07/09/2025
A new Asian-style food establishment is coming to Foley later this summer with Bento Box.
The new restaurant is opening at 515 N. McKenzie St., where Bagel Boy used to be. Michael Mills, owner, is from Vietnam and lives in Foley. He has been in the restaurant business for around 40 years. After making food for his friends, one thing led to another and he decided to open a business, with downtown Foley presenting an opportunity for him to do so.
Mills said he wants to share authentic Asian food with locals without them having to travel, out of town. He said the menu will offer a variety of healthy food with Thai and Lao Asian influence, including traditional Vietnamese soup, which is a dish that is hard to find along the Gulf Coast. True to their name, they will also be serving bento boxes along with homemade egg rolls, several curries, tofu and vegetarian dishes, lettuce wraps and their own batch of sauces.
Along with serving food, Mills said he plans on doing in-store events like sushi nights and days where patrons can participate with hands-on involvement, such as teaching kids how to make dishes such as egg rolls and fried rice, all in order to share his passion of Asian-style cooking that others may not have had the chance to enjoy.
"I'm super excited to have people come and try the food we're offering and walk out and just be like, 'Oh my God, that was something I wasn't expecting,'" Mills said. "Hopefully everyone's going to come and see us, and we're gonna do everything that we can to make sure that everything comes out perfect every time."
Mills said that barring unforeseen circumstances, he hopes to have Bento Box open by the last week of July.
✍: Colin James / Gulf Coast Media
