Pho Quang Trung – Noodle Soup Restaurant & More

‘The Myth behind the Legendary Chef Owner in the Eyes of his Three Children’

(*) ‘Tip is on the House’ only at Quang Trung Restaurant #3, 16931 Magnolia St.,
Huntington Beach, CA 92647.

In order to escape a communist government, Hoa Quan fled with his family by boat from Vietnam in 1978. Hoa, his wife and their 2 month old daughter travelled through dangerous conditions. As refugees travelling from island to island, Hoa and his family were given a choice to go to Canada, France, Australia, or America. With no hesitation, he picked America. When he received the sponsorship from his beloved uncle from America, this became a turning point for him and his family.

Through his long journey, Hoa had always carried the passion for cooking pho. He held onto the recipe taught by the original Pho Hang Than Restaurant in Hanoi city, Vietnam. Pho Hang Than Restaurant was the only pho restaurant in the providence of Hang Than. He was working at Pho Hang Than during the time the French had colonized Vietnam. With the French’s influence,  Hoa learned and understood the use of marrow-rich, cartilaginous bones from cows. He would let it simmer for hours in a pot of water to achieve the rich flavor of the beef broth.  Hoa used the same concept to master the great taste for his chicken broth.

With no experience of running a business, he continued to hold onto the passion of cooking.  He opened Pho Nguyen Hue with two friends in 1986 in Little Saigon, Westminster, California. His two friends ran the dining area while Hoa ran the entire kitchen.  During that time, Little Saigon was just a small area in the city of Westminster. It was then that Little Saigon began to establish its landmark. Hoa would remember the times when people would line up from morning to night. Some of the local regulars and far visitors would come 7 days a week to eat a bowl of his pho.  He was young, ambitious and did not trust anyone but himself to personally make every single bowl of pho. He worked day and night regardless of how tired because that’s how much he enjoyed cooking. One of his fondest memories was when he saw Nguyễn Cao Kỳ, a former South Vietnamese Prime Minister stepped into his restaurant still luggage in hand wanting to eat his bowl of pho.

Hoa wanted to share the success with his family, he taught his two younger brothers how to cook pho. Hoa is proud to say he taught them well and with their own passion and determination, they made their restaurant one of the most famous and longest established pho restaurant in San Jose, California known as Pho Kim Long.

After 18 years of cooking at Pho Nguyen Hue, with the support and motivation from his family, Hoa decided to expand his passion by opening Pho Quang Trung Restaurants.  Him and his wife not only made pho popular and well known in Orange County, they also introduced traditional family style dishes of Northern Vietnam to local residents in Orange County and to tourists visiting from other countries. They were able to provide authentic, high quality Vietnamese food to their customers.  Hoa has over 35 plus years of experience of cooking.  Even at the age of 70,  he still has the same passion he did when he first came to America.

Pho Quang Trung restaurants are known as one of the best Pho Ga (with free-range chicken) and Pho Bo in Orange County.  What makes Pho Quang Trung unique is the depth of customized choices customers can choose from.  For chicken soup, customers can pick from dark meat to white meat, wings, thigh or breast meat, from skin to skinless chicken, to gizzards.  As for the beef soup, customers have choices of traditional flanks, thick braised flank, soft braised flank, briskets, tripe, tenderloin rare steak, filet mignon rare steak, tendon, oxtails, and beef balls. Pho Quang Trung caters to their customers by allowing the many possible customized orders.  The chicken and beef broths each have their own huge pots simmering for over 12 hours every day in order to get that rich flavor and texture from the rich marrows from the bones. Healthy herbs and spices are added to enhance that great taste.

Not only do they specialize in pho (Vietnamese Rice Noodle Soups), they specialize in Northern Vietnamese style traditional family meals. Bún Chả Hanoi (Grilled pork in broth of dipping sauce), Chả Cá Thăng Long (Lightly fried turmeric flavored catfish in sizzling platter),   Bún Riêu Ốc Đậu (Tomato broth based soup with grounded paddy crabs, Cơm Sườn Nướng (fresh grilled marinated pork chop), Canh Chua Cá Thì Là (Sour Tomato broth soup with fish and dill), Rau Muống Xào Tỏi (Stir-fried water spanish with garlic), Trứng Đúc Thịt (Ground pork omelet),  Thịt Đông (Jellied Pork) and Dưa Chua (Pickled Mustard Greens) are to name a few.

Bún Chả Hanoi is building its popularity when Former President Obama visited Vietnam and loved it when he ate it. Bún Chả Hanoi is a savory great dish. Pho Quang Trung marinates the pork patties (chả viên) grilled fresh to order. Customers can taste the juiciness of the fresh grilled meat and smell the aroma of the fresh char-grilled. Traditionally, the dish is served with thin sliced marinated grilled pork and grilled pork patties in sauce with vermicelli noodles and vegetables. There are a couple of ways to eat it. Some customers like to wrap it in lettuce and eat it like a spring roll while most customers like to mix it all together and eat it like a bowl of pho. Pho Quang Trung is confident to claim they have the best Bún Chả in town!

There are many more authentic Vietnamese, high quality dishes listed on their menu today.  These items on the menu have earned the popularity of the residents living in Orange County as well as people all from across the world.  They have far visitors from Australia, Germany, France, Canada who speak highly of the authenticity of Vietnamese food Pho Quang Trung Restaurants serve every day. There are 3 locations will Hoa Quan and family sharing their rich quality food menu. 1) Pho Quang Trung #1, 10072 Westminster Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92843. 2) Pho Quang Trung #2, 9211 Bolsa Ave Ste 101-103, Westminster, CA 92683 & 3).

(*) Quang Trung Restaurant #3, 16931 Magnolia St., Huntington Beach, CA 92647. ‘Tip is on the House” at this location only.

This article was written in dedication to their beloved father Hoa Quan. His 3 children live their life everyday with full of inspiration watching a humble, passionate, determined father working hard every day of his life for something he loves so much. With pride and admiration, all 3 children hope the next generation will carry on the same the heart, passion, and determination in life just like their father, Hoa Quan.

Note: Hoa and Pho Quang Trung are no longer affiliated with Pho Nguyen Hue since 2010.