Rook

The Nighthawk is a modified version of the nam sausages from Northern Thailand, where the links ferment as they hang.

Including the Ruby and Golden Trout at Topo’s 403.

Including the Cheese Brioche from Sweet Claire Gourmet Bakery in Bloomington (309 E. 3rd St., 812-333-6000), a fluffy, cheddar-infused roll that makes for a fine bagel substitute at breakfast time.

Ed Rudisell’s much-anticipated, sure-to-draw-crowds Vietnamese sandwich shop opened quietly late last week in The Hinge building in Fletcher Place.

While being a successful restaurateur often means fussing over the smallest of details and logging late hours poring over the books in the back office, many restaurateurs like to get away from time to time to take a break and see what ideas they can bring back from the larger world of food. One local restaurant owner with a serious case of wanderlust is Ed Rudisell, who somehow manages to rack up impressive frequent-flyer miles despite his responsibilities at hit restaurants Siam Square (936 Virginia Ave., 317-636-8424) and Black Market (922 Massachusetts Ave., 317-822-6757), as well as his soon-to-open Vietnamese banh mi emporium Rook (719 Virginia Ave.). Most recently, he returned from a trip to Thailand with his wife, Sasathorn.

Ed Rudisell doesn’t fit the typical multi-restaurant-mogul mold. He’s not the clean-cut suit who rolls up in a Lexus and barks about food costs and mission statements. In fact, this laid-back and tatted entrepreneur (who drives a Buick) landed in the industry by accident, after getting laid off from a bank job. “When I was 24, I started working for Buffalo Wild Wings. I just needed to pay my rent,” says Rudisell, now 36 and co-owner of two successful local restaurants, Black Market and Siam Square.