Here’s what’s opening in the old Mikie Burger spot. Hint: There’s peanut sauce involved
Burgers are out and fresh rolls are in.
Vu Nguyen and Diana Tran are the husband-wife team behind the fourth location for Fresh Rolls, a fast-food Vietnamese restaurant with an emphasis on healthy eating.
They expect to open their newest Fresh Rolls in the next week or so at 4915 Center St., which most recently was home to Prime 80/20. Mikie Burger and Little Holland operated there before that.
The small space is right on the border of Tacoma and Fircrest. A few miles down the road in University Place is where Nguyen and Tran opened their first local Vietnamese restaurant in 2014.
They expanded and opened another Fresh Rolls in downtown Tacoma in 2016. Last year, they expanded again to Gig Harbor.
The theme is the same at all their locations: A focus on a broad selection of Vietnamese spring rolls.
The rolls are filled with noodles, vegetables, herbs and a choice of protein, wound up tightly in rice paper and served with a choice of dipping sauces.
The restaurant also serves pho, rice bowls, salads and Vietnamese sandwiches. Since its inception, Fresh Rolls has courted diners in search of low-calorie options. It’s also an affordable restaurant with menu items solidly under $10.
Nutritional information is printed on the menus, and the restaurant’s owners are eager to appeal to a broad range of diners, including gluten-free eaters.
“Most of our food is gluten-free except for the sandwiches,” said Nguyen.
They also pay special attention to carb avoiders by offering lower-sugar options at their fresh tea and bubble-tea bar. The pho broth is a modified recipe that de-emphasizes fat as a flavoring agent, said Nguyen.
“It’s 100 percent chicken broth and a lot of herbs and spices. We try and make it tasty and healthy,” he said.
Their second focus is on speedy service. At the downtown Tacoma location, grab-and-go items make for quick lunches. Take-out and Uber Eats comprise a large portion of the restaurant’s business, said Nguyen.
Funny enough, this is the second time the restaurant has replaced a burger restaurant. Its downtown Tacoma location replaced a Herfy’s.
Here’s a quick look at the menu:
Fresh rolls: Tofu and vegetable, salmon, beef, barbecue pork, shrimp and grilled chicken ($4.99 for two, with sauce).
Rice bowls: Lemongrass tofu, salmon or beef ($6.99 to $8.99).
Pho: Chicken, shrimp, beef, tofu, wonton ($5.95 to $6.49).
Sandwiches: Chicken, pork, tofu, salmon ($4.99).
Fresh Rolls
Where: 4915 Center St., Tacoma
Other locations: Downtown Tacoma, University Place, Gig Harbor
Info: ilovefreshrolls.com
This story was originally published May 14, 2018 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Here’s what’s opening in the old Mikie Burger spot. Hint: There’s peanut sauce involved."