The Vistro food truck launched The Vistro Modern Vietnamese restaurant on Tuesday, July 17, at 3937 Linden Ave. across from the Eastown Shopping Center in Riverside. The space previously housed Al-Mandi Restaurant & Cafe, and before that, Antojitos Criollos Puerto Rican restaurant.
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“Bricks and mortar has always been the end-game goal,” The Vistro founder and owner Myger Nguyen told this news outlet in a phone interview.
Myger said he chose the food-truck route initially in early 2017 to take advantage of its low start-up costs and to develop recognition for his brand and the Vietnamese specialties he serves. He intends to keep the food truck operating, and its menu will likely expand because of the increased flexibility the restaurant’s kitchen will offer.
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Myger said he will take his parents’ recipes for Vietnamese dishes such as Pho, the classic soup of Vietnam, and update them and give them an occasional twist with ingredients and presentation. He also plans to serve noodle salads with grilled meats and fresh vegetables.
“The dishes will be pleasing and affordable,” he said.
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The 2,500-square-foot restaurant will seat about 50 and will be open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.
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Zombie Dogz was the first local food truck to add a restaurant in November 2016, when it opened on Brown Street near the campus of the University of Dayton. Hunger Paynes Beer and Wine Garden opened inside the Dayton Mall last month, and Flyby BBQ has confirmed it will launch a restaurant at the Mall at Fairfield Commons. And the Bourbon Bayou Bistro is in the works at 607 N. Detroit St. in Xenia, in space that previously housed a Stan The Donut Man shop. All got their start as food trucks.
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