Buddha Bruddah Is Parking Its Asian-Inspired Plate Lunch on Rainier Avenue

Buddha Bruddah food truck, which specializes in combinations of Asian dishes inspired by the Hawaiian plate lunch, is putting the finishing touches on a brick-and-mortar restaurant that owners Mark and Andrea Mizer hope to open in March.

The Mizers took over for the former Seattle’s Best Pho and Deli at 2201 Rainier Ave S in July and have been using the space as a commissary kitchen for the food truck and catering business while slowly finishing a remodel. The original goal was to open this past October, but since the owners have two small children and a busy business, construction hasn’t sped along as expected.

The Mizers have expanded their food truck and catering business since opening four years ago and felt they could finally support a brick-and-mortar expansion. Just as on the truck, the restaurant will prepare mixed plates that include various Asian dishes like red curry, pad Thai, and huli huli ginger chicken with sides like Hawaiian mac salad, jasmine rice, and Asian-style slaw.

But the bigger kitchen also means the opportunity to branch out, Andrea says, as the food truck has limited space and no deep-fryer. Fried chicken, prawns, short ribs, loco moco, and Thai-style barbecued chicken are all new possibilities at the permanent space.

The restaurant won’t have a liquor license to start, but Andrea says the plan is to apply for one after things are up and running. Beverages may include craft sodas, Hawaiian Sun, coconut water, Thai iced tea, and guava juice. Mark, who is half Thai, also hopes to have a Thai noodle dish of some sort on the menu. He learned to cook at the Seattle restaurants his family owned throughout the 1980s and ‘90s.

The Mizers will continue operating their food truck after the restaurant opens, and the catering arm will continue as well.