The chef-owner of Banh Meee restaurant in Hartford’s Frog Hollow neighborhood says he plans to open a second location in downtown Hartford in December.
G Tran, whose first Banh Meee location debuted at 399 Capitol Ave., 18 months ago, said Thursday he envisions a limited-seat, breakfast-lunch eatery at 126-130 Ann Uccello St., at the southeast corner of Asylum Street.
Downtown Hartford retailers Jodi and Ron Morneault, owners of Morneault’s Stackpole Moore Tryon, own the building and 800-square-foot space Tran recently leased.Â
The vacant space has housed several food-and-beverage establishments, including a brief tenancy by Tapas Restaurant. The Morneaults say they also have plans for the vacant storefront that previously housed Sara’s Coffee House and years ago their Tuesday’s mens’-womens’ fashion boutique. They declined to elaborate.
Tran said his New York-style eatery — whose name is a play on banh mi, a spicy Vietnamese sandwich — will have seating for no more than 26, with accommodations more suited for take-out dining. The menu will feature Vietnamese-style soups and beef, chicken and pork sandwiches.
The downtown restaurant will likely be open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. — same as the Capitol Avenue location — and employ five people, Tran said.