After four years of serving up their modern take on family receipes of Vietnamese fare, Yaletown's House Special has shaken things up by rebranding as a second outpost of their popular sibling concept Do Chay.
Do Chay, which launched in spring 2019 on Kingsway, also offers modern Vietnamese dishes, with one key distinction - the menu is entirely vegetarian, with most plates and bowls fully plant-based. The Yaletown location opens officially on Saturday, August 1.
Taking the cuisine to the next level with their creative meatless takes on classic dishes, Do Chay became an instant sensation after their debut, and deservedly so. Here, crispy vegan spring rolls come with a side of "ish" sauce - nary a fish in sight. Bite into juicy delicate dumplings, or tuck into a rich, steamy bowl of noodle soup, like their Desert Island Noodles made with rice noodles, coconut milk, and a vegan meatball. And of course they've got a vegan pho, too.
Their extensive menu is fun for sharing, too, letting you and your table mate(s) explore more of their exciting flavours and dishes.
As an ode to one of House Special’s most popular items, Uncle Hing’s Chicken Wings, Do Chay Yaletown will have an exclusive dish on its menu made with oyster mushrooms and Do Chay’s Ish Sauce (vegan fish sauce).
House Special and Do Chay are family affairs; siblings Patrick and Victoria Do oversee operations with an assist from their mother, Yen.
Patrick Do explains their decision to evolve House Special into Do Chay II: “Our family as a whole have been moving towards a more plant-based diet in recent years, and with COVID-19 happening, we wanted to focus on growing Do Chay and feel this is the right decision for us and for the neighbourhood."
“Our collective goal has always been to make Vietnamese food approachable. Do Chay is going to be a great addition for the area, and we can’t wait for the community to visit and try our dishes," adds Victoria Do.
During COVID-19, the main dining room at Do Chay Yaletown seats up to 25 people, while the expansive patio can seat up to 18.
Do Chay Yaletown is open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m seven days a week. Reservations can be made online for the dining room. Patio is first-come, first-serve. Take-out is also available, as is delivery through UberEats.
Do Chay Yaletown is located at 1269 Hamilton Street in Vancouver
This article was originally published on June 8, 2020 and has since been updated with new information
