Sắp Sửa: Carving an Impressive Path in Denver
“I don’t want to be the best restaurant in Denver. I want to be one of the best so I can selfishly try them all.” - Ni Nguyen, Owner & Chef
Asian cuisine and culture are rapidly establishing a greater presence in the Mile High and the newest non-traditional Vietnamese restaurant, Sắp Sửa, is a key leader. In the summer of 2023, couple Ni and Anna Nguyen turned their dreams into reality and opened their restaurant off Colfax and Elizabeth, but it wasn’t an easy journey.
Both Ni Nguyen and his wife Anna have a strong background in the culinary world, including working in Los Angeles with Nancy Silverton (of Osteria Mozza and The Barishuntil) as co-executive chefs until COVID-19 hit in 2020. Following a difficult furlough, they took to their home kitchen and “played restaurant,” crafting unique dishes with artistic plating from dishes found in their cabinets, which sparked their next big journey.
In November 2020, they packed up and moved to Denver to bring Sắp Sửa to life. Through various roadblocks including challenges in finding the perfect restaurant space, they took time to build their reputation among the AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) community through pop-ups and restaurant collaborations. Ni strongly believes that Sắp Sửa wouldn’t have had such a successful opening if it weren’t for the time dedicated to building their name and relationships. Translating to “about to be,” it reflects the mentality of being better than yesterday, evident in the Nguyens’ journey.
Restaurants do not need to adapt their flavors for Denver but rather introduce them.
Now Sắp Sửa has its 62-seat restaurant on East Colfax, serving non-traditional Vietnamese dishes, stemming from Ni’s cultural background. Asian cuisine has faced some adoption challenges in Denver, as many restaurants have felt the need to adapt their flavors to accommodate the Colorado palette. At Sắp Sửa, they’re introducing Asian flavors to an audience who may not have experienced much of them (like fish sauces and pastes) while also connecting with the tight-knit Denver Asian community.
“I love the 3-star ratings”
You’d probably assume a restaurant owner’s favorite rating is a perfect 5 stars, but that’s not true for Ni. He seeks 3-star ratings from his customers, which provide criticism and room for improvement. 1-star reviews? Whatever. But if a guest comes in with an unsatisfactory experience, Ni takes each review as an opportunity to improve something he might not catch on his own. He says, “You want to serve the food that you would eat yourself.” Either way, Sắp Sửa stands at 4.8 stars on Google, the average from almost 200 diners.
And consistency is key. If you’re a repeat customer at a restaurant, there’s likely a dish on the menu that’s your go-to order time after time. You remember the distinct flavors - which come down to the dish's process and the ingredients used. Ni trains his chefs to maintain consistency so your favorite dish is always the same.
How to be a mentor for your team, not just a leader.
With a team of 22 people, Sắp Sửa’s team is small but mighty. Ni has maintained an environment of collaboration behind the scenes in the kitchen (which you can see through a large open window in the dining room). Everyone has a voice and works together to deliver the best possible experience for their guests, and you won’t catch Ni or his chefs shouting in the kitchen, although they did create their own fun take on the Netflix series, The Bear, which is a drastically opposite atmosphere.
Ni pushes his team to think creatively and outside of the box. His goal is to get his cooks to become chefs through experimentation in a welcoming kitchen, especially because some restaurants may not be as open to such a high level of creative freedom. He’s challenged each of his cooks to work on their own dish to be included on the menu, with only two dishes shy of their goal.
The Menu
There are some signature dishes on the menu that may never change, including my favorites:
"bắp cải luộc" // Hearty charred cabbage topped with savory anchovy breadcrumbs and an egg yolk base.
“trứng và trứng” // My favorite dish… a soft scrambled egg with brown butter, fish sauce, trout roe, and rice.
Sắp Sửa’s take on the classic “Filet-o-Fish” // their fried catfish version of the McDonald’s staple with turmeric and kosho aioli (if you grew up in an Asian household, you understand the hype).
"cá kho" // Delicate hamachi collar marinated in a coconut caramel for 3 days, over steamed rice.
“chè chuối” // Creamy banana pudding with coconut, peanuts, and the classic Nilla Wafers.
Sắp Sửa is a participating vendor in the Mile High Asian Food Week happening in Denver from April 28 - May 4, 2024. Explore more information at milehighafw.com.
Key Recognitions:
Esquire’s Best New Restaurants 2023
James Beard Semi-Finalist Best New Restaurant 2024
@stoned_appetit’s Best Restaurant In Denver (March Madness 2024)
