Plans for two new Asian restaurants, one offering Thai food, the other Vietnamese cuisine, have been announced. The space at 2206 Frankfort Ave. that has seen a number of ethnic restaurants flow through in recent years will be the location of Time 4 Thai. Pho Ba Luu, a new Vietnamese restaurant, is planned for 1019 E. Main St. in Butchertown.
Time 4 Thai will locate in the restaurant space that has seen TropiCuba, Cubana and Riviera Maya in recent years. Owner Pavana Tasanabriboon has 20 years experience running Thai restaurants on the East Coast.
Pho Ba Luu will be operated by Mimi Ha, managing partner of August Moon Chinese Bistro, and Jessica Mach, who will act as managing partner of Pho Ba Luu. According to a story in the Courier-Journal, Pho Ba Luu will focus on Vietnamese street food such as pho, the classic noodle soup, and banh mi sandwiches, which show the influence of the French colonial era on Vietnamese food – the filling is served on a French baguette, which will be baked on site at the new restaurant.
Other dishes planned for the menu include Vietnamese sweet iced coffee, Imperial rolls, spring rolls, curry and rice and noodle bowls. The dishes may sound exotic in Louisville, but they are all common household meals in Vietnam.
Both restaurants plan to be open by the end of the summer.