Today’s Out and About column is one I look forward to sharing with you. It is a story about a dream, inspiration, and family. As I arrived at Pho Hue Oi, serving Vietnamese cuisine, I was greeted by Dao Tran, the son-in-law of the owner and founder, Vinh Le. I became totally immersed in Vinh’s warmth, her sincerity, and her story when introduced to her.
Vinh grew up in Hue, an Imperial city in central Vietnam. She fondly recalls cooking alongside her grandmother at an early age creating authentic dishes. After moving to California, Vinh became a manicurist in Mission Viejo saving money to open a restaurant which was her lifelong passion.
After years of work and saving money, Vinh realized her dream of opening her first restaurant in 2011 in Garden Grove. Since relocating that restaurant in 2013 to Fountain Valley, Vinh has opened Pho Hue Oi in Redondo Beach with plans for a third restaurant in Torrance.
As I was gathering information from Vinh to write this article, Dao was also videotaping the conversation between Vinh and me. The YouTube link can be found here.
It was truly a pleasure to meet Vinh and her family. Her passion has truly become a reality with ownership of two restaurants and a third on its way.
Pho Hue Oi, voted best Vietnamese Restaurant for four years by the readers of the Daily Breeze and Easy Reader is located at 4051 Inglewood Ave., Redondo Beach.