Restaurant that’s faced several delays will open this week in NewMarket Square
After several delays, Banh Mi Bites is almost ready to open at 2755 N. Maize Road, which is in NewMarket Square.
The restaurant will open on Thursday, June 4, said owner Christine Pham. It’s taking over the space that Sesame Mediterranean Kitchen vacated in December.
Originally, the owners said they planned to open in late February. They then pushed it back to March, then April, then May.
But this time, it’s happening, said Pham, who will own the build-your-own Vietnamese sandwich restaurant with her husband, Vincent. The hours will be 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays.
The restaurant represents the Phams’ first foray into the restaurant industry, but they previously owned a nail salon that happened to operate in the exact same strip center. The Phams closed their Signature Nails Spa, which was two spaces to the south of where Banh Mi Bites will operate, two years ago.
The Phams were inspired to go into the restaurant business by Vincent’s brother, who owns a successful chain of banh mi restaurants in Melbourne, Australia, called Long Banh Mi.
The Wichita restaurant won’t be a duplicate of the Australian chain, though, because the Phams can’t get the same fresh ingredients in Wichita that Vincent’s brother uses in Australia. But they will use a few of the brother’s techniques as well as his recipe for their fresh banh mi bread, which will be baked on site, Christine said.
Banh Mi Bites will allow customers to customize their own banh mi sandwiches by choosing from a display of ingredients, including proteins and vegetables. The star of the menu will be grilled pork belly, made using one of Vincent’s family’s signature recipes. Other options will be grilled chicken, cold cuts and grilled pork. There will also be a vegan option.
Customers also will be able to choose from toppings like carrots, cucumbers, radishes, jalapenos and cilantro, and they can have their sandwiches topped with the restaurant’s signature sauce — a hoisin-based mixture that Christine said was the perfect mix of sweet and savory.
Banh Mi Bites will also carry a few appetizers, including spring rolls, egg rolls and dumplings. The owners also plan to serve Viet-fries, which are french fries coated in Vietnamese seasoning. It will also have a coffee bar that serves Vietnamese coffee, lattes and boba tea.
The couple has been working to completely remodel the space into a cafe setting where people can dine, visit, study or just hang out.
After Youssef Youssef closed his Sesame Mediterranean Kitchen on Maize Road, he moved it to 1906 N. Rock Road in Derby and reopened in February.
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