The interior of the new Paris Banh Mi in Chapel Hill features custom furniture and bright lighting.
Courtesy of Paris Banh Mi Chapel Hill
A chain known for banh mi, baked goods and drinks such as boba tea is expanding in the Triangle.
A new Paris Banh Mi location is expected to open next month in Chapel Hill, joining a store in Cary.
Owned by Durham resident Thai Doan, the 2,200-square-foot location will offer some of the same items as other Paris Banh Mi cafes, but it will still be unique.
“We’re not technically franchises,” Doan told The News & Observer in a phone interview. “We are licensees, which means that we carry the name, and we carry the brand, and they offer support, but we are not obligated to sell the same items.”
Doan, who is originally from Vietnam, loves to travel and eat food in different places around the world, he said.
This is his first Paris Banh Mi restaurant, but not his first endeavor in the food and beverage industry; he previously owned frozen yogurt shops.
“I’ve experienced so many variations of food, and I want to kind of implement that,” he said.
Paris Banh Mi menu
French colonizers had a big impact on Vietnamese cuisine, and the banh mi, a sandwich served on a baguette, is the cafe’s signature dish.
Paris Banh Mi will also serve French pastries, both savory and sweet, including macarons. Other baked goods will include tiramisu, cheesecakes and sesame balls.
More unique dishes include the creme brulee sweet potato, made with a purple potato filled with custard, topped with sugar and then torched.
For drinks, a few menu highlights are coffee and boba tea.
“When someone comes into the store, I want them to get the feel that this is different,” Doan said.
Paris Banh Mi Chapel Hill opening
First established in Orlando, Florida, Paris Banh Mi has locations across the United States, including several in North Carolina — in Charlotte, Greensboro and Jacksonville, in addition to the two in the Triangle.
The Chapel Hill space was previously a Meet Fresh, an international chain specializing in Taiwanese desserts, and before then, a Five Guys.
Everything was torn out of the space to make way for the new concept. It will feature custom furniture, including indoor seating for 34, and plenty of bright lighting.
Doan wants to eventually be able to offer outdoor seating, as do some of the other nearby restaurants, including Brixx Wood Fired Pizza and Craft Bar.
A soft opening for the new restaurant at 407 Meadowmont Village Circle in Chapel Hill is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 12. Its hours will be 10 a.m.-8 p.m. daily.
Renee Umsted
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