East Village is set to open a Vietnamese restaurant. A second restaurant in the East Village, Pho Real Avenue on Court Avenue, is being eyed by its owners, who are also passionate about Asian and Vietnamese cuisine.
Zavy Kitchen is taking over the former Franka Pizzeria at 111 E. Grand Ave., serving “modern Vietnamese” dishes. According to the restaurant’s owners, the name “Zavy” (zah-vee) is a pun on “gia vị,” which means spice in Vietnamese.
“While Pho Real remains the cozy haven for late night phos, Zavy Kitchen takes those flavors and elevates them to an unparalleled level of sophistication without compromising the authenticity that defines our dishes,” said the Pho restaurant owners.
Noodle soups are the central ingredient in Zavy Kitchen’s menu. The restaurant’s Facebook page teases dishes such as Crab Tapioca Noodle Soup, Beef Stew, Wonton Soup and Crab Tapioca Noodle Soup. Vietnamese Meatballs, Twisted Beef, Crispy Vietnamese Pancake, Grilled Pork Rice, Crab Fried Rice, sticky rice, char siu rice bowls and grilled pork spring rolls. Zavy also plans to offer fried catfish, fried silver apple fritter and fried tilapia in tomato sauce. The restaurant has already posted a sign and applied for a liquor license. Pho. Real Kitchen and Bar opened on Court Avenue in Des Moines in 2019.
