W H AT WE’RE EATING NEWS FROM OUR RESTAURANT COMMUNITY, PLUS A DISH WE LOVE
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tepping into modern Asian-fusion restaurant elements, an abundance of flavor is evident in the aroma that greets you at the door. The inviting yet elegant eatery is illuminated by natural light. Van Chuong, the event coordinator and general manager, and head chef Mark Hornbeck took over the 12-yearold restaurant from Van’s father and former head chef, Michael Chuong, in 2020. (Michael is now the head chef at sister eatery MC Restaurant in Cary.) “My dad has always been into cooking,” Van says. “When he was young, he learned a lot from his mom. … She has unfortunately passed away, but he’s just carried it on. That Vietnamese chicken curry on the menu? That’s my grandma’s recipe. It’s just simple, warm, comforting and packed full of flavor. That’s one thing – our food is full of flavor.”
elements 2110 Environ Way, Chapel Hill elementsofchapelhill.com
Van and Mark have been a part of elements since the beginning – Van managing the front of the house and Michael as his father-in-law’s sous-chef. “My dad always wanted to have a family business, and of course, out of four girls, only I’m still stuck in it,” Van laughs. “I just happened to marry a chef.” The East 54 restaurant recently began opening for lunch this year, after taking a break during COVID-19. “A lot of people have been begging for lunch, so they’re really happy about it,” she says. The lunch menu features a few new items and several lunch-exclusive ones, ranging from light bites to heavier items. I could see why Van said it’s hard to pick just one dish. So, I opted for two. While the bento box is not technically on the lunch menu, Van says to ask for it. “It’s the most popular dish.” And with pan-roasted chicken pot stickers, a buttery pan-roasted miso-and-maple glazed Chilean sea bass cooked to perfection over a Japanese seaweed salad, plus crispy Brussels sprouts with balsamic reduction, blue cheese and craisins, it’s easy to see why. The other dish I ordered was just as flavorful: Saigon noodles feature a wokked lemongrass flank steak, cool rice noodles, pickled vegetables, cucumber, bean sprouts, nuoc cham (a versatile Vietnamese sauce), crispy shallots, peanuts and spring roll bites. Van recommends “giving it a toss” because the dish is built in layers. And it’s as good as it looks. Pair your meal with a light beer or leisurely enjoy your lunch break while sipping on a glass of sauvignon blanc. – By Leah Berry 30
chapelhillmagazine.com
May/June 2024
NEWS BITES As of March 17, Radius Pizzeria & Pub in Hillsborough is open on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Chef Brandon Sharp has plans to open a Spanish tapas and wine bar called Próximo at 173 E. Franklin St., the former home of Ye Olde Waffle Shoppe next to Four Corners. Brandon is the chef and owner of Hawthorne & Wood and Bluebird. The restaurant is slated to open in the fall. The Carrboro Farmers Market is celebrating its 45th season this year. It hosted a birthday party on this year’s opening day, April 6, to commemorate the milestone, complete with complimentary birthday cake, festivities and the reveal of this year’s T-shirt design. The market’s original opening day was June 2, 1979. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream – known for some of its unique flavors like fluffernutter pie – announced it will be opening in Chapel Hill’s University Place by 2025. Additionally, Chick-fil-A will once again have a presence at University Place in the space that was formerly K&W Cafeteria. Starbucks on East Franklin Street is relocating to a bigger space across the street under Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery. The space has not been occupied since Midici Italian Kitchen closed in 2019. Zayka Indian Cuisine is planning to open its second location in May. The restaurant will be housed in the space that was formerly Basecamp, in between Sup Dogs and the current Starbucks location on East Franklin Street. Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop and Dame’s Chicken & Waffles have both closed on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill. – Compiled by Natalie McCormick CHM