DD Mau now open in Webster Groves

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Photo by Cheryl Baehr

Photo by Cheryl Baehr

Julie Truong always envisioned her fast-casual Vietnamese restaurant, DD Mau, to be the sort of concept that's tailor-made for multiple outlets. Now, a little more than three years after opening the original Maryland Heights location, she’s making good on that idea with a second outlet at 20 Allen Avenue in Webster Groves.

The new DD Mau opened Wednesday, July 14, in the former Firenza Pizza space in the heart of the Old Webster commercial district. According to Truong, Webster Groves made perfect sense because of its charming neighborhood feel, emerging food scene, and the community’s robust support of local businesses.

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Photo by Cheryl Baehr

Photo by Cheryl Baehr

Though Truong says the Webster spot feels very different from the original location—the new location is in close proximity to residential neighborhoods, while the original mostly caters to offices around Westport Plaza—fans of DD Mau won't notice a difference in the branding or menu. Like the original location, the new DD Mau is fast-casual. Whimsical drawings of cartoonish food puns line the walls, and the restaurant’s signature mascot, a girl on a scooter holding a bowl above her head (look closely at right), is on everything from the wallpaper to the chopsticks. The large corner storefront has an open layout and is light-filled, thanks to the windows that line two side. Like the original, the restaurant has ample seating.

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Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

Vermicelli bowl with beef

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Photo by Cheryl Baehr

Beef bao sliders

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Photo by Cheryl Baehr

Combination banh mi

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Photo by Cheryl Baehr

Combination pho

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Similar to the format of Chipotle and Garbanzo, the restaurant allows guests to choose a style of dish (vermicelli bowl, banh mi, bao sliders, fried rice, salad bowl, or rice bowl) pick from a variety of proteins (steak, chicken, pork, duck, fish and shrimp), or veggies (tofu, veggies, vegan beef and vegan shrimp), and adorn the dish with a choice of sauce.

Additionally, DD Mau offers a variety of choices for pho, including rare steak, brisket, meatball, oxtail, and a combination. Spring rolls, fried shrimp rolls, and a handful of other snack items are also available. The restaurant even offers tacos, made with a flaky roti tortilla, with a variety of trimming options; for those with a sweet tooth, DD Mau serves several desserts, such as mango cheesecake, sesame balls, and vegan chocolate cake.

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

DD Mau owner Julie Truong

Truong, who had a successful career in Chicago’s fashion industry before returning home to St. Louis to realize her restaurant dreams, still can’t believe how far the restaurant has come since those first days in Maryland Heights. She sees the new spot as confirmation that she made the right decision in taking that leap and proof that when you follow your heart, good things will come.

“I’m so grateful to be a part of this neighborhood and still can’t believe this has all come together,” Truong says. “I’m really happy to be where I am.”