Oanh Nguyen and Ben Tieu are well-known as nail experts to Angel Nails clients, and come this weekend, they’ll be known for something else-restaurant owners.
On Sunday, April 12, the couple will open Nom Nom Kitchen and Café located in downtown Kewanee on the corner of Tremont and Second streets. Nom Nom will be a Vietnamese restaurant guided by their great‑uncle, Andy Hoang, a successful restaurateur in Canada.
The absence of anything like it in the area also played a factor.
Ben said the couple wanted “to bring something new to the area.”
“There are no Vietnamese restaurants in the area,” said Oanh. So her uncle suggested they open one.
The menu will feature authentic Vietnamese dishes using Hoang’s family recipes, including pho, egg and spring rolls, bánh mì — the classic Vietnamese sandwich— vermicelli bowls, rice plates, appetizers and combination platters.
Drink options will include boba tea (also known as bubble tea), milk tea, Vietnamese coffee, Italian soda and refreshing teas. Prices range from about $5.50 for drinks to $25 for combination platters. Pho dishes are priced between $15 and $17.
Nom Nom Kitchen and Café will be a family‑run business, but Nguyen and Tieu plan to continue serving clients at Angel Nails.
The restaurant will open Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Regular hours are expected to be 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., though those may be adjusted as operations begin.
