Phucing Around the Kitchen With Phuc Yea! Vietnamese Popup

Short Order was invited to take a look at how Phuc Yea! was coming along this weekend. It opens September 8. When we arrived, however, the gates were closed and downtown Miami looked pretty empty on a Labor Day weekend.

We then heard a psssst coming from the Ingraham Building entrance next door. Phuc Yea! partner (and Short Order blogger) Daniel Treiman led us through a "secret passage" to the restaurant. We passed the sleepy guard, rode a freight elevator, and exited on a loading dock before opening the back door and releasing the good smells of fish sauce, stock, and garlic.

Once inside, we took a look at the front and back of the house. In keeping with the popup theme, both the dining room and kitchen are meant to be turned over at a minute's notice, so nothing is permanent.

The dining area is furnished with simple black tables and chairs. Curtains depict images of what look like Asian demons and Little Red Riding Hood.

The kitchen is shockingly large. There's a separate prep area filled with

every possible chef's tool. Though the eatery is not yet open, the kitchen was a

hotbed of activity, with executive chef Caesar Zapata (call him Cee

Rocks) simultaneously stirring a large cauldron of pork and supervising a

pot of pigs' ears slow-cooking for salad.

Treiman (code name Bobo-T) showed us a refrigerator filled with pickled

bok choy and mushrooms that were just prepared, while (former Short Order blogger) Aniece Meinhold

(AKA Lulu Bang) busied herself preparing centerpieces for the dining

room tables.

Considering this restaurant wasn't

even a thought a month ago, the trio has shown an amazing Zen attitude, even when

signing the final lease on the space and finalizing the menu for the

first week's dinner service.

Phuc Yea! will be open for dinner from

5:30 to 10 Tuesday through Saturday, beginning September 8. Reservations will be accepted for parties of six or more. Phuc Yea! will be open for a

month or longer. Though the partners don't know what the future has in store, they do know a few things: The menu will change often, and Phuc Yea!, like all things, is only temporary.

Here's the menu for Phuc Yea!'s first week:

Viet-noms Dankness

1 - một

Mini Grand Puba Bánh Mì  ($6.50) (2 pcs)

roasted pork - cha lua - pickled veg - mayo - chiles - cilantro - cracklins

Imperial Rolls Chả Giò ($6)

crab - shrimp - pork - greens - herbs

Rice Paper "Loosies" = Bò Bía  ($6)

jicama - carrots - chinese sausage - shrimp - hoisin sauce

Viet Cowboy Snack Thịt Bò Kho ($6)

beef jerky - scallions - toasted sesame seeds

Oodles of Noodles Bánh Cuốn  ($7.50)

rice noodles - roast pork - wood ear mushrooms - bean sprouts - pork terrine

Homemade Assorted Pickles  ($7)

shroom medley - daikon /carrot - bean sprouts - bok choy

2 - hai

Drunken Steamed Mussels So Hap Xa ($10.50)

lemongrass - hefeweizen beer - herb - chiles

Fish 'n Chips Ca Com Chien Don ($11)

smelts - jalapenos - homemade potato chips - lemon aioli

Good 4 Ur Belly Papaya Salad Gỏi Du Dủ ($9.5)

roasted pork - cherry tomatoes - roasted peanuts shrimp chips

Sweet 'n' Sour Chicharrones Heo Xào Chua Ngọt ($9)

crispy pork belly - pineapples - pickled onions - red bell peppers

Caramelized Pork Riblets  Suon Heo Rim ($9)

soy - ginger - scallions - sesame oil

Crispy Pig Ear Salad  ($8)

watermelon - jalapenos - radish - herb salad

Nam Style Charcuterie ($12)

chef's selection of meats - homemade pickles - spicy mustard - crusty baguette

Foie Gras au Torchon ($14)

roasted rice powder - caramelized bananas - coconut tapioca

3 - ba

Mama's Wonton Soup ($14)

shrimp dumplings - roasted pork - egg noodles - herbs

Roasty, Toasty Goodness

Char Sui Roasted Pork ($16)

Crispy Duck Confit ($22)

Whole Fried Snapper (MP)

served w/ bibb lettuce - steamed rice - house pickles - herbs - greens

General Tran's Arroz ($12)

grampa's rice - chinese sausage - roasted pork - egg - bean sprouts - dried shrimp

4 - Sweet Stuff  ($4 each)

Tapioca

coconut - dragon fruit - okinawa sweet potato - sesame brittle

Popsicle

(fruity flavors change weekly)

Phuc Yea!, Ingraham Building, 19 SE Second Ave, Miami

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