It "redefined the neighborhood restaurant," the Star Tribune applauded; it's "too good to be kept secret," City Pages cheered.

Now, it seems, the Diamond Lake spot that magically intermingled Southeast Asian influences with contemporary French ones has closed. On Sunday, chef Michael Agan and manager James Elm announced Xavi's closure via Facebook:

"It’s been hard, but we have come to the conclusion of Xavi restaurant. The last 2 and 1/2 years have been filled with joy, pain, a tremendous amount of growth, some amazing food, the best, best people. The people in the neighborhood, the foodies that sought us out, the incredible staff, have made this journey worthwhile. Closing up shop is hard, and we didn’t make this decision lightly. But in the end, we couldn’t make it work for everyone. We are grateful and humbled by the efforts of our staff over this time, truly the best part of work was the people. Thank you is incredibly insufficient. To our guests, our regulars, we hope to someday see you again."

Damn.

So, why is Xavi closing? What's next for Agan and Elm? Where am I supposed to get scallop crudo with brined Fresno chili near Todd Park now? We'll update this post with answers to those exact questions as soon as we hear back.

In her glowing 2016 review, former City Pages food critic Mecca Bos forecasted some concerns for Xavi, including whether its residential customer base has the appetite for adventurous fare like duck breasts smothered in XO sauce.

Before Xavi came along, the space at 5607 Chicago Ave. housed First Course, a small-plate bistro that lasted 15 years.