Waltham Owner Finds Success in Malden Restaurant

By Mark Ouellette

Douglas Tran, owner of All Seasons Table Restaurant, 64 Pleasant St., Malden, recently discussed how business has been in the several years it's been open in the city.

Malden Patch (MP): Where do you live?
Douglas Tran (DT): Waltham

MP: What is your business background?
DT: Over 25 years in the restaurant business, starting as a dishwasher, busboy, server, manager, co-owner, owner…in that order and in several different restaurants.

MP: How did you arrive at the decision you wanted to own a restaurant?
DT: While in the position as manager of another restaurant, I realized my dream of owning one of my own and pursued it.

MP: What communities were you considering opening All Seasons Table?
DT: Malden was my first choice.

MP: Why did you ultimately decide to open All Seasons Table in Malden?
DT: A friend of mine told me about the vacancy in the square, but some of my close business associates and friends advised me that I would not be successful if I chose Malden. I hadn’t even considered other places yet, but when I saw the area, I knew in my heart that the location was perfect.

MP: How many dishes are on the menu at All Seasons Table? 
DT: Well over 200, if you’re speaking of menu items and not just entrees.

MP: What is the square footage of All Seasons Table?
DT: About 11,000 sq. ft.

MP: How many seats are at the restaurant?
DT: 252.

MP: What is the price range for food served at the restaurant? 
DT: Moderately priced, with dishes starting at $4.95, up to over $25 for specialty dishes.

MP: Are you a member of the Malden Chamber of Commerce? If so, what has it been like working with fellow business owners?
DT: Yes. Keeping connected to other restaurant owners has kept me involved in the community and has helped me to build good friendships with each of them, especially in Malden Square. We each have different ideas on how to improve our businesses and can count on each other, if ever needed.

MP: What has it been like working in Malden?
DT: I love Malden. Many of our customers are from here and I appreciate how passionate they are about their city.

MP: From conceptualization to reality, how long did it take to get the restaurant ready to open?
DT: Less than two years.

MP: When did you open your doors to customers? 
DT: April 2007.

MP: How has business been so far?
DT: For the first two years, it was touch and go, but overall, business has been very good.

MP: What are some of the most popular selling items on the menu?
DT: Aside from sushi, which is extremely popular, spicy edamame, crab rangoon, sesame chicken, house pan-fried noodle and pad thai are favorites among many of our choice customers. Fresh lobster stir-fry is another favorite.

MP: Do you do daily/weekly specials? 
DT: Yes, we do both, and they are available all the time. We plan on changing them seasonally in the future.

MP: What are your goals for 2014?
DT: Keep menu options open, by considering introducing new dishes, but still stay consistent with current menu. Most importantly, maintain our valued customer base by providing great customer service.

MP: Do you hope to open more locations in Malden and/or other communities in the future?
DT: It’s always a possibility and I’m always looking.

MP: Do you plan to introduce other services in the future? 
DT: Currently, we are working on our new car service, AST Transportation, which goes beyond the local communities, but we now have AST pickup and drop-off, which is available in Malden, Melrose, Medford and Everett, where customers can be picked up at home and dropped off at All Seasons Table for a hassle-free driving experience, allowing us to do it for them at a very low cost.

For more information, call 781-397-8788 or 781-397-8188, or visit the restaurant's website.