Back in August, I broke the news that chef Rob Lam (Perle) of the upcoming LILY on Clement was going to be offering a to-go version of the upscale Vietnamese restaurant, which was due to open in March with owners Lily and Lucy Lieu, but then Miss Rona did a buyout of the restaurant for the past six months (so to speak) and they couldn’t open.
Anyway, starting today, Thursday October 1st, you can come by for Lily To Go, featuring Rob’s soigné chao (Vietnamese rice porridge), including a forbidden rice version with rock shrimp, crispy dry shrimp, uni XO, and cherry tomatoes; bright green pea leaf and cilantro chao with a trio of mushrooms, bamboo pith, chive blossoms, and toasted shallot; or duck confit, with century egg, cilantro, scallions, and pickles (you can also add on a fried cruller, poached egg, or century egg).
There are also three bánh mi, from the op la breakfast with incredibly orange sunny side farm eggs, housemade giò (it’s like Vietnamese bologna), lap cheong sausage, pâté, and chef-made mayo and pickles, to a chả cá thăng long (bring on the dill and turmeric!), or French dip phở au jus (an upgrade of his famed dip at the former Butterfly). There are a couple noodle dishes, a shaking beef salad, and be sure to check out the unique non-alcoholic drinks. Menu here; you can pre-order on their website!
As you can see, he’s definitely offering an elevated experience with his housemade touches and quality sourcing, even though it’s meant to be casual. Takeout is available Thu-Sun 10am-3pm. 225 Clement St. at 3rd Ave.
A deconstructed version of the op la breakfast bánh mi (at a test meal). Photo: © tablehopper.com.
