Our Restaurant's Name Means 'New Beginnings.' That's Never Felt More True. | Bon Appétit
"Initially, we had a small menu at Tân Tân. Beef meatballs swimming in a clear, savory broth. Bánh mì filled with pâtés. My mom made a hot chili sauce to highlight the meat items, but she was such an amazing cook that people kept asking for more. Someone would come in and say, “I really miss bún riêu [a crab noodle soup with ham hock and pork blood]. My mom doesn’t live here and I can’t get it anywhere.” My mom would say, “I can make that,” and then she would add it to the menu. As time went on—and the menu grew to 100 items—customers wanted to sit down to enjoy these things. So our two little tables doubled to four. Then eight. The deli shrunk while the restaurant expanded. It got to the point where the Department of Agriculture, which usually oversees inspections for delis, told us, “We need to transfer you to the Department of Health, as much as we love you.” That’s how we became a restaurant. We just celebrated our 22nd birthday. We’re like the Vietnamese Olive Garden. When you’re here, you’re literally with my family. My cousins work the register. My aunts help cook." - ByLisa Tran, as told to Elyse Inamine
