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Taylor Hoang, who owns the Pho Cyclo Café chainlet, has opened a Redmond restaurant called District One Saigon, next door to her recently opened Maxwella’s Cafe and Bar; a private room shared between the two is available for community use, free of charge. With the new restaurant, Hoang aims to show off the diverse and evolving food scene of Saigon, particularly the neighborhood she called home for six years, District One. The restaurant opened on March 14 at 2720 152nd Ave. NE, #150.
The menu combines street food with dishes more commonly found in sit-down restaurants, with the goal of showing the diverse influences on Vietnamese culture, including French, Chinese, and Indian flavors. That manifests in an extensive selection, with the likes of pho and banh mi sandwiches on the more traditional side, alongside dishes that borrow from a range of influences: coconut shrimp ceviche, mustard greens and grilled pork rolls, five spice-braised lamb shanks, steak with duck pate, and glass noodles with pork belly, prawns, ginger, and spicy XO soy sauce. The 120-seat restaurant also has a full bar.
Hoang has made a name for herself through a number of ventures, including Pho Cyclo and her Lavender Jade Catering company. She’s championed minority-owned businesses as executive director and founder of the Ethnic Business Coalition and co-chair of the new Small Business Advisory Council, created by Mayor Jenny Durkan. She’s also the daughter of Lien Dang, who owns Huong Binh, a stalwart member of the Eater 38.
