Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
Cô Lạc recently debuted at 234 E. Fourth St., between Avenue A and Avenue B, following a "super soft opening."
Owner-chef Helen Nguyen (also of Saigon Social) has rebranded the restaurant, opting not to continue under the former tenant's name, Van Đa.
Instead, she chose Cô Lạc in honor of her mother.
In Vietnamese, "Cô" means auntie, and Lac is her mother's name — a familiar figure to many of Nguyen's friends growing up.
Nguyen said she initially planned to build on what her friend Yen created with Van Đa, but ultimately wanted something more personal.
The new menu reflects that shift, drawing on family recipes and dishes tied to her childhood.
Cô Lạc is open Tuesday through Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.
Earlier this year, we stopped by as Nguyen was hosting a friends-and-family dinner... we got a look at the back and front of the house...
