Chef Justin Cheung to open Potluck Hawker Eatery in Cambie Village
We just caught up with Chef Justin Cheung at the VCC Flourish Gala and got word of this new project over the weekend. Here’s the news from the press release. Just wish this was a little closer to home! GLV
From the press release:
Chef Justin Cheung is bringing the fragrant, raucous, and vibrant atmosphere of traditional Southeast Asian hawker street food markets to Cambie Village with the anticipated launch of Potluck Hawker Eatery (3424 Cambie Street) this spring.
A counter-service style restaurant, the 993 square-feet, 35-seat Potluck draws inspiration from the ritual of potlucks, where families spend the day in the kitchen preparing their family’s signature dish and contributing to the table – a coming together of stomach-filling, soul-warming dishes.
“Growing up, I enjoyed my mom’s Malaysian cooking and visiting my uncle’s char kuay teow stall in Penang, so opening Potluck is a homecoming of sorts for me,” says Cheung, who is currently the long time chef of Longtail Kitchen. “There was nothing more important than eating together. When we talk about the most intimate and organic gatherings, it’s always a potluck. Our dishes feature the bold, bright flavours rooted in the comfort dishes from Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and Philippines.”
Cheung is currently developing the menu, which is expected to serve classic dishes, from his signature fried chicken wings with salted egg yolk butter and curry leaf, his mom’s famous laksa, to a funky and fiery Filipino coconut stew of pork belly called bicol express, and pad mee korat.
There will also be a rotating “Potluck” style family menu centred around larger format dishes such as whole fried fish, chili Dungeness crab, and whole fried chicken in caramelized fish sauce – all complimented with a pick n’ choose style menu of snacks, salads, noodles and served with plenty of coconut rice, homemade sambal, nam prik and sawsawan.
“I’ve always wanted to give Vancouver a place to experience the type of food I grew up with and thought it was finally the time to do so and took the leap of faith,” adds Cheung. “I can’t wait to also introduce guests to Potluck Hawker Eatery very soon.”
More information to come!