HYDE PARK — A restaurateur is betting Hyde Parkers want another option for Asian cuisine on a two-block strip of 55th Street that already offers five options.
“I really feel confident in our Hyde Park locations — we know our neighbors and we know our customers,” said Vince Srisak, the owner of Thai 55 at 1607 E. 55th St..
Srisak plans to open Pho 55, a Vietnamese restaurant, in early February next door to his Thai restaurant.
He said the wealth of options of Asian cuisine — Thai, Japanese, Korean and more Thai — draws diners to the two block strip of 55th Street between the Metra tracks and Hyde Park Boulevard.
“It’s good, we all have our own customers,” Srisak said. “We share the market here in Hyde Park.”
He said there is space for garlic noodles and Vietnam’s iconic pho, a dish of noodles, herbs and broth.
“We’re trying to provide something more to the neighborhood,” Srisak said, adding that they will also branch beyond traditional Vietnamese to offer dishes like green curry with roti.
He said Pho 55 will be more casual than other new restaurants in the neighborhood.
“We don’t want to do super-fine dining where you have 10 to 15 options,” Srisak said, adding that Pho 55 will have about 40 items on the menu.
Srisak said he is currently finishing construction on the new restaurant in preparation for an early February opening.
