Order an “Obama Vermicelli Bowl” at Banh Mi & Bottles, Now Open on South Street

Tuan Phung’s tri-concept Vietnamese street food restaurant/bar/bottle shop, which was first announced back in March, is initiating its soft opening menu and hours for its first two-to-three weeks. For right now, the kitchen cooks from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. and the bar pours till 2 a.m. On weekends, the restaurant opens at noon.

And during this soft opening, Phung and his crew are testing out the food items, adding some, removing others, getting a real feel for their finished product before diving right into it. The current menu (below) is divvied up between snacky items, bowls, and, of course, banh mis. The Vietnamese sandwich comes four ways: traditional, pho brisket (pho-spiced beef brisket served French-dip style with pho broth), shredded chicken, and tofu. Three phos make the menu: Saigon beef, Hanoi chicken, and, as of today, a new veggie option. There’s even an Anthony Bourdain Parts Unkown-inspired "Obama Vermicelli Bowl".

Phillip Search, B&B’s bar manager, put together a pretty impressive line-up of cocktails using a whole bunch of homemade ingredients, plus three city-wide specials ranging between $4 (for Wild Turkey 101 and a Rolling Rock pony) to $12 (for Wild Turkey Rare Breed and a choice of iced tea), some non-alcoholic beverages, and coconut water straight from the source.

By mid-to-late December, the kitchen will launch lunch stay open till 1 a.m. daily.