Man Vo and Caitlyn Debrusk, owners of the popular local produce delivery service Fresh Box Market, have branched out and opened the first Thai-Vietnamese restaurant in Fergus. The new restaurant, Lucky Lotus, opened in the first week of June and has already garnered great reviews.
I caught up with Man to find out a little more about their new restaurant and what drives their entrepreneurial spirit.
Inspired by Travel
Discovering delicious, fresh flavours while travelling is what inspires Man and Caitlyn the most.
“Caitlyn and I travel to Vietnam and southeast Asia every year. With the pandemic last year, we weren’t able to travel so we thought now is the best time to do it,” explains Man. “We have always been inspired by the food culture in Asia. Ever since we first travelled to Asia together 6 years ago, we’ve had it in our minds to bring this great food and great culture to Fergus.”
“We want the people in our community to be able to experience flavours they haven’t tried before. It is great to see people go outside of their comfort zone and try new dishes. It brings us a lot of happiness to see everyone enjoying our food,” he says.
Fergus is the Perfect Location
Opening Lucky Lotus in Fergus made a lot of sense for the couple. “I’ve lived in Fergus for 12 years. I went to high school here and my first job was at the pizza store that is in the same plaza that Lucky Lotus is in now. The students at the high school were always looking for something different for lunch and I got the idea back then that another restaurant in the area would be a good idea,” Man explained.
“When Caitlyn and I opened Fresh Box Market, we received so much community support that we are so grateful for. That support has pushed us to open Lucky Lotus,” he says. “Our drive comes from our customers who have been cheering us on all along the way. We are so pleased that we can add a great restaurant to an already great community.”
Fresh Flavours Come From Fresh Ingredients
Man and Caitlyn work hard to make sure that they are offering their customers high quality dishes in a welcoming environment.
“We use fresh ingredients and local produce when in season. To ensure quality, love and passion go into every dish,” says Man. “We also have a really great atmosphere. We are looking forward to a time, post-pandemic, when people can come and relax at our restaurant. We have a bar area that is cozy and perfect for hanging out and watching the game.”
New Tastes for their Community
The Thai and Vietnamese flavours at Lucky Lotus might be new for some of their customers. Man recommends starting with some of their more recognizable dishes and then branching out.
“When people think of Thai and Vietnamese foods, they think of pad thai, which is a Thai stir-fry dish, and pho, which is Vietnamese beef noodle soup. Those are both great dishes to start with,” says Man. “Our daily lunch special of pad thai and a spring roll for $11 is really popular. People love my mom’s homemade spring rolls that we make fresh every day.
“If someone is looking to get out of their comfort zone a bit, I would suggest they try the drunken noodles, any of our Thai curries, or pad see ew, which is another type of Thai stir-fry. Our head chef has 20 years of experience in the culinary area and still has the passion and drive to give our customers an authentic experience. Without him, none of this is possible. Our team is amazing,” he says.
Lucky Lotus is located at 600 Scotland Street in Fergus near Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex. In order to ensure quality, they limit how many orders they take each night so give them a call in advance at (226) 370-0297. You can also visit them on Facebook to stay on top of their delicious daily specials.