18 August 22-28, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | News | letters | coNteNts | miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | ▼ FORT LAUDERDALE ASIAN FUSION GEM TEMPLE STREET CELEBRATES TEN YEARS What started as a student-teacher assistant friendship at Florida International University has turned into one of Fort Lauderdale’s most beloved and tenured restaurants, Temple Street Eatery. Since opening in 2014, the Asian fusion restaurant has grown a devoted local follow- ing thanks to its creative takes on Asian-in- spired cuisine, like kimchi quesadillas, wonton tacos, and the “Godzilla Ramen.” In addition to those delicious eats, the story be- hind the restaurant’s success lies in the deep- rooted friendship of its founders who both share a passion for cooking. The story began in 2006 when cofounder Diego Ng partook in a cooking class at Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management with co- founder Alex Kuk. Ng learned serious tech- niques left and right from Kuk, who he admits was a bit more advanced with his cooking style. Ng tells New Times, “We all learned so much during that class, and all signs pointed to [Kuk] knowing what he was doing. But there was this one time when he wanted to show me a technique with a zester, but he failed so mis- erably. All of the students were looking at each other like, What the heck? But he ultimately made up for it,’” he says with a laugh. It’s those same lighthearted and humble feelings that the restaurant still radiates to this day. Temple Street Eatery’s success boils down to serious food, good vibes, and visibly infec- tious lightheartedness, which are clearly on display, whether through a funny salad-mak- ing Instagram video or the poppy Asian tchotchkes donning the restaurant’s walls. “Through the years, and as we keep grow- ing, we keep connecting more and more with our community,” Ng tells New Times. “The biggest thing our guests have given us is free- dom. They feel comfortable with the dishes that we are preparing them. We do have a menu that is very Asian-inspired, but there is a lot of eclectic-ness there, too.” That eclectic quality stems from Ng and Kuk’s story together. The two built up quite a camaraderie in class, with Ng eventually graduating in 2008. His early restaurant roles included working at the Boca Raton resort, Blade Sushi at the Fontainebleau, and Morimoto’s. He considers Masaharu Morim- oto among his biggest mentors. Kuk’s great-grandfather founded Wan’s Mandarin House. He has managed a number of big-time South Florida hot spots like Sushi Maki, Houston’s, and RA Sushi. Circa 2010, Ng went on a seven-month backpacking trip through Europe, Japan, China, and Peru, where he learned so much more about the cultural side of food. During that time, and post-graduation, Ng kept in touch with Kuk always wanting to explore a concept of their own. In 2011, they put a plan into motion before ultimately opening Temple Street Eatery on August 18, 2014. Ng reflects, “I know we wanted to make food that was comfort food. And, for me, the biggest comfort food is eating noodles. It’s like a hug in a bowl. I knew in South Florida, and at that time, we couldn’t survive as just a ramen shop. So, we played around with the menu quite a bit with noodle soups, dump- lings, small bites, and more, all with Asian roots. That led to the first draft of the Temple Street menu.” It took no time for Fort Lauderdale favor- ites to be born, such as Temple Street Eatery’s number one-selling wonton noodle soup, the kimchi-flared quesadilla, and the edamame falafel pita. Ng says Temple Street Eatery hit the one million dumplings sold mark in its third year of business. Through the years, some of Ng’s favorite memories include Temple Street’s Chino La- tino-themed parties on Cinco de Mayo, dish- ing Asian-inspired burritos and tacos, and attracting hundreds of guests. The company | TASTE TEST | ▼ Café Temple Street Eatery photo Temple Street Eatery is a hidden gem in Fort Lauderdale.
