Celebrated chef Kevin Tien is launching Chao Ban, a new Vietnamese American restaurant, on the top floor of Tysons Galleria in McLean, Virginia. The spot will open on March 10, featuring innovative banh mi sandwiches and traditional pho. Tien draws from his Louisiana roots and Vietnamese heritage for the menu.
Kevin Tien, known for his fine-dining Vietnamese restaurant Moon Rabbit in Washington, D.C., which earned him a 2024 James Beard Award finalist nomination for Outstanding Chef, is expanding with Chao Ban. The casual counter-style eatery opens on March 10 at Tysons Galleria, located at 2001 International Drive in McLean, Virginia.
The menu highlights unconventional banh mi sandwiches inspired by po' boys from Tien's Louisiana upbringing. Options include lemongrass chicken, Nashville hot—a reference to his Hot Lola's stall—and buttermilk-fried catfish with curry spices. The sandwiches use crispy French loaves sourced from Leidenheimer, a 120-year-old bakery in New Orleans, as Tien notes there is 'nothing like NOLA’s po’ boy bread.' The one-page lunch and dinner offerings also feature time-intensive pho in two varieties: lemongrass-roasted chicken and beef with slow-cooked brisket simmered overnight, plus shaved eye-of-round steak from Philadelphia as a nod to a Philly cheesesteak.
Appetizers riff on classics, such as honey walnut shrimp with candied pecans—a 'Louisiana thing,' per Tien—and a vegan lemongrass meatball, a meat-free version of pork xiu mai slow-cooked in tomato sauce and Thai basil, using fermented pineapple sauce instead of fish sauce. One banh mi draws inspiration from the fried salt-and-pepper shrimp at New Big Wong in Chinatown. Beverages include Vietnamese coffees and sesame rice milk, lightly sweetened for a nuttier taste. Tien mentions, 'I’m drinking more coffee than I should lately,' and adds that 'Vietnamese coffee culture is having its moment right now.' A liquor license is pending for an adjoining tower bar to support the coffee program.
The concept dates back a decade to Tien's time co-running Petworth's Himitsu. Managed by the same company as Ballston Quarter, where Hot Lola's operates, Chao Ban partners with Alan Vo, a first-generation Vietnamese raised in Louisiana. The 36-seat space, designed by Michelle Bove of Design Case, features green tones and wooden accents evoking a hip Vietnamese cafe, inspired by Tien's recent vacation photos.
Chao Ban offers a hybrid model with full sit-down service and counter ordering, similar to places like Rye Bunny in Adams Morgan. The name translates to 'hello, friend,' emphasizing hospitality and migration themes. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, extending to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Nearby, a two-story Louis Vuitton flagship store is set to debut this year, which Tien views positively, saying, 'Growing up in Vietnamese culture, having a Louis Vuitton bag was a status symbol for my grandma and mom. It means hard work pays off and you’ve made it.' Tien hints at potential future locations, stating, 'We’ll see how it goes. There’s always an opportunity to grow.'