Main Street’s first Vietnamese restaurant to open

After more than five months of online marketing and advertising, Banh-Mi Boy, a Vietnamese restaurant serving ethnic cuisine and sandwiches, will open on Main Street this month before the beginning of winter session classes.

Larry Chen, who will open the restaurant with his younger brother, grew up eating banh mi and Vietnamese fare at Saigon Vietnam Restaurant in the Newark Shopping Center, which his parents have owned for the last 20 years. Although Banh-Mi Boy is Chen's first restaurant, entrepreneurial projects are not new to this family. His brother owns SWAG Boutique, a shop that features homemade artisan crafts in Philadelphia.

He said banh mi, pronounced "bun-mee," translates to "bun" in Vietnamese, referring to the French baguette-style roll of the Vietnamese sandwiches. The crispy roll is filled with pate, ham or pork roll. Pickled Daikon and carrots add tang, cucumbers provide crunch and cilantro gives freshness, Chen said.

"It's a little bit sweet, tangy," Chen said. "Exactly what you think of when you think of Asian food."

Banh-Mi Boy will also serve their own version of the sandwich, with many new varieties that Chen created with his mother, a traditional Vietnamese chef. Chen described a sandwich that takes the concept of pho, Vietnamese noodle soup made with beef and basil, and transforms it into a sandwich. The menu will also cater to vegetarians by replacing meat options on one sandwich with tofu.

Senior Alex Holmes said he is a fan of Vietnamese food but has never tried a banh mi sandwich.

"It will be great to have a Vietnamese place near UD. I hope students are more open to trying it than they were with Indian Sizzler or JoAnn," Holmes said.

Chen hopes to attract college students to their restaurant with competitive pricing and an atmosphere that entices customers to stay after finishing their meals.

"College students are running to classes and they're not looking to spend a whole lot of money on food," he said. "It's at a good price, very affordable. So you feel full, but you're not spending a whole lot of money."

The layout will feature one large table for people to sit at, as well as smaller ones configured in a café style, Chen said. He hopes to emulate an atmosphere similar to  Starbucks, where students can leisurely eat their food and study.

Chen said Banh-Mi Boy's menu will also features Vietnamese fresh drip coffee, a strong espresso-like coffee made with condensed milk that is stronger than most brews.

Chen has been advertising the restaurant on Facebook and Twitter since July, trying to increase awareness of his business before it officially opens. Chen said Facebook is the best marketing tool to reach potential customers for new business owners.

Once the restaurant opens, daily promotions will be made available through the Facebook and Twitter pages.

Junior Erin Lauzon said Facebook is the best way to reach students and expects Chen's promotions will attract students who may be hesitant to try Vietnamese food.

"Promotions definitely encourage people to go to restaurants," Lauzon said. "Especially if it's a student group on campus that's offering a promotion with proceeds benefiting their group."