ThaiPop goes underground with new speakeasy-style lounge
Word on the street is there is a new speakeasy-style establishment downtown, but “Shhhh…” they want to keep it a secret.
After celebrating their first anniversary at 4 Third Street, the owners of ThaiPop have expanded underground with the opening of a new cocktail lounge. The lounge, located directly under the restaurant, is serving up homemade, food-inspired cocktails, wine, beer, and small bites.
Though the name of the new concept is represented solely by the symbol of an index finger pressed to the lips, owners Ryan and Annie Balow have informally given it the name “Shhhh... We Don't Talk About It.”
Ryan Balow said the “Shhhh” reflects the speakeasy vibe of the lounge, while the latter part of the name is a nod to the new menu they are rolling out exclusively for the underground space.
Food options on any given night may include chicken feet, fried duck ahead, and other items we typically may think of as taboo, said Balow.
“We will be serving food down there that is a little different from what we have at ThaiPop,” said Balow. “The food is a little more ‘adventurous’ or what you might see as street food in southeast Asia.”
The underground lounge / Submitted
In retrofitting the basement-level space — formerly home to Marrow restaurant and an earlier, micro version of ThaiPop — the Balows have added dim lights, comfortable seating, upbeat music, and plenty of real plant life to create a warm, relaxed environment.
They plan to have the lounge open every Thursday through Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m. Reservations are recommended, said Balow. The space is also available to rent for private parties up to 24 people.
“Shhhh” is now the second underground lounge on the street, joining the venerable Bitter & Pour, which opened in 2018 at 18 Third Street SW.
Speaking of Marrow…
We do not have a whole lot of details yet, but it does appear Marrow may be making a comeback at a new location just down the road.
The restaurant was named a recent recipient of the Main Street Grant Program, administered by Destination Medical Center with support from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
According to the announcement from DMC, Marrow was awarded $133,919 for the build-out of a restaurant at 330 South Broadway; that is the building most recently home to Patterson Dahlberg law firm.
Under the criteria for the program, businesses could submit grant proposals to cover up to 30 percent of a project’s budget.
Marrow is owned by Jeff and Sarah Schwenker, who previously ran a pop-up version of Marrow in the aforementioned underground lounge.
Sean Baker is a Rochester journalist and the founder of Med City Beat.
