From Texas wagyu pho to Asian-inspired cocktails, Bites & Basil is bringing a fresh take on Vietnamese cuisine to Hutto.
The background
Tumy and Phen Diep opened Bites & Basil in early January following the success of their restaurant Broth & Basil in Pflugerville, which opened in 2019.
Phen Diep moved to the U.S. from Vietnam when he was around 18 and met Tumy while working in the restaurant industry. They opened Broth & Basil with the goal of bringing traditional Vietnamese flavors to the Austin area, while infusing them with a modern Texas twist.
On the menu
Featured dishes include pho wagyu, pho beef rib and a variety of vermicelli options.
Bites & Basil is the first Austin restaurant to offer pho wagyu, which is their most popular specialty dish, Tumy Diep said. The restaurant partners with Ranger Cattle, based in Austin, to procure the high-quality beef.
“We wanted to bring Vietnamese cuisine to Hutto. There are two other Vietnamese restaurants here, and we saw the potential,” Tumy Diep said. “Hutto is such a fast-growing city, and we also wanted to expand our menu a little bit.”
Bites & Basil has a larger kitchen and a full bar with more bar food offerings, such as chicken wings and bun sliders.
Staying local
Tumy Diep said the couple was able to establish their brand in Pflugerville, and expanding to Hutto has allowed them to become even more involved in the community.
“We've gotten to meet a lot of the families, and it's such a family-oriented community, which fits our niche,” Tumy Diep said. “We want to make our location more approachable to families where everybody can come hang out, maybe grab a drink before a movie or after a movie.”
Bites & Basil offers happy hour from 3-6 p.m. and is closed on Sundays to allow staff to spend a day with their families.
“It's been really exciting to be here,” Tumy Diep said. “We're excited to see the growth here, and we're excited that we're able to offer a full bar, have a spot for people to come and hang out, and have some Asian-themed drinks and appetizers and food.”
