After Introducing Houstonians to the Concept via Ghost Kitchen Pop-up, Yelo Is Open for Biz in Katy Asian Town
Just shy of a year after announcing their collaboration, chefs Alex Au-Yeung and Cuc Lam have officially swung wide the doors to Yelo Banh Mi Artisans, located at 23119 Colonial Pkwy, Suite B-3, in Katy Asian Town next to Phat Eatery, Au-Yeung’s acclaimed Malaysian street food haunt. After pandemic-related delays on the restaurant buildout, Yelo is now open daily for lunch and dinner, with a compelling Southeast Asian menu anchored by craft banh mi sandwiches, rice and vermicelli bowls, savory snacks, specialty coffee drinks and fresh-pressed juices.
Originally envisioned as a casual Vietnamese diner, the concept has evolved in light of the COVID-19 pandemic to more of a grab-and-go format. The reduced dining room footprint, which gives way to an expanded kitchen, accommodates 12 indoors (four floating two-tops and four counter seats), with three additional café tables out front. The 1150-sq.ft. space has been outfitted with a modern, minimalist aesthetic, yellow and charcoal accents, and a mix of surfaces—solid wood, glass tile, concrete floors and pops of greenery. The space gained in the kitchen makes possible expanded menu offerings.
While Au-Yeung’s Phat Kitchen was operating as a ghost kitchen pop-up this past fall, featuring tried and true menu items from Phat Eatery and debuting Yelo menu items, the latest concept earned quick kudos and avid fans, particularly for Lam’s selection of inspired banh mi sandwiches, which include playful creations like the Pho-rench Dip, stuffed with spiced brisket and accompanied by pho broth for dipping, one filled with Phat Eatery’s award-winning Beef Rendang and the Char Siu Xiu Mai, filled with very special Vietnamese meatballs. Easily the top seller, the banh mi creation draws influence from one of Lam’s childhood favorites.
“My heritage is Chinese and Vietnamese, and my mom has cooked this xiu mai for us my entire life,” says Lam. “No other Vietnamese places serve it this way, but it’s because in her version, she serves it with a Chinese barbecue marinade. It’s a dish close to my heart because it reminds me of my family.”
Menu offerings also include rice, vermicelli and salad bowls with choice of protein, Vietnamese egg rolls, Phat Eatery-inspired Mango Papaya Shrimp Spring Rolls and Lam’s popular Chili Crab Rangoon. A “banh mi-ni” kid’s meal option combines half a sandwich with a drink and house-fried prawn chips. Guests can expect to see menu offerings updated quarterly.
Apart from a mutual affinity for culinary creativity, Au-Yeung and Lam set themselves apart from the banh mi pack by paying immense attention to detail. Lam searched obsessively for the ideal banh mi baguette. She’s developed a beautiful paté and a luxurious garlic aioli to adorn the sandwiches, and she and Au-Yeung opted for house pickled carrot and papaya rather than the traditional carrot and daikon, a costlier option for them that pays off in flavor. Lam is sourcing fresh herbs and produce from Happy Farms of Texas: a small, one-woman operation out of Katy.
As for beverages, Yelo offers specialty coffee drinks, including Vietnamese iced coffees, ube and pandan lattes and a creamy Avocado Wake-up Shake. New Orleans’ iconic Café Du Monde coffee will be used for Vietnamese coffee, while espresso-based drinks will be made with beans by Double Barrel Coffee Roaster, a local small-batch operation out of Missouri City. The duo has rounded out the menu with a fresh-pressed juice program featuring five signature juices.
Ultimately, fans of both Au-Yeung and Lam’s past and current projects have much to look forward to in this modest space.
“It’s a wonderful, happy brand that speaks for itself, and that takes a lot of the pressure off of me. When a brand is not centered around one person, you’re doing it right,” explains Lam. “And, of course, you want the food to taste good and be consistent, but the part of it that we want to make sure we deliver consistently is customer service, making our guests feel comfortable and valued. As long as we can say we made that effort, we’re happy.”
Yelo currently serves lunch and dinner Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Guests can place orders via counter service, or order online at yelohtx.com to pre-order for curbside pickup and delivery. For more details, visit yelohtx.com and follow @yeloHTX on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
