@26 VIET CAFE

@26 Viet Café is a family-owned and operated restaurant that opened last summer and has gained a loyal following. The restaurant showcases Vietnamese dishes crafted from the freshest ingredients.

Niki Wong and her husband bring a wealth of experience to their new business; they have worked in the food industry since 2007 and previously owned nine Vietnamese restaurants in Asia.

Niki grew up in the area. She says, “When the opportunity arose to take over an existing Vietnamese restaurant, we really didn’t think twice. We are close to schools, community centres, and medical buildings. It’s exciting to see a mixture of customers from families to professionals and seniors.”

Twenty-six is a lucky number for my family and is also related to feng shui numerology.

The large restaurant seats 110 guests. Niki mentions that the space contains a private area where they have hosted a few corporate lunches and other gatherings. “We can set up a meeting area with projectors for presentations. Another interesting opportunity was when we partnered with the Vancouver Film Festival, and they filmed in our restaurant.”

Niki promises that @26 Viet Café’s dishes will transport you to the vibrant streets of Vietnam. Their signature dish is the special pho, consisting of aromatic slow-cooked bone broth. Lemongrass-infused chicken steak, pork chops, and seafood are also frequently ordered.

The banh mi sandwich, which originates from the traditional French baguette, is stuffed with a delicate balance of sweet, sour, and spicy fillings. When ordered with a sea salt cream coffee, it’s a great grab-and-go meal.

“We are extremely attentive to each dish we prepare. We offer different types of noodle broths (beef, chicken, satay, curry, spicy, hot and sour), rice plates and vermicelli bowls. We also offer fresh seafood such as live crab made to order at dinner service.”

The snack platter tower features popular appetizers and is perfect for sharing.

One of Niki’s favourite dishes, and a new feature item, is Vietnamese Shaking Beef Rice (Bo Luc Lac), served on a hot, sizzling stone plate with two eggs. She says, “It goes amazingly well with French baguette, rice, or vermicelli.”

This winter, the new dessert menu will include sesame paste, apricot kernel paste, pistachio paste, mango sago cream, taro coconut milk sago cream, and steamed milk dessert with fish maw.

Vegetarian and gluten-free options are plentiful. Niki estimates that sixty percent of the menu is gluten-free, as most dishes are made from rice. The spring rolls are made from rice paper wraps.

If you are craving Vietnamese food but would like to dine at home, @26 Viet Café utilizes Uber Eats, DoorDash, Skip the Dishes, Fantuan, Hungry Panda and Zomi.

Along with their team of eight staff members, they pride themselves on getting to know their customers. As a new business, they appreciate feedback to continue to grow and improve.

“We also have university students training in front of house. I believe that it really gives them a chance to build some foundation on communication skills and customer service. We thank our customers for their patience while we train this new generation of go-getters!”

One of our favourite reviews is from an elderly couple who often come and leave with their thumbs up.

Niki adds, “They have brought their entire family of 13 people to dine with us for celebrations. We are very grateful. Our online reviews for dine-in and delivery are also gaining great traction. We constantly review customer feedback and share it with our team members to adjust our protocols and service.”

“It is very satisfying to be a part of a community connection; we see family and friends gather to share and celebrate occasions. We derive joy from witnessing satisfied customers

appreciating our food and returning because they love the experience. Our mission is to create a space where food brings people together and offers them the best flavours. I would like to thank our customers for giving us the chance to serve them.”

@26 Viet Cafe

2044 W 41st Ave, Vancouver BC V6M 1Y8

Phone 236-889-3399

Story by Sarah Gordon (Feb 2025) @PALLAMEDIA