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