THE RETURN OF ÔNG BÀ
Popular West End Phó Restaurant Is Back!

by Jacqui Birchall
Oh, Ông Bà Vietnamese Eatery, how we have missed you. How we have desired the sumptuous Phó, the tantalizing curries, the delicious salad rolls, the crusty sandwiches, the delightful staff.

The good news is that after a too-long wait, Ông Bà holds their grand re-opening on Saturday, September 3.

Much needed renovations were brought to a halt by COVID. The materials and the hiring of crafts people needed to complete the renovations have been heavily impacted. The re-opening has been tortuously slow. Our wait is about to end!

Meet the delightful owners, brother and sister Bach Nguyen and Hai Nguyen-Irish. (Bach tells me his father hoped he would be a wonderful musician so he gave him his name. Unfortunately, Bach jokes, he has no musical abilities.) Bach manages the restaurant and Hai is the director of the family business.

The family’s journey to Canada was a tortuous one. Their father was imprisoned by the Viet Cong and their mother devised a plan to rescue him. She traded her treadle sewing machine for a small boat, acquired a bicycle and in the company of a female friend they rescued both husbands and with their four children and the other family, a total of twelve set off on a dark moonless night headed for Hong Kong. Disguised as fishers who live on their small boats, they sought to evade the Viet Cong forces. There were many setbacks. The Macau Coast Guard rescued them at one point and took them to Macau. They did not want to land there though. Their plan was to get to Hong Kong where there would be more chance to be accepted into a Commonwealth country. The Macau Coast Guard gave them supplies, sent them on their way and they finally reached Hong Kong. Eventually a church congregation in Hamilton Ontario sponsored the Nguyen family and they were on their way to Ontario in December 1983.

Bach and Hai and their universal “Welcome” sign.

Ông Bà means grandfather and grandmother and honors Bach and Hai’s parents. Bánh Mi on the flashing sign is the name of the famous short baguette Vietnamese sandwiches.

Bach has installed a treadle machine, and an old bicycle in the restaurant in homage to his parents. A pair of antiquated ice skates hang from the bicycle, donated by a customer who fought in Vietnam. Bach wishes he had room for a replica of the small row boat they escaped in.

Behind these artifacts is a blackboard with hello written in many languages.

The kitchen boasts three chefs, Quynh Anh Pham, Duk Nguyen and Quoc Le. Quynh and Duk are culinary arts trained. All three originally came to Canada as international students. Quynh started in front of house, but the knowledge she had gained from her grandfather led her to chef school.

Quynh, the head chef, tells me the owners and the staff are like family, a wonderful team, and friends in real life. Quynh was raised by her grandparents and her Ông was a phenomenal cook. Quynh has inherited his talents.

Quynh explained that they try to make the food not too spicy, not too sour but “balanced like life.” The team is focusing on the cuisine of northern Vietnam, which has more herbs, more depth, and is less sweet than the southern cuisine.

The three chefs. left to right, Quoc, Quynh, and Duk.

Quynh tells me the food is very fresh. She shops every morning for fresh food and produce because they have no walk-in cooler. Four broths are created each day, pork, chicken, beef and vegetable. Each dish has to have the right broth and the quality of the broth is extremely important. A lot of magic goes into creating the delicious broths.

Vegan dishes are offered too. The house-made satay sauce is so delicious Bach has been asked to sell it in jars!

There will be new items on the menu and menu will evolve based on customer feedback. There will be weekly specials.

The restaurant seats sixteen including outside seating. Takeout readily available.

Ông Bà Vietnamese Eatery
976 Denman
604.620.5595
Open seven days a week 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
www.ongba.ca

PHOTO INFO

#241066E5 View of restaurant by Quynh

#5983The three chefs. left to right, Quoc, Quynh, Duk

#5877Bach and Hai in their restuarant

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