Noodle Pop-Up Coming to Pilcrow
Featuring Twin Cities chef Yia Vang. Two additional noodle pop-ups planned for Milwaukee in February.
Site of Pilcrow Coffee, 416 W. Walnut St. Photo taken Jan. 25 by Sophie Bolich.
Pilcrow Coffee will trade its signature beverage for a more savory sip — or rather, slurp — for an upcoming event. Twin Cities-based chef Yia Vang is bringing his pop-up noodle shop, Slurp, to the cafe on Feb. 10.
The first come, first served pop-up will run from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m., or until sold out. The latter is likely, so guests are encouraged to arrive early.
A lineup of three noodle dishes will be available. Khao Poon, a creamy soup with roots in Laos, includes nice noodles, chicken, vegetables and curried chicken broth topped off with crunchy shredded cabbage, herbs and marinated bamboo.
Tim-Tim noodles, with rice noodles, spicy lamb bolognese, scallions and herbs, is a regular in Vang’s lineup; the dish is a riff on Sichuan Dan Dan noodles inspired by fellow chef Tim Truong.
Also on the menu is the playfully-titled Mother Bock-er, which features rice noodles, grilled chicken leg, fresh cucumber, pickled vegetables, shredded cabbage, herbs and ginger vinaigrette.
Both the Khao Poon and Mother Bock-er are gluten-free.
Vang is renowned for his traditional Hmong cuisine, drawing influence from his family heritage, specifically his parents’ cooking. Over the years, he’s also accumulated his own range of experience.
In addition to his prolific pop-ups, the chef operates two locations for his restaurant, Union Hmong Kitchen. The business was a James Beard semifinalist for Best New Restaurant in 2022. Vang was also nominated for Best Chef in 2022 and Best Chef: Midwest in 2023, and was named Eater’s Twin Cities Chef of the Year in 2022.
He is currently working towards opening a new restaurant, Vinai, in Minneapolis.
Outside of the kitchen, Vang has appeared on Netflix’s “Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend” and stars in “Feral,” a reality TV show. He’s also the host of “Relish,” a show that explores the intersections of food and cultural heritage in the Twin Cities.
The upcoming event will be Vang’s second visit to Pilcrow, 416 W. Walnut St., and fourth Milwaukee pop-up. The chef has hosted similar events at Braise and Interval in past years. He first brought Slurp to Pilcrow in 2021.
Slurp is one of several noodle-focused pop-ups taking place in February. Red Light Ramen will return momentarily on Feb. 4 for a Ramen & Riesling pop-up. The restaurant, which closed in July 2023, will open from noon until 3 p.m. at 2A Wine Merchants, 577 E. Erie St., serving midday noodles and wine by the glass.
Nitewolf, an evening ramen concept by Uncle Wolfie’s Breakfast Tavern, will host its third pop-up on Feb. 2 and 3. The event is already sold out, but hopeful guests can join the waitlist online. The restaurant, 234 E. Vine St., is working to implement weekly pop-ups.
If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real, independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits.
