Unforgettable

I want to share with you my last meal in Mesa, Arizona. Gee I make it sound like I will NEVER eat again.

One of the things that I wanted to find while we were there was an Asian market. The Mekong Plaza was ALL about Asian stores and restaurants and I was in heaven. This was the mother of all stores. If you wanted African, Thai, Indian, Mexican, whatever, it was there. And the colors in the store of the produce were amazing. The only odd thing was that no one that worked there and I mean NO ONE, with the exception of another customer, knew what saffron was and that was weird and very confusing to me.

Ok so anyway you get it, I loved the store. Actually there were about eight different Asian restaurants to pick from to eat at in the mall. Well, it was the sign in the window of the first Asian restaurant that got me, “Duck Noodle Soup,” YEP that is a my husband Mike meal if I ever saw one in print! The name of the place is “un pho gettable.”

Well, little did I know that my knowledge of Vietnamese food was about to change. This was one of THE best experiences I have ever had, and I have to say culinary ones too. So of course I want you the reader to experience it too. So imagine you have just walked through the door of “UN PHO GETTABLE” and you are greeted by the owner, Chan.

HPR: Tell our readers a little about you and your family please.

Chan: I’m from a family of 14 siblings that escaped from Vietnam and began our new lives in America in 1981. My wife and I have two wonderful kids. We moved from Pennsylvania and started our second restaurant in Mesa, Arizona, 15 months ago.

How hard was it to start your first place in getting people introduced to your food and where was it, Virginia or Arizona?

We started our first restaurant in Virginia Beach, in 2002. There are a lot of misperceptions about Vietnamese cuisine and our goal is to inform our customers. It has been very difficult but rewarding. We have been very fortunate to have a very high percentage of repeat customers.

Could you give our readers a brief history on Vietnamese cuisine?

Vietnamese cuisine is popular due to its freshness and wholesomeness without a lot of grease. The most popular is the beef-based rice noodle soup called PHO which is equivalent to our American cheeseburger in popularity and is also the number one growing-in-popularity food in the world.

Why do you think this style of food has become so popular everywhere?

Most of our meals offer clean protein, carbohydrate and fresh vegetables; all the necessary nutrients without heavy grease.

You told me that one of the things that is different is that, in general, people do not realize that Vietnamese food has changed with the times. Please explain.

Our lifestyles continue to change and so have our dietary interests. Today’s consumers are more health-conscious and more informed than ever.One of the most notable changes has to do with monosodium glutamate (MSG). We do NOT use any MSG.

Why do you find it important to explain your whole menu?

We want to differentiate ourselves, from our product to our service, to maximize our customers’ experience. Having been raised in both cultures, I understand the need to remove the barriers and hope our customers appreciate our cuisine.

Is there anything on your menu that you had to add to accommodate the American palate?

No, we offer only uthentic Vietnamese dishes with adjustments to accommodate our customers in general, e.g., MSG elimination, leaner meat, fat and grease reduction.

There are sixteen different Pho’ dishes on your menu. What is a typical Vietnamese Pho’ meal?

Over 75% of male customers will order the combinations, which include all six toppings. Most female customers are more health conscious and resort to lean round eye steak or chicken.

Pho’ Rau Cai is your vegetable & tofu dish. I assume that you do not use the beef stock for this. I know it sounds like an obvious question, but you would be amazed how many restaurants just think it is OK to use the stock of meat as long as there is no physical meat in a veggie dish.

We have options, beef and vegetable broths upon request.

Dac Biet (Regional Specialty Noodle Soups): can you tell us about Hu Tieu Nam Vang?

Hu Tieu Nam Vang originated in regions between South Vietnam and Cambodia. It is so popular that many large restaurants in Vietnam specialize in just serving this one meal.

How did you and your family pick Virginia and Arizona for your business?

Vietnamese cuisine is growing in popularity but is still very small scale. Vietnamese restaurants usually have a very difficult time standing alone and stabilities have been proven alongside Asian Markets. We found both opportunities and took them.

The reason I even found your restaurant was that you are in the Asian Market Square and we saw that the soup of the day was one of my husband’s favorite dishes, “Duck” advertised on your door. What do you think of the Mekong Plaza and do you have the duck soup often?

We believe in the Mekong Plaza opportunity that’s why we moved from Pennsylvania to Phoenix; the validation is you saw us and were willing to try. Everything else is our job to earn your future business and we hope to have done everything we could. The Duck soup special has been very well received and we will continue to offer it.

Can you tell our readers something we may not even think of about Vietnamese food?

Contrary to belief, the majority of Vietnamese dishes are NOT spicy. On the other hand, we will be happy to offer and explain many different sauces respective to your meals that will accommodate your interests.

Is there anything you would like to mention that I have not?

When time permits, all are invited to visit our restaurants and let us earn your business. It has been our pleasure serving you.

Until next week be safe and eat well. Any questions or comments email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

If You Go

What: UnPhoGettable, Mekong Plaza
Where: 66 South Dobson Road, Suite 140, Mesa, Ariz.
Why: (480) 835-2298