.” Anyone know what’s up?

No, but I’m praying that Flying Pan Bistro returns to 680 C;lay. In its brief incarnation before Chef Nei took the space over from his son, it was possibly the best noodle joint SF has ever seen.

Huh—Chef Nei was affiliated with Flying Pan as per ABC https://abc.ca.gov/datport/LQSData.asp?ID=19353392

Jai Yuns liquor license expires at the end of June. I’m very curious what’s happening.

He was fronting for his son. I’ve never figured out if it was his intent to take over the space from the beginning, or did it because Flying Pan Bistro couldn’t pull its own weight despite some great food.

There was an interview about Chef Nei and Jai Yun. Nei’ son said that Jai Yun was not profitable and needed ongoing help from the family.

Was that recently?

It’s likely that the lease has recently expired, too, since the original opening of Flying Pan Bistro was 10 years ago, judging from the liquor license.

April 2015.

‘Ultimately, though, Nei is able to continue to operate Jai Yun because of his son, who helps cover the (below-market) rent.’

http://luckypeach.com/the-price-of-poetry/

Moving back to a smaller space can be good, since the space was for Flying Pan originally. Though they will have to pay market rent now.

The space was suitable for Flying Pan’s predecessor Hunan Express, which could fill the place at lunchtime thanks to cheap steam table fare and fast service. It was really too big for Flying Pan Bistro which featured cooked-to-order dishes and higher prices. FPB might have done well in a space like House of Xian Dumpling’s or Chiongqing Xiao Mian’s.

I sent a message through Yelp requesting their new temporary address and received this reply from “Eugene L:”

“Hi Gary, thanks for reaching out. Our temp location will be at the corner of Broadway and Columbus, not too far from the original location. I can get the exact address for you later once I confirm with Chef Nei. Are you looking to make a reservation? Thanks -Eugene”

The four actual corners of B’way and Columbus are “taken” (The Condor Club, E Tutto Qua, Nizario’s Pizza and New Sun Hong Kong), so I’m guessing it might be the Cookhouse event space above Vesuvio’s (corner of Columbus and Jack Keroiuac).

I went by 680 Clay tonight and it’s obvious Jai Yun has abandoned the premises. It’s quite remarkable that no one else in the food media seems to have noticed their departure.

It helps to have a script that monitors changes in Yelp pages :slight_smile: The change of address on there happened either over the weekend or yesterday, and I assume that’s also when the manager wrote his note. In terms of noticing the physical change, I suspect tipsters learn things quicker than media themselves.

Jonathan Kauffman’s post on Jai Yun:

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Thanks for clearing this up. I’ve noticed that every time I go to SF and walk by Jai Yun that it was closed, but I figured my timing was bad.

I think that’s one reason they didn’t get enough business to keep it afloat, Even if you knew the drill, seeing it so forlorn-looking with the steel gates closed whenever they weren’t booked certainly didn’t leave a positive impression.

Jai Yun is now operating in a private dining area inside Sun Hong Kong. I talked with Eugene and their prie fixe starts at $98. There are options for $128, $168 $300 $500. I asked him to come back with more info on the tiers.

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