Van Da
6-Course Tribute to Vietnam Dinner Series
Yen Ngo and Hannah Wong, the forces behind this Alphabet City eatery, see themselves as “warrior women”—which is what Van Da means in Vietnamese. In other words, they are bravely confronting the challenges of the restaurant world. Owner Ngo grew up with this food, and Wong came to it after graduating from Williams College and spending a year traveling on a Fulbright scholarship around Asia. She then went to work at Daniel Boulud’s dB bistro Modern and Gramercy Tavern and helped run the kitchen at Battersby, before passing the culinary torch to newly hired Executive Chef Michael Gucfa (see his impressive bio below). Van Da’s menu is split between offerings representative of three Vietnamese cities: Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, and Hanoi. Here, you will find dishes that are seldom encountered in typical Vietnamese restaurants. “Everything I ate across the whole menu was great,” raves Eater critic Scott Lynch. Did we mention that Michelin named it to their coveted Bib Gourmand list for 2021? We'll be taking over the restaurant for this two-seating event, and both Owner Ngo and Chef Gucfa will be on hand to share stories, introduce the courses, and partake in a Q&A with attendees during dessert.
About the Host:
Hannah Wong
Executive Chef & Co-Owner
Chef Wong began her culinary career at Daniel Boulud’s dB bistro Moderne and went on to work at Gwynnett St. and Gramercy Tavern before being tapped to help run the kitchen at Battersby. After graduating from Williams College, Hannah was traveling on a Fulbright scholarship when she discovered her personal heritage and professional calling. Drawing on this experience she opened Van Da with partner Yen Ngo in March 2019.
The Lineup
All savory courses will be served family-style. Dessert will be portioned individually.
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Huê Sampler Trio
steamed rice with minced shrimp and scallion oil | shrimp and pork tapioca dumplings wrapped in banana leaves | crispy mochi dumpling with mung beans and crispy shallots
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Julienned Green Papaya Salad
with tuna, mango, shiso, and thai chili vinaigrette
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Goi Ga
free range chicken salad with fennel, cabbage, rau ram, and ginger fish sauce
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Cha Ca LaVong
turmeric branzino with fresh dill, bun noodles, and seasonal vegetables
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Bo Luc Lac
shaking beef with marble potatoes and watercress salad
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Coconut Milk Taro Tapioca Pudding
with homemade cookies
Van Da
234 E 4th St
New York, NY 10009
Event FAQs
- Do I have to bring printed tickets to the event?
- No tickets are needed.
- What must I bring to the event?
- Please make sure to bring a government-issued photo ID.
- Do guests need to be of a certain age to attend this event?
- Yes. All attendees must be 21+ to gain entry.
- What is the event ticket cancellation/refund policy?
- Tickets to our events are non-refundable. However, for emergency requests, we may allow members to transfer their tickets to friends, provided the guest ticket surcharge of $25 is paid when transferring a member ticket to a non-member. All ticket transfer requests (as well as the guest ticket surcharge) must be sent to us prior to the event. Any guests who have not paid the guest ticket surcharge will not be allowed entry.
- What does the ticket price cover?
- The ticket price covers the full cost of the meal.
- Can I bring guests/non-members to this event?
- Yep! For this event, guest tickets are $75 + tax & tip, and you can bring up to 3 guests. Please note, guests are not allowed to attend unaccompanied by a member.
- What dietary restrictions/food allergies can be accommodated at this event?
- At this event, we will be able to accommodate all dietary restrictions and food allergies except for vegetarians. Please make sure to Update Your Dietary Restrictions within your Account Info before or after you purchase tickets, or email us at [email protected] after you purchase tickets to let us know what your allergies/restrictions are.
