Restaurant owner considers menu expansion

Nancys Sky Garden has developed a core of customers that have become like extended family to the staff, owner Nancy Lee said.

Lee opened the restaurant on the fourth floor of Tamiro Plaza in February and designed the menu based on how she saw a diet rich in raw, colorful vegetables benefit her sister, who was diagnosed with colon cancer.

I was worried about my sister, she said. I went to visit her [in Korea], and her complexion looked better because of the food she was eating.

Lee said she runs the restaurant with her daughter, Star, and has worked to create a family environment focused on providing fresh food cooked to order.

Dishes such as the Rainbow Salad, an array of vegetables served with sweet potato noodles and chicken salad or tofu, provide an option for diners who are looking to eat healthier. Lee also offers special or seasonal items, such as winter soup, that are not listed on the menu.

During the first few months in business, Lee said signage restrictions posed a challenge to attracting customers; however, regular diners helped build Nancys Sky Garden customer base through word-of-mouth advertising.

At the Red Poppy Festival [last year], we were just 3 months old, she said. A customer found us here, took some menus and handed them out [at the festival]. At dinnertime we were packed!

Lee said she is considering options to expand the menu and is considering using only organic vegetables and meats in 2014.

And while Lee and her family are considering opening a second location, continuing to grow business in Georgetown remains the main goal.

I want to see it packed [in 2014], Nancy said.

Nancys Sky Garden, 501 S. Austin Ave., fourth floor, 512-554-2060, www.nancyskygarden.com, Hours: Mon.Sat. 11 a.m.9 p.m., closed Sun.