According to a recent article from the Portland Eater, Richard Le of Matta, Kimberly Dam of Portland Ca Phe, and Lisa Nguyen of HeyDay will soon open Mémoire Cà Phê.
A representative of Mémoire Cà Phê was not immediately available for commentary upon What Now Portland’s request.
According to the article, Mémoire Cà Phê will be “opening this spring at a yet-to-be-determined location, is meant to be a personal reflection on the three owners’ experiences growing up as Vietnamese Americans.”
“For those uninitiated, the McDonald’s Big Breakfast consists of a biscuit, scrambled eggs, a sausage patty, and an order of hash browns — the heartiest, non-sandwich morning meal on the McDonald’s breakfast menu. Chef Richard Le (Matta), coffee roaster Kimberly Dam (Portland Ca Phe), and pastry chef Lisa Nguyen (Heyday) all share childhood memories of McDonald’s Big Breakfasts.”
“Their fathers would buy each of them the plate as a treat, taking them to the chain’s PlayPlace as an inexpensive weekend activity. At their forthcoming Vietnamese American breakfast cafe, Mémoire Cà Phê, the owners will serve their version of the McDonald’s Big Breakfast, swapping the biscuit for a pandan waffle.”
“Those familiar with the Le’s now-closed food cart, Matta, will be unsurprised to hear that Mémoire Cà Phê uses the fast food breakfast as a culinary jumping-off point. Matta brunch favorites will return remixed; for example, the beloved breakfast sandwich — pairing fried egg with American cheese, smashed pork patties, and nước chấm — will trade in its pandan bun for a slice of Nguyen’s milk bread.”
“Le will fill breakfast burritos with fish sauce caramelized pork belly. Nguyen will fill the case with a rotating selection of desserts inspired by childhood favorites, things like black sesame cinnamon rolls. Dam will handle the coffee drinks, leaning heavily on Vietnamese ca phe standards. The space will be lined with murals honoring the family Nguyen, Dam, and Le have lost.”
