Asian H Express is gearing up to bring a new wave of grab-and-go Hmong comfort food to Milwaukee’s Northwest Side, as local duo Sam Vang and his partner, Choua Lor, prepare to open a takeout-focused buffet in mid-June. Instead of traditional table service, the counter-style spot will load up plates with a rotating mix of Hmong, Thai and Lao dishes, then package everything for quick carryout and delivery.
How It Will Operate
According to Urban Milwaukee, Asian H Express plans to charge $12.99 per pound, letting customers build plates by weight rather than ordering individual entrees. The restaurant is expected to be open Tuesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., giving early birds and after-work diners plenty of time to load up.
The rotating lineup is set to include brisket, steamed fish, pork belly, sausages, grilled and fried chicken, egg rolls, fried rice, laab and papaya salad. “We’ll just cook a whole bunch of dishes, trying to put out as much variety of food as possible,” Vang told the paper, describing a model that keeps the focus on ready-to-grab plates and speedy takeout.
A Local Spot Reimagined
The new restaurant will take over the former Jackie’s Cafe on 76th Street, a space longtime locals recognize as a go-to for Hmong buffet-style spreads. Jackie’s was known for its wide range of Hmong dishes, as noted by the Shepherd Express, and Vang is essentially returning to familiar turf, having previously operated a business in the same neighborhood.
In the meantime, he has kept his recipes in circulation through catering, holding things over while plumbing and electrical upgrades are wrapped up at the new site. Once the last inspections clear, the old Jackie’s address is set to reopen with a fresh name and a similar buffet spirit, this time tailored to a takeout-first crowd.
Why It Matters To MKE’s Hmong Community
A CDC report shared on PubMed Central notes that roughly 24% of Asian residents in the Milwaukee area identify as Hmong, a sizable share that helps explain the appetite for authentic Hmong cooking. That local base makes a weight-priced, mix-and-match setup especially appealing, giving customers the chance to sample several dishes in a single run without committing to full-size entrees…