The lowdown on the new Vietnam Cafe
Benny Lai is well into construction in West Philly.
To update a restaurant story from back in December, Benny Lai and crew are hard at work turning the former West Philly eatery Abbraccio (47th and Warrington Streets) into Vietnam Cafe, the second branch of his Chinatown megahit Vietnam.
Since early last year, Lai has been running a 22-seat version next door, on 47th Street.
The current location will not be a part of the new Vietnam Cafe (below), which will open later this summer or in early fall.
The new Vietnam Cafe will accommodate up to 250, including banquet and private-party space. Lai, meanwhile, now has the liquor license in hand.
As for Abbraccio, Roger Harman and Vincent Whittacre have moved to 4800 Baltimore Ave., where they operate the Gold Standard Cafe.