From steak to sushi, Bamboo Express offers a quick lunch and much more

People looking for a quick lunch in downtown Mt. Pleasant now have another option in Scott Keomanivong?s most recent business endeavor, Bamboo Express.

?If people are in a hurry they can just walk through the deli, grab what they want and out the door they go. It?s quick. If they have a little bit of time they can order off the menu,? explained Keomanivong, who does all of the cooking with pride.

The Asian cuisine dining opened just three months ago on Sept. 26 and is open Monday through Friday for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Not only does Keomanivong own the deli, he is the cook. ?There are just four people running this place and I?m the only cook here,? he explained. ?We?re the four amigos that run this place,? he joked.

Joining Keomanivong for the steady lunch rush are Misty Burnes, Mone Chanthavong and Keomanivong?s wife, Judy. He also owns Keo?s restaurant.

Bamboo Express offers a fresh décor including walls with hand painted bamboo stalks in silhouette and wood trim from lumber purchased at Batey?s saw mill south of town. The dining space offers seating and has a deli for people wishing to grab lunch on the go.

?Its steady and I try to get the food out as fast as I can,? stated Keomanivong. Lunch meals start at five dollars, using fresh vegetables and as he says, ?Comes straight off the wok.?

Keomanivong stated he enjoys seeing regular customers and even gives customers a behind the scenes look if they so wish; ?I allow them in the kitchen. If they want to see their food being cooked, come on over, I have nothing to hide.? This approach may allow customers with dietary restrictions or allergies more comfort in dining out.

The restaurant offers Asian cuisine. ?I didn?t go to culinary school but I have learned so much, from American food to Japanese food to Thai food; that?s why I call it Asian cuisine, because it?s a little bit of everything,? Keomanivong explained.

?We can do just about anything. I made the kitchen the same size as the dining space and that just gives me more potential,? he continued. ?I made the kitchen big enough that I can turn it into a sushi restaurant, a steak house or fine dining. It has a lot of potential.?

He explained that the space can be rented for parties or meetings in the evening and that he has also been doing catering work in the area.

?Since we have such a big kitchen we can cater steaks, any type of food you can think of,? he said.

?I like to do stuff like this ? I love to open businesses, I like to flip buildings,? stated Keomanivong. He is excited about the potential of the business, particularly the future options offered by having such a large kitchen.

Down the road Keomanivong would like to renovate the space above the business to make it an apartment, possibly working with Main Street Mount Pleasant to do so.

Bamboo Express is located on Main Street, next to Temple Twin Theaters. The deli is in the former Temple Theater video rental store and more recently Circuit to Circuit.