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Japanese restaurant on King Street hopes to draw new “Phans” |
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Tuesday, 28 August 2007 |
by BRANDON BROWN
Intern Lifestyles Reporter
After eight years of being pigeonholed as a Japanese takeout restaurant, Phan’s Bar and Grille has recently upgraded to a legitimate full-service establishment.
After falling victim to Cingular’s store expansion in the Boone Mall, owner Scott Phan packed up his bags and headed to a much desired King Street location, where he dressed up his hibachi chicken with a wine list, full bar and chic atmosphere.
“I’m serving the same great food at the same price, but the presentation is better,” said Phan.
After
having only six tables at the old location, Phan is anxious to fill the
seats in his new establishment with a different patron in mind than the
transient shoppers that characterize the Boone Mall.
“[At the old location] the staff was used to pumping out food as
quickly as possible,” Phan said. “I’m having to tell the cooks to slow
down and spend more time on the presentation.”
The cooks and the rest of the staff at Phan’s Japanese Bar and Grille
are all students at either Appalachian State University or Caldwell
Community College.
Sporting all black attire, the staff is excited and energetic about the new restaurant.
“[Business] is picking up now that everyone is back at school,” said
Geoff A. Peoples, a bartender and Appalachian State senior. “We’ve got
lower prices on food and drinks than other Japanese restaurants in
town. Hopefully that will bring in more students.”
 Owner and operator Scott Phan serves an entree to customer Jesse Pipes at Phan’s new King Street location.
| Shanel Boston | The Appalachian
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All of the sauces used at Phan’s Japanese Bar and Grille are made
in-house and the spring rolls and wantons are rolled fresh daily,
General Manager Kevin McKinney said.
Though there have been some aesthetic additions, customers can still
treat themselves to the much-heralded menu that has delivered quality
Japanese cooking for the last eight years.
If the heaping portion of $5 teriyaki chicken doesn’t grab the students’ attention, then perhaps the beer prices will.
Phan’s Bar and Grille prides itself on beating the Parthenon with the
lowest price for a pitcher of Blue Moon, which Phan’s offers for $6 a
pitcher.
Patrons can enjoy their meal and beverage in a secluded and quiet
dining section or in the bar section, which boasts numerous televisions
mounted on each wall.
After the dining room closes at 10 p.m., Phan’s is just getting started.
The bar stays open as long as customers are willing to drink and munch on deep-fried delicacies, such as wontons and egg rolls.
At night, the music switches from authentic Japanese music to the tunes of popular request by college students.
Music is pumped from $10,000 worth of stereo equipment into the ears of
patrons, possibly to build up their courage to take a “sake-bomb.”
Phan’s has already developed a ritual for taking “sake-bombs” that
involves chanting and beating on the bar until the saucer of sake drops
off the chopsticks into the mug of brew.
 Unlike its prior location in the Boone Mall, Phans now has a bar.
| Shanel Boston | The Appalachian
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To add to the fun, Phan’s has cleverly combined the ancient Japanese
drink of sake with fresh fruit to create a “sake-tini,” which is sold
for $5.
Phan’s is proud to be a completely smoke-free facility, but offers a
convenient back deck lined with patio furniture for customers who want
to smoke.
Unfortunately, Phan’s Bar and Grille lacks what many consider a key necessity of a Japanese restaurant: sushi.
However, the management doesn’t plan to keep it that way for long.
“We are going to be experimenting with sushi chefs in the next couple
of weeks,” said McKinney. “Expect sushi in downtown Boone in the near
future.”
Students can expect a flyer in their Appalachian State mailbox advertising the new and improved Phan’s Bar and Grille.
“It’s hard to go into other Japanese restaurants and not drop $20,” said McKinney. “We’re offering everything for less.”
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