Closings

Moss Room Closes Without Notice, Will Be Revamped (and Renamed?) By Charles Phan

The Moss Room, with original moss wall still intact, ca. 2008.
The Moss Room, with original moss wall still intact, ca. 2008. Photo: Courtesy of Yum Diary

’Tis the season for surprise closures, and this likely won’t be the last one we hear about this week: The Moss Room abruptly shuttered after New Year’s Eve, without even giving notice to the staff. The restaurant in the basement of the Academy of Sciences will soon be getting a makeover by Charles Phan, who already operates the Academy Café upstairs, as the Scoop reports. There’s little doubt that the place will have even more of an Asian slant than it’s had under chef Michael Morrison, and it sounds like it will be getting a new name as well — not a bad idea since the wall of African moss that was originally the focal point of the space had to be quickly swapped out after opening because it died.

Since mid-2009 it’s actually been more of a fern wall, but not before a bunch of Yelpers could comment on the dead moss.

The executive chef behind the Moss Room since its opening in 2008 has been Loretta Keller of Coco500 fame. We’re reaching out to Keller for comment.

The new restaurant at the Academy will bring Charles Phan’s local empire to five restaurants, including the new Wo Hing General Store, and assuming his Out the Door ever reopens at the Westfield food court.

The Moss Room closes for a revamp; Charles Phan taking over [Scoop]
Earlier: New Menu at Moss Room Skews More Asian

Moss Room Closes Without Notice, Will Be Revamped (and Renamed?) By Charles Phan