Saigon Sisters, the forward-thinking Vietnamese restaurant in the West Loop, is taking over a space steps from its flagship location and turning it into a Thai restaurant.
Signs have gone up for Bang Chop Thai Kitchen, to be located at 180 N. Jefferson St. The restaurant takes over Zenba Mexican Grill, which has sat abandoned for several months.
We saw a sign of the restaurant wading into Thai waters several weeks ago — Saigon Sisters offered a larb special, which unlike most Americanized versions, had chunks of liver and tripe along with pork belly.
“I think we underestimate the palate of American tastes,” said co-owner Mary Nguyen Aregoni.
The new restaurant, slated for a late September opening, will be a greatest hits of the Thai cooking canon, so expect pad Thai, pad see ew, green and red curries, simple dishes Aregoni said caters to the West Loop’s lunch crowd (though the restaurant will also be open for dinner). The kitchen will be led by Amy Gajewski, currently a cook at Saigon Sisters.
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launched the career of chef Matt Eversman, who went on to open the short-lived Oon on Randolph St. Its current chef is Matt Riordan, who’s been with the restaurant since 2011 and was previously executive chef of Pops for Champagne. The restaurant also spawned a banh mi stand at the Chicago French Market and Northwestern Memorial Hospital.[email protected]
Twitter @pang