Phab Pho Alert – Vietnamese Restaurant District Mot Opening on Broadway

Pho sounds pretty good right about now.

Vietnamese food will again arrive in Astoria! And this time we don’t think they’ll be heating up the pho in the microwave.

Earlier this month, a WHA tipster let us know about a mysterious business called District Mot (translation: “district one”). We all wondered—is it the same much-lauded Vietnamese restaurant District Mot from Berlin? Or is it a completely different business with the same name? From what we can tell from a recent Astoria Post article, it looks like the latter—District Mot in the Mitte section of Berlin is a stylish restaurant owned by Dong Phuong, and focuses on street food (check out this video!); District Mot in Astoria is owned by Queens native Michael Lien, and it will be a “charming Vietnamese Kitchen” focusing on “honest, healthy and exciting food that honor our parent’s heritage.”

According to the Post article, District Mot plans to offer classic Vietnamese eats such as pho, summer rolls, and steak dishes. Their choice of using organic ingredients is notable, since so many Astorians these days actively seek out healthier options, and organic food is part of it. It also makes sense that District Mot will offer modern takes on traditional dishes, making them taste fresh and exciting while keeping one foot in the world of reliable signature cooking styles and techniques.

As for the space, we are looking forward to seeing what they will do with the old 99cent store that was there before. Some amazing transformations have happened in Astoria—if you’ve been to The Pomeroy, you’ve seen how a new design makes the former place look unrecognizable. We believe that Tenant Design (sorry, no photos available) is designing the space; they also designed ChaPa’s, another Vietnamese restaurant in Manhattan. Look for a bar (they’ve applied for their liquor license) and a dining room seating for about four dozen people in a combination of tables/chairs and couches. There will also be a large communal table for larger parties or those who just want to eat alongside that vibe.

They hope to open around Christmas and we hope they can make it; it’s been challenging lately to meet deadlines, what with mounds of city paperwork as well as various and sundry surprises that come up. (Remember soon-to-be neighbor Pye Boat Noodle and the building owner who threw a fit about their storefront design, one that many Astorians love!)

There’s not much of an online presence for District Mot (Astoria) but they do have a little Facebook page. Here’s hoping they update it with more info and pics. This few blocks of Broadway is shaping up with a nice suite of Asian restaurants in Astoria—Pye Boat Noodle (Thai), Mokja (Korean), and Bai (Sushi), soon to be joined by District Mot.

District Mot (37-15 Broadway)
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5 Comments

Jay November 23rd, 2015

So excited!!! :D

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Mari November 18th, 2015

Let’s not forget Kondo, which might be the only legit sushi place in Astoria.

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megc November 19th, 2015

If Kondo was within a block or two of District Mot, I would have definitely included it in the mini list at the end of the article. Kondo’s predecessor, Linn, was also best in town in its time.

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andrea November 18th, 2015

yaaaaaaaassssssss! cant wait–Just need a sichuan place and then i’ll never need to leave the hood!

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megc November 19th, 2015

I’ve been saying it for years – if a good regional Chinese restaurant opened up in Astoria, the owners would make money hand over fist.

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