The restaurant will serve a menu featuring dishes in the style of Vietnamese street food while at the same time putting on film noir inspired ‘theatre', with the intent to encourage customers to interact with their surroundings as well as their food.
The restaurant will be opened by founders David Le and Jimmy Yeung, who aim to offer an authentic Vietnamese experience with dishes inspired by their travels and old family recipes.
Food and drink
Bang Bang Cantine will offer traditional Vietnamese signature dishes such as Lobster Pho, Steam Boa and Fish Sauce wings, which will be served to customers as part of a ‘film noir journey’. This includes a napkin with a lipstick kiss and a scrawled phone number. The venue will also have an extensive wine list put together by independent wine merchants. Both food and drink are intended to contribute to the film noir story.
Owner and chef at Bang Bang Canteen David Le said: “I’m excited about the opening of Bang Bang Canteen which first and foremost delivers on real Vietnamese street food and real Vietnamese flavours all presented with a cool inner city edge.
“With speedy meals freshly prepared during the day and a more relaxed laid back atmosphere in the evening, this will be the place where friends can meet for good food and fun.”
Film noir feel
The restaurant design will be Vietnamese colonial French in style, with an industrial feel. Inside the restaurant will be a number of clues surrounding the concept, with a number of key film noir scenes depicted. Customers will also be able to pick up hints about the ‘theatre’ via social media, which the restaurant intends to utilise.
The multi-platform concept and design was developed by creative studio Arm & Eye.
“It’s inspired by the work of the theatre company Punch Drunk,” explained Le. “We decided to add some exciting interest and fun to the restaurant by taking elements of the pulp noir films of the 1940s to create what is probably the first and no doubt last ever 'Film Noir Noodle Bar.‟
The film noir story will be narrated via the menus, napkins, social media and the artwork which will cover an entire wall of the restaurant.
Bang Bang Canteen will be located at 53 Warren Street in London and opens on 1 September.