Without luck and fate, restaurateur Evan Vang would have never ended up in Norfolk.
“My dad came from Laos,” Vang says. “They had come here from the refugee camps in Thailand.” The Hmong people, Vang explains, had fought alongside Americans during the secret wars in Southeast Asia, and when the U.S. withdrew, they were largely left to fend for themselves by making a perilous journey across the Mekong River in search of a new life.
In the late 1970s, a Virginia Beach woman named Mary Lee changed that for the Vang family.
Lee, Vang says, read about the refugees in the local newspaper and said, ‘We have to do something.’ Along with some friends from a church group, Lee formed a group to go out and seek Laotian families to bring back to the States.
“There were 10 children, and so nobody was really sponsoring that big of a family,” Vang says. “So she got this group of women together and they all sponsored each child. And they brought everybody over.”
The family landed in Virginia Beach rather than Minnesota or California, where most Hmong refugees settled, and it was all because of one woman’s quick decision.
Vang’s father worked for the city of Virginia Beach, where he recently retired.
“He started as just a regular groundsman and ended up being a supervisor for all the grounds of all the schools in Virginia Beach.”
The man is now represented with a larger-than-life, smiling photo on Vang Go’s wall.
All of which brings us to the restaurant, Vang Go Bistro along 21st Street in the Ghent neighborhood of Norfolk.
Photo by Chris Reckling
A Culinary Journey
Evan’s path to the restaurant was a long one, snaking its way through hasty pop-ups and busy parking lots.
“For over a decade, I would just do pop-ups at breweries or bottle shops. At one point I was like the empanada lady that would just go around and sell.”
He laughs about the night his brother drove 50 or 60 spring rolls to Buxton, North Carolina, where someone told him he’d do well selling at a local bar. Eventually, Evan found himself making the drive with 2,000 rolls, dumplings, and sauce.
“It’s been fun,” he says.
Beef, Rice Noodles, cabbage, carrots, onion, celery.
When the Ghent spot opened up (the one that had been Streats, an institution in West Ghent for years) Vang connected with former owner Neil Boden. “I’d reached out to him and asked what was going on with it.”
At first, the timing wasn’t right, but Vang was determined to make his dream happen. Vang Go Bistro opened June 11, 2025. One year in, Vang says his menu defies simple categories, but that’s exactly how he wants it.
“It started off as Asian fusion, but really it has kind of jumped around. I’d say 60 percent Asian fusion and then 40 percent whatever we’re messing around with.”
Asian Slaw Dog
What to Try
For first-timers, Vang steers them toward the crispy Vang Rolls, saying, “That’s where it started.”
Chili chicken dumplings are another favorite. For the mains: “Kimchi fried rice or spicy pian noodles, those are our top two sellers.” He shakes his head at how much rice they move. “Insane how much rice we go through here. Like, for a fried rice?”
There’s also The Experiment, which is an off-menu omakase option where the kitchen just sends food until you wave them off.
“It gives people that opportunity to just say, ‘Make me something.’ Chef’s table kind of vibe, you know, but it doesn’t cost $300.”
The only complaint they’ve ever gotten about it: “Stop sending food.”
The experimental dish cost $71 for two people.
Ginger Pork Dumpling Cup. Topped with a Chili Grit Oil, Scallions, and Crispy Garlic
At the bar, the Oolong New Fashioned Serves as the signature cocktail.
“Everybody sees the fire and the smoke and they go, ‘Ooh, I’ll have one of those.'” Vang says the drink is made with an oolong tea simple syrup, with the tea steeped down into the sugar.
Fortunately for Vang, the neighborhood has responded generously.
“West Ghent, Lafayette, they love it. We had five reviews last week. They were all just over the top.”
Boden, the former owner of Streats, is a regular customer now. He even jumped into the comments once when a harsh review hit.
“He kind of countered it a little bit,” Vang says. “Which was nice of him. I appreciate it.”
Vang Go Bistro, 915 West 21st Street, is open Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m.–10 p.m. and Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–1 a.m. The one-year anniversary is June 11.
Vang Go Spicy Chicken Sando
