Sister, sister.
Kellie and Tuyen Truong are known for their fast-casual Lawrenceville eatery Banh Mi & Ti, which opened in the neighborhood in 2016. But for the past year, this duo has been lending their expertise to two other sisters – their aunts, Trinh Phan and Trang Somphonphakdy – as they open their own restaurant in the city.
Named for the team running the kitchen, Two Sisters is a highly-anticipated Vietnamese restaurant that officially opens next week on Highland Avenue in East Liberty. The restaurant is located on the same block as the former Union Pig and Chicken building, catty-corner from the Hotel Indigo.
Two Sisters is the passion of Phan and Somphonphakdy, who moved to Pittsburgh a year ago to open the restaurant. Originally from the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, the family worked in many restaurants in Vietnam before moving to America, where they initially worked in other fields.
“Down the line, they always wanted to go back to their roots and bring some very traditional Vietnamese cuisine to the city,” says Kellie Truong.
And that’s exactly what Two Sisters is offering. The menu features a variety of Vietnamese dishes with a focuses on pho, the popular Vietnamese noodle soup. Two Sisters offers four types of pho: beef, chicken, seafood, and vegan. The food is prepared by the two sisters, for whom pho is their “main dish.”
“The food in the kitchen stays old-school,” laughs Truong, who recommends that first-timers try the traditional, beef broth pho.
There will also be rice bowls and vermicelli noodle dishes.
The space itself is a 50-seat dining room, and unlike Banh Mi & Ti, which is counter service, Two Sisters is a sit down, full-service restaurant.
“My aunts always wanted a sit down, dine-in restaurant where they can serve the customer and enjoy a conversation.”
The restaurant will also offer takeout, and has plans to offer catering services in the future.
Two Sisters is currently operating under a soft-opening, and plans to open seven days a week from 11:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M. starting next week. Keep an eye on their social media for an announcement on their official. opening.
“It’s very much two sisters cooking in the kitchen, and we can’t wait.”
Two Sisters (216 N. Highland Ave)
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