CINCINNATI — Quan Hapa, a popular restaurant in Over-the-Rhine from Lang Thang Group, is set to rebrand and reopen in a larger location in the neighborhood.
The Asian restaurant, which first opened in 2012, is currently located in a 1,100-square-foot space at 1331 Vine Street, and it will be moving to a larger, 3,253-square-foot location a few blocks away at 1135 Vine Street, which is the former location of Taste of Belgium in OTR.
Quan Hapa will have its final day in its current location Sunday, July 26, before Lang Thang Group shifts its focus to building out the new location, which is estimated to take several months.
"While we originally began looking for a larger space to expand Quan Hapa's menu, the process ultimately led us in a different direction," said Bao Nguyen, a partner in Lang Thang Group. "As we began to develop new dishes, it became clear that the real opportunity was to lean into Vietnamese cuisine — food that I've grown up eating and cooking my entire life — which ultimately led us to totally rebrand."
The new restaurant, named Yô Đi, will be a full-service Vietnamese restaurant and bar, with a "variety of unique menu items in a casual setting," the restaurant group said.
Menu items will range from noodles, noodle soups and banh mi to entrees like Suon Cay Nuong, which includes lemongrass pork ribs, pickled vegetables and rice, to Portobello Bit Tet, a marinated portobello mushroom with garlic, shallots, soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice and vegetables.
Yô Đi will also offer desserts like Vietnamese Coffee Tiramisu and Pandan Creme Brulee alongside hot and cold beverages from Lang Thang Coffee Co., that will be served in a dedicated coffee area in the restaurant.
"Many of the dishes on the new menu are recipes I've been developing because they're foods I've always wanted to share and, honestly, wanted to eat myself," Nguyen said. "I'm excited to bring these dishes to Cincinnati and introduce guests to more of the Vietnamese cuisine I grew up with and learned to make along the way."
In Vietnamese, Yô Đi translates to "Go In!" and it's commonly used as "Let's go!"
Lang Thang Group said the restaurant's name reflects an invitation to gather, celebrate and share a meal. The group said Yô Đi is also part of one of Vietnam's most recognizable drinking cheers, where someone yells out "Một, hai, ba, Yô!," meaning "One, two, three, cheers!" and everyone else responds "Yô Đi!" as they raise their glasses.
Nguyen said the name felt fitting because the restaurant's location sits at one of the gateways between OTR and downtown Cincinnati.
"In that sense, Yô Đi is also an invitation to come into OTR and experience everything the neighborhood has to offer. With so many exciting restaurants, businesses and projects opening and evolving, we're excited to be part of the neighborhood's next chapter," Nguyen said.
Christy Samad, EVP of Civic and Commercial Space Activation for 3CDC, said they were intentional about filling the former Taste of Belgium space because the 12th and Vine streets intersection is a "defining corner for OTR."
"We couldn't be more excited to welcome the Lang Thang Group as they've been a cornerstone of this neighborhood for years and it's fitting to see them deepen their presence at such a prominent spot," Samad said.
Samad also said that conversations surrounding filling Quan Hapa's current space are already underway.
You can click here to follow along with updates about Yô Đi.
