An Over-the-Rhine restaurant is closing this month to make way for a new concept nearby.
Quan Hapa, an Asian street food restaurant at 1331 Vine St., will close Sunday, July 26, according to a July 7 announcement from the Lang Thang Group. It will relocate to the former Taste of Belgium flagship location at 1135 Vine St. with a rebranded concept, according to a news release.
The new restaurant, Yô Đi, will be a full-service Vietnamese kitchen and bar. An opening date has not been revealed for the 3,252-square-foot restaurant. However, the buildout is estimated to take several months.
Bao Nguyen, a partner at Lang Thang Group, said the team initially sought a larger space to expand Quan Hapa’s menu but shifted direction during the process. Nguyen said the new concept centers on Vietnamese dishes he has been developing and wants to share.
“Many of the dishes on the new menu are recipes I’ve been developing because they’re foods I’ve always wanted to share and, honestly, wanted to eat myself,” Nguyen said. “I’m excited to bring these dishes to Cincinnati and introduce guests to more of the Vietnamese cuisine I grew up with and learned to make along the way.”
Once open, Yô Đi will feature menu items ranging from noodles and noodle soups to banh mi. Featured entrees will include the Suon Cay Nuong, which are lemongrass pork ribs with pickled vegetables and steamed rice, and Portobello Bit Tet, a marinated portobello mushroom with garlic, shallots, soy sauce, oyster-style sauce, jasmine rice, and seasonal vegetables.
The dessert menu will include Vietnamese coffee tiramisu and pandan crème brûlée, along with hot and cold coffee drinks from Lang Thang Coffee Co.
The restaurant’s name translates to “Go in” or “Let’s go.” It comes from a common Vietnamese drinking cheer where one person calls out “mot, hai, ba, yo” (“one, two, three, cheers”), and others respond “yo di!” Nguyen said the name invites patrons to gather, celebrate, and share a meal together.
Nguyen said the name also reflects the restaurant’s location, which he describes as a gateway between Downtown and Over-the-Rhine.
“In that sense, ‘Yô Đi!’ is also an invitation to come into OTR and experience everything the neighborhood has to offer. With so many exciting restaurants, businesses, and projects opening and evolving, we’re excited to be part of the neighborhood’s next chapter,” Nguyen said.
Nguyen added that the Lang Thang restaurant group, which also owns Pho Lang Thang, The Hi-Mark and Lang Thang Coffee Co., is in talks with a potential tenant to fill Quan Hapa’s current space. Grand opening details for Yô Đi will be announced later.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Quan Hapa closing, moving to Taste of Belgium spot with new concept
Reporting by Haadiza Ogwude, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Haadiza Ogwude, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
