Buzzy Charlotte pop-up Hello, Uncle gets permanent home in Plaza Midwood

McKenzie Rankin

Left image shows takeout containers with assorted meats, greens, sauces, and two cups of broth on a table. Right image shows Uncle's black food truck at night with potted plants outside. — Uncle's opened in late January on Burial Brewing's back patio as a Thai-focused offshoot of Michael Le's Hello, Uncle pop-up. Photos: McKenzie Rankin/Axios

The buzzy Southeast Asian pop-up Hello, Uncle has expanded with a permanent home at Burial Brewing in Plaza Midwood.

The new spot, called Uncle's, operates separately from Hello, Uncle, which will continue popping up around town.

Why it matters: After over a year of hosting packed-out pop-ups, chef Michael Le now has a steady home base, making it much easier to get his Southeast Asian comfort food on a regular night out.

What's happening: Uncle's opened in late January at Burial Brewing in Plaza Midwood, taking over the brewery's back patio food stand.

Catch up quick: Hello, Uncle began as a one-time charity event at Super Abari Game Bar in July 2024 to support fellow industry member and friend, chef Nobuaki "Nobu" Ishikawa, who died last year, Unpretentious Palate reported.

Since then, Le has hosted pop-ups across Charlotte, often at other locally owned spots, like Common Market, Substrate and Stable Hand.

Flashback: Le, who is of Vietnamese and Chinese descent, has worked in fine-dining kitchens across the country.

He moved to Charlotte from Portland and has worked at several local restaurants, including Nikko, Pieces and Customshop. He also helped open Kappo En, the now-closed omakase-style dining room tucked behind Menya Daruma in Elizabeth.

What's different about Uncle's?

While Hello, Uncle pulls more directly from Le's Vietnamese and Chinese heritage, Uncle's leans heavily into Thai comfort food, shaped by his time cooking in Portland's Thai restaurant scene, he tells Axios.

What they're saying: "Uncle's will be reliable comfort food with the same menu and weekend specials," Le tells Axios.

Hello, Uncle, he adds, remains his passion project, and it's something he plans to keep evolving and collaborating on with other local pop-ups.

We tried everything on the menu for under $100.

Total: $86 before tax and tip.

Charred Cabbage ($8)

Dig in: This warm Taiwanese cabbage comes dressed in fish sauce and chili, making it salty, crunchy and slightly spicy.

It's listed as a starter, but it's easy to snack on throughout your meal.

Takeout container on a table filled with cooked cabbage seasoned with garlic and sauce, surrounded by other closed white takeout containers and a white cup. — Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios

Tod Mun Goong (shrimp fritters) $12

Dig in: Marinated in red curry, the shrimp fritters are formed into tight meatballs and mixed with long beans (a green bean predominantly used in Asian cooking).

They're "heavily herbaceous," Le says, with plenty of lime and lemongrass, served alongside a ginger sweet chili sauce.

Khao Man Gai (Thai-style chicken & rice) $16.50

Dig in: Poached chicken over rice cooked in chicken broth (that tastes even better the next day). It's a staple across Southeast Asia. Here it's served with a sweet, savory, garlic and ginger sauce, and fresh cucumber.

Takeout container with sliced chicken on rice, cucumber slices, cilantro, and a small cup of brown sauce, on a brown table with another container of food and chopsticks visible in the background. — Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios

Khao Man Gai Tod (Thai fried chicken and rice) $16.50

Dig in: In the fried version, the chicken is tossed in a white pepper and garlic batter. It gets a golden, crispy shell while staying juicy inside, served over the same rich rice with cucumbers.

Conveniently, these dishes come in to-go containers. Not that we needed it for this one.

Veggie Khao Man Gai (steamed tofu) $15.50

Dig in: Vegetarian or plant-based? You can get the khao man gai with steamed tofu instead, served with Chinese broccoli. Same structure, different protein.

Open beige takeout container with sliced tofu, green leafy vegetables, and two small plastic sauce containers, on a dark table in a dimly lit restaurant. — Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios

Khor Moo Yang (marinated pork) $17.50

Dig in: Grilled marinated pork served with lettuce for wraps — this one was a personal favorite.

Grab a lettuce wrap, add build your bite with the pork, toasted rice, cilantro, and be extra generous with the sweet and tangy tamarind sauce.

Takeout container with grilled medium-rare steak slices on rice, fresh green herbs, leafy greens, and a small cup of dipping sauce on a brown table in a restaurant setting. — Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios

The big picture: Charlotte's pop-up scene continues to grow and mature.

"We want to make this food scene fun," Le says. "Being able to do pop-ups gives you the ability to say, 'Hey, does my concept work?' It's fun, low cost, low risk, high reward."

For Le, Hello, Uncle proved there was an appetite for this kind of food in Charlotte. The pop-ups built the crowd, and Uncle's gives it a long-term home.
Hello, Uncle, he says, keeps the experimentation alive.

Stop by: Uncle's is open Wednesday-Saturday 5-9pm at 1214 Thomas Ave.

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