Two new Wichita egg roll businesses that opened during pandemic are both crazy busy
It’s been a difficult and weird time for dining out in Wichita since the start of the coronavirus pandemic back in March.
But during that unprecedented four-month stretch, a crispy little bright spot has emerged as Wichita has gained two businesses specializing in Vietnamese egg rolls — the smaller, cigar-shaped rolls with a smooth, golden-fried outer skins.
Perhaps it’s because both businesses are selling above-average, hand-made versions by the dozen at a great price. But during the pandemic — when many diners have turned to carryout food — both have been non-stop busy, and both have been getting rave reviews on social media.
Rice & Roll by Xing Xing: Energetic owner wouldn’t give up
One is Rice & Roll by Xing Xing, which opened in late April in a tiny spot at 1920 E. Pawnee, which is just a bit west of the I-135 exit.
The restaurant is owned by Tuong Huynh, and energetic young entrepreneur who started selling egg rolls out of her house last year, rolling them and deep frying them night and day.
But Huynh had dreams of opening her own restaurant, she told me in September, and she was pushed along on that journey when the Sedgwick County Health Department shut down her home business because she didn’t have the correct licensing.
She and her husband, TJ Huynh, set out looking for a space and found one that had been vacated by another Vietnamese eatery: NamViet Restaurant.
Now, Tuong is even busier than before, and her tiny restaurant is always buzzing. I visited on a recent weekday evening and was among at least five people waiting for to-go orders, which Tuong was whisking out with the same energy and efficiency I noticed when I first met her.
Her new restaurant also has a tiny dining room with seating for 30. Food is served in Styrofoam to-go containers.
Tuong has added to the menu now that she has a restaurant. In addition to egg rolls — which she sells for $9 a dozen, $17 for two dozen and $25 for three dozen, she also sells crab Rangoon by the dozen; fried rice with choice of chicken, pork, shrimp, veggie or ham and egg; and dishes like sweet and sour chicken and spicy garlic ramen.
Tuong describes her menu as “Vietnamese/Hong Kong fusion,” and she also lists other daily specials on a chalk board. When I visited, lemon chicken and General Tso chicken were among the offerings.
People can also order party trays of egg rolls and crab Rangoon, and several were doing that. You can get a party tray of 50 for $36, and there are also vegan versions.
Everyone in my house, teens included, loved the traditional egg rolls, which are crispy, not too greasy and stuffed with a colorful filling. The garlic ramen was also interesting — full of garlic flavor and topped with shrimp, meatballs, imitation crab meat and a fried egg. You can get it as spicy as you want it. I asked for two on a scale of one to 10 and my mouth was on semi-fire.
Rice & Roll by Xing Xing is open from 10 am. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. To place an order in advance, call 316-789-5060.
Grandma Thuy’s: Too busy to answer the phone
As Xing Xing was getting up and running, another young Wichita entrepreneur was having a similar experience.
Mai Vo was a full-time dental hygienist who, at the urging of her husband, Bao Vo, started selling egg rolls from home during coronavirus shutdowns. Her business started to take off, too, but she also learned she didn’t have the right licenses to sell food from home and had to regroup.
She also set out to find a brick-and-mortar space, and in early June, she opened Grandma Thuy’s at 8728 W. Maple — in a small strip center set back from the road that’s right beside the Sonic at Maple and Tyler. She named the business after her mother, who taught her as a child how to make Vietnamese egg rolls.
Vo’s egg roll shop is smaller — there’s no seating, only to-go service.
And so far, her menu is smaller, too. In addition to egg rolls and crab Rangoon by the dozen, Mai also recently added fried chicken wings with a variety of sauces like sweet chili and honey garlic ginger.
She’s hoping to expand the menu, Vo said, but the demand has been so high that she can barely keep up as it is.
Wichita, as it turns out, is crazy for Vietnamese egg rolls.
“Vietnamese egg rolls are made with a thin and crispy shell and packed with various meats, vegetables, and flavor on the inside,” she said. “Egg rolls are the perfect protein-packed snack that could also be a full meal in and of itself.”
Grandma Thuy’s egg rolls are also crispy-fried and delicious. Vo’s crab Rangoon, full of sweet filling, are triangle-shaped rather than flower-shaped. And her chicken wings are meaty and covered with a fluffy, crunchy breading.
Grandma Thuy’s egg rolls and crab Rangoon are 12 for $10, 30 for $22 or 50 for $35. Chicken wings are six for $7 or 12 for $13. She’ll let you do half-and-half orders of egg roll and crab Rangoon, if you wish.
This week, Vo advertised for new employees to help her keep up. She accepts call-in orders, but sometimes she’s too busy to answer the phone. I just showed up on a weekday afternoon and was able to get my order after about a 15-minute wait.
Be prepared, though: The business accepts only cash, Venmo, Cash App and PayPal.
Grandma Thuy’s hours are 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. To place an order, call 316-295-3699.
This story was originally published July 9, 2020 at 5:01 AM.
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