been together since we were teenagers ,” says the irrepressible Melody . “ But in the last year , we ’ ve opened two restaurants and got married . And we had a child somewhere along the way !”
While restaurant life is hectic , Calvin is certainly no stranger to it . His parents owned the iconic Spring Roll Restaurant on Notre Dame Avenue when he was growing up , and by 22 he and Melody took over the restaurant .
Three years later , and after plenty of travel and research , Calvin and Melody were ready for their own restaurant , an eatery specializing in ramen . “ There was nothing in Winnipeg quite like it at that time ,” he says .
That little spot on Isabel , opened in 2013 , became a launching pad thanks to a keen eye for business and the will to
inthekitchen
space at The Forks Market , Kyu Grill introduced Winnipeg to playful signature sammies called heroshimas . The impressive subs are made with skewered , grilled meats tucked into sweet buns and garnished with Japaneseinspired sauces and toppings .
Next came the acquisition of a former pizza restaurant on Pembina Highway that the pair operate with two business partners . Kyu Slice combines the couple ’ s love of Korean cuisine with a food almost universally beloved : pizza .
“ People were really loving the spicy bulgogi pizza right away , so we carried the Asian flavours into burgers ,” says Calvin . “ The spicy KFC ( Korean fried chicken ) burger is also a huge hit .”
When the opportunity arose to purchase an existing Thai restaurant last
“ I ’ ve come to realize there really are no boundaries when it comes to creating dishes ”
execute their vision perfectly . While food cities like New York and San Francisco were falling for ramen , Winnipeg didn ’ t yet have a spot that specialized in the Japanese noodle soup . The Truongs , along with their business partner Peter Truong , knew there would be a bit of learning curve , educating Winnipeggers about the joys of ramen — and its vast difference from the square packages of noodles that keep college students going .
But it wasn ’ t long before a loyal following discovered Calvin ’ s flair for visual presentation and attention to the foundational details that make a dish spectacular .
“ It ’ s all about the broth ,” says Calvin , adding that it took an entire year for him to craft the perfect recipe . The rich , flavourful result requires 17 hours of simmering .
After fine-tuning the bistro ’ s offerings over a two-year period , Calvin — with his seemingly boundless energy — set his sights on sandwiches . Originally a mobile sandwich cart that now boasts year , the Truongs jumped at the chance to get back to their roots .
“ Cambodian flavours are big and bold and we know that it might take some time for diners to get used to them ,” Calvin said . “ But we already have regulars who love the lok laf beef ”— a spicy stir fry —“ and Cambodian chicken panang ”— a type of thick red curry .
Calvin , who develops and meticulously fine-tunes the menu items at each location , is never without inspiration .
Melody is quick to add that her husband is seldom without thoughts for a new dish running through his head . “ We ’ ll be watching the Food Network , commenting on how that looks good , and the next thing I know , Calvin will walk out of the kitchen with his twist on the dish .”
“ I ’ ve come to realize there really are no boundaries when it comes to creating dishes ,” he says . “ I only create things that I want to eat , and so far , that ’ s been working .”
12 ciao ! / aug / sep / two thousand eighteen