A new locally owned Vietnamese restaurant, called Sen Viet Kitchen & Bar, is coming soon to the now-former Blu Basil space at 5451 Johnston Street in Lafayette, Louisiana.
The former 4,500-square-foot Blu Basil space will get a new look featuring lotus-inspired artwork and other updates to fit the Sen Viet brand. The kitchen will also be renovated so that Sen Viet can execute efficiently.
Sen Viet Kitchen & Bar will feature authentic Vietnamese cuisine while also offering a selection of Japanese and Korean dishes. According to the owners, the idea is to bring together traditional Vietnamese food with a more modern approach.
The restaurant will also feature Cajun-Asian fusion items like Cajun-flavored phở, combining traditional Vietnamese noodle soup with Cajun spices and flavors. Lafayette has a large Vietnamese population, as well as a lot of couyons, so Cajun-Asian tends to make sense.
Mock-up of Sen Viet signage on former Blu Basil building
The Sen Viet menu will feature a variety of phở, including classic phở, chicken phở, seafood phở, shaking beef phở, vegetarian tofu phở, and a Cajun crawfish phở. Other dishes being considered include spring rolls, egg rolls, fried calamari, gyoza, beef tataki salad, garlic noodles, shaking beef, rice plates, fried rice, and several shareable items.
Some of the shareable items on the menu will include bánh xèo tacos, bánh mì bites with crawfish, grilled pork, or grilled chicken, Korean gochujang wings, BBQ beef short ribs, bulgogi beef fries, bulgogi beef nachos, crispy salt & pepper tofu, sautéed green mussels, and seafood ceviche. And because it wouldn’t be Cajun-Asian without it, the menu will also feature a Cajun crawfish fried rice.
We are also told that some staple items from Blu Basil may find their way onto the menu as well.
The owners behind Sen Viet are not new to the restaurant business as they own a couple businesses around the Acadiana area and have lived here since 2008.
Sen Viet Kitchen & Bar is tentatively planning to open in October 2026.
We will share more in October!
