New Vietnamese restaurant now open on St. Paul’s Grand Avenue

Nina Thompson, Pioneer Press
·2 min read

On the corner of Grand Avenue and Summit in St. Paul, a new Vietnamese restaurant opened in mid-July. Sunlight pours through the windows and pink flowers hang off the awning, ready to greet customers.

Inside, “Một hai ba… yo” is illuminated in neon blue on the wall next to the bar. It means “One, two, three… cheers!” in Vietnamese. The decor is modern, bright and clean, with a central bar and plush banquettes.

The polished simplicity of Em Que Viet expands far beyond the entrance, but its rich history also makes its way into the menu and atmosphere of the restaurant.

Brianna Le and Lauren Le –– sisters-in-law after marrying Dat and Tan Le, the two sons of the original restaurant’s owners––manage the new location along with Maria Nguyen. They and their families split their time between it and the original Que Viet in Northeast Minneapolis, established in 1980. Although the Grand Avenue spot is another version of the family’s long-running restaurant in Minneapolis, a different location entails a different story.

“We love the Que Viet name and we want to keep it in our family. But we also added the e-m in it because it means baby sister, or baby,” said Lauren Le, creative director for the two locations. “We want to be together like brother and sister, but we want to have our own personalities,” she said.

As the “little sister” to the original Minneapolis location, Em Que Viet (amm-KWAY-vee-it) is serving dishes from the first location and new entrees, as well. For instance, the Bún bò Huế Tartare, a traditional Vietnamese soup-based noodle dish, was transformed into a pasta that the Le families created in their home kitchens, a favorite weeknight meal for their kids. Now, it’s popular among American and Vietnamese customers, according to the sisters-in-law.

The fusion of flavors is also a way to integrate cultures while honoring their differences, Brianna Le said. “I think some of the American twists on our dishes bring some of the Vietnamese people back into the American culture. We brought the traditional flavor but put our own twist on it, so it’s not like every other Vietnamese restaurant,” she said.

The global flavors include a variety of dishes for vegan and gluten-free customers. Vegan roast pork, pho and bright, picturesque cocktails and mocktails make eM Que Viet accessible for everyone.

With high creativity also comes high expectations. Loyal customers of the original Que Viet might be used to different tastes and presentations, Lauren Le said. But “we hope that you just give us a chance on our own without comparing us to our older sister first,” she said.

Em Que Viet: 1332 Grand Ave., St. Paul; 651-330-4363; emqueviet.com

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