Viet-Fusion Hot Spot Gets A New Look to Kick Off to Year 3

Owner and Chef Chad Gardner announces Pho 533 will evolve to the next phase of his vision with a new brand: 533 Viet-Fusion with all the great food and service you know plus some new items!

Palm Springs restaurateur, caterer and event planner Chad Gardner has established two successful brands with his vision, excellence in service and innovations. The first was Dash and a Handful Catering (dashhandful.com). Dash has provided excellence at event dinners for thousands of guests in attendance at weddings, corporate events and local charities for over 5 years.

 The second was when Gardner purchased Pho 533 (Pho533PalmSprings.com) in the vibrant Smoketree Shopping Center. In only two years, the venue and the food have evolved from classic pho fare to a level that has been recognized by trusted publications like LA Eater, Forbes and Zagat as one of the best places to dine for locals and visitors in Palm Springs.

 The story of the number 533 comes from the historic USS Cheboygan County, a Land Support Tanker (LST) in the U.S. Navy that had been one of the first to land at Normandy on D-Day in World War II. In April 1975 it was anchored off Vietnam, broken, beat up and with only one engine functioning. It was during the Fall of Saigon that nearly 300 Vietnam refugees made their way to the USS Cheboygan County and spent seven days hobbling across the ocean toward Malaysia and a future in the United States. One of the passengers was, then 10-year-old, Ahn ho Rock who later founded Pho 533 in Palm Springs.

 “I had a vision of what it would be even before I first heard Pho 533 was for sale,” says Gardner, “I have always wanted to blend classics with contemporary Vietnamese. I feel incredibly fortunate that our guests have loved it, too.”

 Pho 533 was a classic shopping mall pho-style venue with great recipes and a great location. Since taking charge in 2015, Gardner has kept the core classics while updating and expanding the venue. He’s added a popular spring roll bar and put his own in-house creations on the table to delight the guests. The homemade red chili sauce is already a fan favorite!

 Chad’s vision is to have all the great dishes that started the restaurant, including the classic pho and vermicelli dishes, with a brand and menu that evolves with seasonal favorites and local sourced ingredients. With this in mind, he is announcing the new brand 533 Viet-Fusion (533VietFusion.com) representing the look, feel and experience customers have come to love. 

Gardner’s continued innovation with new menu items is often created when he infuses local ingredients like dates with the new Maine lobster claw spring roll. Another new introduction that has customers delighted is the Ahi Viet-nachos created with a bed of crispy won ton chips and topped with smashed avocado, spicy ahi tuna, cilantro, Fresno chili, Sriracha aioli, tamari reductions sauces. “Customers are loving these two new items,” says Gardner. He also announced three new items will be available for customers to enjoy starting April 10. They are Tamari Glazed Atlantic Salmon; Red Curry “Ramen” with spicy tiger shrimp in a red curry coconut broth; and Chile Braised Osso Bucco, with red coconut “gravy,” jasmine rice and sautéed mizuna.

“It is a fusion of both what Pho 533 was and what 533 Viet-Fusion have become to our community and guests every day,” says Gardner, “I want to honor Pho 533’s legacy and embrace 533 Viet-Fusion’s new and delicious vision at the same time.”

Since 2015, chef Chad Gardner’s 533 Viet-Fusion has offered a blend of Vietnamese fusion dishes made with fresh-sourced ingredients including classic pho, a spring roll bar, fried chicken and the popular curry.  533 Viet-Fusion uses in-house created spice blends and sauces without MSG for a unique flavor base that has delighted customers and reviewers alike. 533 Viet-Fusion is open seven days a week during season and offers to-go and catering services. Located at 1775 E Palm Canyon Dr. Suite 625 in Palm Springs. For more info go to 533VietFusion.com or call 760-778-6595.  

 (Photos Courtesy 533 Viet-Fusion)