Our Restaurant's Name Means 'New Beginnings.' That's Never Felt More True. | Bon Appétit
"Founded by Vietnamese refugees whose parents survived a perilous 1975 escape and the Galang refugee camp, this family-run restaurant began as a small deli and grew over 22 years into a full-service eatery known for an expansive, homey menu. Early staples included beef meatball soup and bánh mì with pâté, and the kitchen expanded to include beloved dishes such as bún riêu, thịt kho trứng, canh khổ qua, and the family’s bánh tét chuối for Lunar New Year; many recipes come directly from the owner’s mother and grandmother. To preserve delicate Vietnamese flavors they developed their own hoisin, which became the base for a hot chili sauce and a peanut sauce sold commercially in 32-ounce tubs; those sauces landed in New Seasons stores after a local food-business cohort and later drew wider attention when recommended by Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street, helping boost sauce sales substantially. The pandemic hit the restaurant hard—sales dropped as much as 70% and dining room closures forced difficult choices—but the packaged-sauce business increased, ultimately loaning funds to keep the restaurant afloat and demonstrating how the retail line effectively saved the family operation. The business remains deeply communal and multigenerational—cousins, aunts, and grandparents help run the shop—and its practices and seasonal offerings are rooted in the family’s immigrant story, resilience, and Lunar New Year traditions." - ByLisa Tran, as told to Elyse Inamine
