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When chef Lon Symensma went on a two-week trip to southeast Asia this fall, he and chef Ryan Gorby brought back more than just recipes and inspiration. Symensma also bought a street food cart/bicycle, which arrived from Vietnam a few days ago.
Symensma found the used cart-bike at the back of a store, and the owners did the Cho77 lettering for him. Then he had to coordinate shipping it back, along with two other crates full of glassware, cookware, and other items.
The cart will be a decorative focal point for the whole restaurant as it sits on a clear platform right above the front door vestibule. Set behind a glass wall, it will be visible within the restaurant and from the street.
Cho77 aims to open in early February as Symensma's second restaurant. With a casual street food-focused concept and only walk-in seating, the menu will boast noodle bowls and dim sum at an affordable price point. The long and narrow 2,000-square-foot space, located at 43 South Broadway, will seat about 50 among the tables and a chef's counter.