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July 26, 2023

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Tí: Cafe Ta, the first-ever Vietnamese coffee shop in Denver, celebrated its second anniversary with joy and pride. Founded by three sisters, Sashaline, Shominic, and Shasitie Nguyen, the café has become a warm and welcoming space for people to connect over coffee and culture.

The idea for the café came from the sisters’ love for their Vietnamese heritage. They wanted to share the joy of Vietnamese coffee with Denver’s residents and visitors. Opening during the pandemic was a leap of faith, but the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

The café offers a unique blend of flavors by using robusta beans and sweet condensed milk in their coffee. They take pride in slow-dripping the coffee through traditional filters, keeping the essence of Vietnamese coffee culture alive.

Beyond coffee, Tí serves up a variety of drinks like Vietnamese egg coffee, sodas with lychee whipped cream, and matcha drinks. They also host themed weeks, like Anime Week, where they serve beverages inspired by popular anime shows.

Despite opening amid the challenges of the pandemic, Tí: Cafe Ta has experienced overwhelming support from Denver residents. They have been embraced as a place where people can gather, share cultural experiences, and engage in conversation.

Looking ahead, the Nguyen sisters aspire to expand their brand while staying true to their roots. The goal is to continue curating new menu items, hosting more events, and fostering an even stronger sense of community within Denver and beyond.

Their vision for the next two decades includes opening new stores in different states, all while maintaining a commitment to delivering authentic Vietnamese coffee culture and providing a warm, inviting space for coffee enthusiasts and curious visitors alike.

Featured Image Source: 5280 Magazine

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Through this venture, Yang and Thao have gained valuable insights into the preferences of local residents. Yang shares his observations with La Crosse Tribune, stating, “We’ve noticed that here, a lot of people like snow crab.” Located at 412 Main St. in downtown La Crosse, the restaurant has become a focal point after the closure of Soula’s Cuisina at the end of June.

Building on their prior experience, Yang and Thao operated their first Eau Juicy restaurant in Eau Claire from July 2021 to September 2022. Their success has paved the way for the next chapter, as they plan to open another Eau Juicy establishment in nearby Altoona come spring, according to La Crosse Tribune.

Unveiling the favorites on their menu, patrons are drawn to the head-off shrimp and the sumptuous Dillybob Special platter. This elaborate feast includes 4 to 5 pounds of shrimp, mussels, crawfish, and snow crab, complemented by four servings of corn, potatoes, and a generous portion of sausages. This feast is designed to cater to the appetites of two to four individuals.

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Looking ahead, Yang and Thao are eager to expand their beverage options. Pending the acquisition of a city liquor license, they plan to introduce beer, wine, and cocktails to complement their culinary offerings, enhancing the overall dining experience.

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Tue Nguyen is a young cook who came to the US from Vietnam as a kid. She became extremely well-known on TikTok for demonstrating how to prepare Vietnamese food. She went from posting videos of her cooking Vietnamese dishes on TikTok during the pandemic to opening her own restaurant called Di Di near Los Angeles.

“I think that’s always kind of been like a dream. But… I honestly didn’t know that it would come this fast,” Nguyen shared in a recent interview with AFP.

She learned cooking in a special school, but her real talent came from her family’s way of cooking. Her mom and stepdad taught her how to make good food and trust her taste.

At first, Tue put videos online as TwayDaBae where she did mukbangs. People liked them, but they loved her cooking videos more. She saw that most of her audience didn’t just want to watch, they also wanted to learn how to make the delicious food themselves.

Tue didn’t start by making a big restaurant. She began with small places where she cooked for people. The first place where she did this is now her restaurant, called Di Di. Many people follow her on social media like Instagram and TikTok. They like her videos a lot, but Tue thinks that sharing recipes online won’t stop people from coming to her restaurant. She says her online recipes are simple, while her restaurant food looks and tastes more special.

Di Di, which means “Let’s go” in Vietnamese, is like a piece of Tue’s heart. It’s filled with comfy chairs, pretty lamps, and plants. It opened recently and is already making people happy. Tue mixes what she learned in cooking school with the flavors from her family.

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Little did she know that this fond memory would become the star of her own restaurant in Fresno, California.

Just nine months ago, Leila’s dream came true as she opened the doors to Sizzle n’ Steam, a cozy spot at Maroa and Shields avenues in Fresno. This Vietnamese street food joint has quickly become a hit, boasting an impressive 4.5-star rating on Yelp.com and even snagging the third spot in The Bee’s poll for the most underrated restaurant in town.

Leila’s journey to becoming a food entrepreneur is quite a story. According to The Fresno Bee, Leila came to California at 14 without speaking much English. She pursued her studies and even built a successful career in retirement planning. But a longing for change and a desire to be close to her parents led her to Fresno, where she decided to give life a new flavor – by opening a restaurant.

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Aside from what her restaurant has to offer, Leila’s warm hospitality is outstanding, transforming her customers into friends, and turning Sizzle n’ Steam into a hub where diners feel right at home.

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In 2005, Sarmiento came to Dubai to explore job options. He started with jobs like sales manager and gained experience in different companies. These experiences gave him insights into various industries and ignited his desire to run his own businesses someday.

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