Foreign Concept: Chef Duncan Ly talks about his new restaurant

Jul 17 2016, 10:58 pm

Chef Duncan Ly, previously of Hotel Arts and the Kensington Riverside Inn, has changed the name of his forthcoming restaurant from La Vong to Foreign Concept.

Projected to open November 1, the contemporary Pan-Asian restaurant will seat approximately 110 patrons, including 10 at a cocktail bar on the West side and eight food adventurers at a charcuterie bar on the East side.

In an email to Daily Hive Ly explains the decision to change names. “As we started developing further into the vision of the restaurant we wanted to come up with a name that would resonate with our guests and really signify what the restaurant was all about (I wasn’t convinced that La Vong did that),” says Ly.

“We wanted something that was ‘edgier’ and more memorable. Naming your restaurant is a very crucial part of the business and we wanted to make sure that we got it right. As the vision unfolded (with the help from our friends from At Large Communications) the restaurant started to feel more like a Foreign Concept than it did like a La Vong. Hence the change,” elaborates Ly.

When asked about Foreign Concept’s tagline of ‘Alternative Asian Dining’ Ly remarks: “Growing up I was always that skateboarding, alternative kid. I was never one to go with the flow and I always wanted to be different than anyone else. So for me, ‘Alternative Asian Dining’ makes sense — this is not your ‘go with the flow’ or expected Asian restaurant. Everything from the decor, service, and of course the food.”

Speaking of food, much like the decor diners will be able to find a blend of new and old world.

“We are taking authentic flavours and dishes from countries like Vietnam, China, and Korea and putting French influences on them (classic French cooking is what I was trained in as a chef), and then we’ll add some modern surprising elements to the dish. The food really is inspired by my Asian childhood upbringing blended with my classic training as a chef,” says Ly.

Foreign Concept will be open for both lunch and dinner. Projected hours are 11:30 am to 2 pm for lunch with a weekend dim sum style brunch. Dinner hours will be from 5 to 11 pm. The restaurant will be open for late night service on Fridays and Saturdays.

For further developments stay tuned to the restaurant’s social media pages: Twitter and Instagram.

Foreign Concept

Address: 1011 1st Street SW
Phone: 403-813-2790
Twitter: @EatForeign

See also
Jess FlemingJess Fleming

+ Dished
+ Restaurants & Bars
ADVERTISEMENT