Red Lotus to reopen in Cafe O-Mai
Two of the city’s Vietnamese restaurants will merge into one with a banh mi bonus. But don’t worry, Cafe O-Mai isn’t going anywhere.
Two of Brisbane’s most iconic Vietnamese restaurants will merge into one next week as the Nguyen family closes its Red Lotus restaurant in Annerley and moves it a few doors down to Cafe O-Mai.
Cafe O-Mai will now serve its cafe menu during the day and switch to the Red Lotus menu at night. The move has been planned for several years, says co-owner Maggie Nguyen.
“This is really about consolidation,” he says. “My mother [Kim Nguyen] He works so hard. He works all day and doesn’t stop.
“Nothing will change on either menu. It just means staff don’t have to prepare to take everything to Red Lotus in the afternoon.”
“It’s also an opportunity to bring in someone else who will add diversity to this field.”
This will be the second move for Red Lotus, which started life in the Chinatown Mall once occupied by the Milton-based China Sea (of “delicious Chinese food” fame).
But arguably the best-known venue now is Cafe O-Mai, so it makes sense to combine charming corner establishments with both brightly painted murals and mix-and-match furniture.
“Nothing really changes,” Nguyen says. “This is a good strategy to reduce the costs of running both businesses. Honestly, I go to Red Lotus at night to see my mom and all my customers are there. So nothing really changes.”
Before you ask: No, Cafe O-Mai’s menu won’t be out late. However, the cafe’s banh mi will be available late for takeout.
“We’re going to try to capitalize on the nightly banh mi thing,” Nguyen says. “We’ll see what happens, but I think it will be popular.
“We have some picnic benches behind Cafe O-Mai and people can sit there and eat their takeout banh mi. It’s beautiful out in the evening with views overlooking the Scenic Rim. It’s a beautiful place.”
Red Lotus will make its debut at Cafe O-Mai on Tuesday night.
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Matt Shea is Food and Culture Editor at the Brisbane Times. He is a former editor and editor-in-chief at Broadsheet Brisbane and has written for Escape, Qantas Magazine, Guardian, Jetstar Magazine and SilverKris, among others.
