August 2016

When I heard about the return of PHUC YEA, I knew I had to be there. Viet-Cajun…yes, please. I wasted no time and reserved dinner during their soft opening phase. The no-reservations policy always kept me away from trying the original, popular, and trendsetting pop-up in 2011. Thankfully, times have changed. Several clicks on Resy later and I had a date set.

Everything about this place screams COOL. Graffitied walls mirroring Vietnamese street alleys, a hodgepodge of chairs and mismatched everything everywhere I looked, the interior design aims to be laid back and a bit haphazard. Even so, there’s still a cohesive message that clearly comes through…Phuc Yea‘s got soul.

What I tried: click photos for details

Papaya Salad

Mama T’s Pho

Eggplant Curry

Caja China Cola Duck

Caramel Pork Riblets

Summer Roll

Mango Soft Serve

HIT: The Caja China Cola Duck. Fall. Off. The. Bone. Good. Oh. Em. Gee. Coca-Cola hoisin, roasted peanuts, and pickles. Lettuce is served on the side in a Chinese take-out box, but I had no patience for that; I was too busy inhaling my duck in a very non-ladylike manner. Oh well. It’s all good. I was back to an upright posture and proper manners shortly after that.

One by one, our dishes came out, and I happily dug in. Without a fault, every single dish tasted homemade.; nothing fussy or high-brow. I was saddened the menu happened to be limited that night, but it’s a chance I took by going so early. The good news is that there’s a lot more I’m looking forward to trying; the Beef Tartare, Spicy Beef, Hue Pancake, Broken Rice, Cajun Wok, and Sweet & Sour Chicharrones.

Even though I visited on their second day, I didn’t experience any hiccups with service. Our waitress was knowledgeable and happy to explain everything. It felt like she’d been there for a while. Excitement was clearly in the air and contagious. The music kept me head bobbing all night long: Naughty by Nature? Check! Busta Rhymes? Check! DMC? Check! 2 Live Crew? Oh yeah…that happened…check! Phuc Yea (pronounced: fuhk-ya) delivered a nicely balanced package with all the right components: food, vibe, and excellent service. I predict after this week’s #phreshasphuc grand opening, those reservations will be just a little harder to get (especially once they roll out Hip-Hop Thursdays). You better believe I’m phuckin’ coming back soon; so should you. And if you don’t know, now you know.

PHUC YEA
Grand Opening 09/08/2016
7100 Biscayne Blvd.
Miami, FL 33138
305. 602. 3710

*All photos are available without the TWP logo upon written request.