“My father was in the Southern military, and the North was coming to take over the village,” Mai said. “There was a boat. So half the village had to go or they were going hurt the women and children and imprison them.”
Mai has seven siblings, five of whom were born before this journey.
She grew up learning traditional Vietnamese cooking from her parents and was also mentored by chefs who specialize in Japanese, Malaysian and Thai food as she traveled around the United States.
Mai settled in Bloomington in 2004, joining her sister and nephew.
She then opened Rush Hour Station, her Asian fusion restaurant, on the corner of Third and Dunn streets.
“Bloomington is so diverse.” Mai said. “I get to know a lot of people and they let me try their food. I travel a lot and I get to try the people’s food from different cultures. I try their food and I like it and I want to fuse it together and make it better.”
In addition to the restaurant, Mai owns a food truck which she brings to the weekly event “Food Truck Fridays,” held in the parking lot next to the Chocolate Moose.
Olivia Stewart, a manager at the restaurant, has been helping Mai with her operation for about three years.
“Robin is like my Bloomington mother,” Stewart said. “She’s the best. I’ve worked at Rush Hour for almost three years now and I’m really proud of the food truck.”
The truck used to be exclusively for catering events and special occasions, but now often makes biweekly appearances in town; Thursdays at Cardinal Spirits and Fridays for the Food Truck festivities sponsored by the Chocolate Moose.
According to Stewart, a lot of the customers at their restaurant are Asian students, but their involvement with Food Truck Fridays has helped the restaurant get their food to a wider demographic.
Rush Hour Station is known for its Fu soup but also serves an assortment of sushi, traditional Vietnamese sandwiches, curry and other options. All of the meals are simply made in ways that highlight the ingredient’s natural fresh flavors and colors, Mai said.
“The food is also really cheap, which is why I think we have a loyal student customer base,” Stewart added.
Stewart noted food trucks are quickly gaining popularity in many big cities across the country, including Austin, Texas; Portland, Oregon; Seattle and Indianapolis.
This increase in demand, coupled with loosened restrictions on where and when food trucks can operate, makes the future seem bright for this modern form of food service, according to Stewart.
She said she expects Food Truck Fridays to keep growing and she remains optimistic about Rush Hour Station’s own involvement with the food truck business.
“We look forward to seeing our customers everyday,” Stewart said. “We have really loyal regulars who also encourage us with the food truck because they want to see us more.”
