11 p.m.

Nguyen likes to fix things when the place is empty. After all, he was the “kid holding the flashlight” for his dad when a sink would plug up. And if the 30-year-old regrets dropping out of medical school, he doesn't show it: “People just need to be brave enough to do what they really want to do,” he says. “That doesn't mean $50 entrees and fine dining. It means putting some love into your dishes and making your own identity. For us, we're authentic Vietnamese. Just because we use a nicer plate, a nicer presentation, beautiful decor, doesn't mean we're fusion.”

Asked if he'd like to expand the business (at one point, his parents owned three eateries), Nguyen doesn't mince words. “Absolutely, but there's no rush. We have a motto in the family: We're going to do it once, and we're going to do it right.” •