DERBY — City government and The Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce officially opened Phoenix Vietnamese Cuisine at 49 Pershing Drive Tuesday during a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The restaurant in ShopRite Plaza seats about 60 people. Owner Nam “Billy” Nguyen said Phoenix specializes in healthy Vietnamese fare, emphasizing veggies and less oil in the meals.
“From all the chatter that we’ve been getting, people are talking about this place, and they really like it,” Derby Mayor Rich Dziekan said. “We wish you much success and we look forward to coming here.”
The mayor was on hand to cut a ribbon with owners Nguyen and his wife, Uyen “Kathy” Le. The couple have lived in Derby for about six years and were excited to be opening a restaurant specializing in food from their native land.
The mayor and the couple were joined by family friend and Lan Pham, who also works there; Andrew Baklik, the mayor’s chief of staff; Pam Gagliardi, the mayor’s assistant; Alderman Thomas Donofrio; Alderwoman Camille Kurtyka; Bill Purcell, the president and CEO of The Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Alderman Ron Sill.
Purcell noted Phoenix Vietnamese Cuisine is the latest in an ever-expanding mix of ethnic restaurants in the lower Naugatuck Valley.
Ansonia’s resurgent Main Street is now dotted with such establishments, such as Chifrijo, a fusion of Peruvian and Costa Rican cuisine. Ethnic restaurants are also popping up in downtown Shelton.
Purcell also noted some 20 years ago ShopRite Plaza was a blighted property once home to Bradlees, a discount department store chain that went out of business. Then Stamford’s Rocco “Rocky” Cingari, an owner of several ShopRite grocery stores, redeveloped the property.
Cingari passed away last June.
Purcell said the ShopRite Plaza rebirth helped paved the way for the significant redevelopment in Derby across Pershing Drive, where Red Raider Plaza has been redone, and new commercial spaces have been built from the ashes of the former Valley Bowl.
Phoenix Vietnamese Cuisine is on Facebook here.
Click this link to visit the website.
The phone number is (203) 751‑9572.
Click here for a menu.
