Mia at Nhà Mình: Food, Identity, and a Little Karaoke

(Left to Right) Fred Hua, Surbhi Sahni, Jeff Kim, and the moderator Bryan Hahn

Through the beverage start-up community—namely Kyle Nguyen of Lucky Ox Co.—we had the pleasure of meeting Fred Hua, owner of Nhà Mình, a cozy Vietnamese restaurant in Bushwick. It also happens to be one of the first places in New York where you can find a bottle of Mia on the shelf. :)

Fred is one of the warmest, most generous people we’ve met in this industry. So when he messaged us about a live podcast recording on Food Identity hosted by the Mi-Autumn Fest  team, we didn’t think twice. We knew it would be one of those community moments we wouldn’t want to miss.

And it delivered. A panel of movers and shakers in the Asian American food scene gathered to explore the evolving intersections of food, culture, and identity.

Of course, Fred was on the panel—though he was tricked into choosing sushi as his hypothetical last meal, while the rest described extravagant five-day feasts.

Jeff Kim of Nudibrunch went all in on Korean corn dogs (technically rice dogs), only to lose track of the original question—“Is this an Asian American dish?” Shoutout to Fred, who concluded the dish was more “American Asian” than anything else. Why? It’s gluten-free.

Surbhi Sahni of Tagmo reminded us that Asian cuisine doesn’t belong in a single aisle. It’s in every aisle—because we’ve always made do with what we’ve had, combining ingredients across boundaries.

Josh Ku of Win Son likened food evolution to the chaos and creativity of Asian street markets: remixing the old and new into something unmistakably joyful.

One surprisingly poignant theme? Spam. A staple of U.S. military rations, spam traveled with soldiers—and found its way into the kitchens and cravings of countless cultures. We couldn’t help but smile—because we’ve got those same memories at Mia, too.

At Mia, we’re proud to share a drink that’s beloved across many cultures. Sugarcane juice is enjoyed everywhere from Vietnam to the Caribbean, India to West Africa. It might take different forms, but the feeling is always the same: cooling, energizing, familiar. Our goal is to show the world all the different faces of sugarcane juice—and bottle that joy for everyone to enjoy.

And like all good nights at Nhà Mình, this one ended with karaoke. Josh Ku brought the country twang. Fred brought the energy. We left full of good food, good stories, and a little more connected.

Thanks for the invite and the support, Fred. We’re so grateful to be part of this circle.