Miss this closed Wichita restaurant? You can find its staff, cooks at a just-opened bistro
There’s a new Vietnamese restaurant in town with the same name as a restaurant that was popular on North Broadway from 1997 until it closed in 2011.
But for those wondering, Da Nang Bistro — which opened in the former Oishi poke and ramen space at 1845 S. Rock Road — is not related to the former Da Nang restaurant at 1556 N. Broadway. The only thing the two have in common is their name, Da Nang, which is a city in Vietnam.
That’s no help to the people like me who still miss Da Nang and its amazing sandwiches and fried sweet potatoes. However, fans of the former Saigon Bistro, which operated at 3123 E. Pawnee until the restaurant closed a couple of years ago, have something to celebrate.
The new Da Nang Bistro is owned by a former Saigon Bistro server — Hong Nguyen — and the kitchen is led by two of the former restaurant’s cooks. At least one other former Saigon staff member also is on the team.
Nguyen has always dreamed of opening her own restaurant and has been saving up her money for some time, said family friend Leo Bui, speaking on her behalf. She was able to bring a team of former employees from Saigon Bistro on board when she was finally ready to do it.
Nancy Shih of Re/Max handled the deal for both Nguyen and the landlord.
The restaurant serves a long list of Vietnamese favorites, including banh mi sandwiches, pho soup, and the popular vermicelli rice dish called bun.
But what will set it apart, Bui said, are a few dishes that for now, Nguyen will serve just on Saturday and Sundays — dishes that are specialties in her native Da Nang but that take a while to prepare.
One is called banh xeo. It’s a crispy and savory turmeric crepe that’s served with salad and a fish sauce for dipping. The restaurant also will offer mini versions of the crepes.
Another of the weekend special dishes is banh beo, which is a steamed rice cake, and banh hoi heo quay, which is woven rice vermicelli served with crispy pork belly.
Da Nang Bistro is celebrating its grand opening today (Friday, Nov. 22). Its hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day but Thursdays, when it’s closed.
Da Nang Bistro menu
This story was originally published November 22, 2024 at 2:34 PM.
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