A new Vietnamese brunch pop-up is happening at Tallboys Craft Beer House on May 31 and tomorrow is the deadline to pre-order in advance.
Mai Le of Vịt Béo and Joseph Nguyen of Tâm are collaborating to share their take on some of their own most beloved Vietnamese dishes with a brunch twist. The pop-up will bring you an exclusive menu featuring familiar favourites, like banh mi sandwiches, presented in a modern way that still embraces traditional elements of Vietnamese cuisine.
Not unfamiliar with the pop-up scene, Nguyen has both hosted and been a part of many pop-ups via Tâm and you may recognize Mai Le, who has a passion of working on her own culinary ventures, from her recent collaborations with Big Trouble Pizza on two Vietnamese-inspired pies and Uncle Mickey's where she served up an exclusive dinner menu.
Meeting at Vịt Béo a couple of years ago while Le worked and Nguyen was a regular customer prior to launching his own restaurant, the duo quickly bonded over food and realized they had a lot in common. As a result, Nguyen says that it was natural that they would eventually collaborate on something, especially after each working separately on their own pop-ups.
In both their own culinary endeavours, Le and Nguyen aim to showcase their admiration for Vietnamese cuisine, but in a way that only dabbles in tradition, with the food more so reflecting their own experiences both through cooking their way around various kitchens in Toronto, but also through growing up Vietnamese-Canadian.
"Personally, I've always been motivated to add to Toronto's culture. I was born and raised here within the Vietnamese community so that's kind of the lens I saw things through," Nguyen said. "I was tired of Viet restaurants being stuck in time, but also understanding that it was something necessary for them. And of course, I'm hugely thankful for those restaurants for laying the ground work for the next generation to start going beyond the shallows of Vietnamese food and culture."
After Le brought up the idea of pursuing Vietnamese brunch as a focus, the duo worked hard crafting a menu that is not only delicious, but also a medley of foods and flavours nostalgic to them. On the menu find 'bot chien', their turnip cake omelette––which is a favourite of Le's. Made of soft-fried turnip cakes scrambled with eggs and scallions, accompanied by pickled vegetables, hot sauce and sweet soy sauce to dip, she says that this dish hits all the sweet and savoury notes, with a hint of acidity.
Nguyen says that each dish on the menu has a cultural and personal story behind it for them and surely many others––like their Breakfast Plate. Made of eggs, bread, fermented pork sausage or tofu loaf, cucumber salad, black bean hummus, Maggi sauce and pickled vegetables, this item is inspired by bánh mì ốp la, a dish Nguyen says he bets most Vietnamese kids ate for breakfast.
"Not only is it nostalgic for me, but it's also something I crave from time to time. How we've done it for the pop-up is the version that indulges those cravings but then encourages you to crave more than what you expected," Nguyen said. "Needless to say, I'm pretty excited to share what has now materialized into something delicious."
Amongst the sweet offerings, find chewy Rice Doughnuts, that Le says takes inspiration from Tiny Tom Doughnuts, due to being small and bite-sized. However, this crispy creation sets itself apart by being coated in a seasoning made from all the warm spices reminiscent of pho, lightly mixed with sugar.
Le says that the goal with this pop-up is to highlight Vietnamese dishes that don't get as much attention.
"I only make food that I want to eat," said Le. "This food is different, interesting, but very approachable. Vietnamese food is so much more than just pho and banh mi. Also, who doesn't love brunch?"
The deadline to pre-order from their Vietnamese brunch menu, happening May 31, is this Saturday, May 29 and you can order here. If you miss the pre-order window, don't worry, they'll be accepting orders on the day of as well at Tallboys. The duo plans on continuing to do more collaborative pop-ups with other businesses and chefs in the city, so if you miss out on this one, be sure to follow Le and Nguyen on Instagram to see what they'll be up to next.
In addition, if you're craving Vietnamese classics with a twist, both Tâm and Vịt Béo are currently open for takeout on various delivery platforms or you can call in advance to order. Catch Mai Le at Vịt Béo and also keep in mind that she's open for small catering events as well as meal kits, organized via Instagram.
