Thank you Ling and Lu for joining us. Please introduce Pho Kitchen!? 

 

Lu:

 

Well 'Pho' means 'noodle soup', so it’s Noodle Soup Kitchen. It’s a family owned Vietnamese restaurant with a twist, also adding a blend of Chinese dishes. Mum worked at a Vietnamese restaurant for 20 to 30 years and brings her skillset to make authentic Vietnamese dishes, serving great tasting quality meals, often healthier than fast food. We have just under ten staff.

 

Both my sisters Ling, Lay, and myself (Lu) run the restaurant and we have been operating here in Manurewa now for just over 8 years. We have recently opened our second Restaurant in Otara.

 

 

Ling:

 

What we found missing around Manurewa was a place where you can dine in and enjoy good quality food. That’s part of the reason we set up Pho Kitchen, a healthier alternative to quick and greasy takeaways or fast food.

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You have a variety of dishes, what’s tasty and what’s popular!?

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Ling:

 

Our delicious noodle soups attract a lot of customers. Mum spends a lot of time each day boiling and simmering the soups.

Our staff are dedicated and also put a lot of heart and soul into preparing the meals. 

 

We don’t use chicken stock or beef stocks, we use real chicken bones, pork bones, beef bones, so we are actually offering real food to help customers, the people of Manurewa. If you go to Vietnam or China, noodle soups are often had at breakfast and throughout the day. There are so many good nutrients in these dishes. 

 

Lu:

 

I do a lot of front of house and over the years I can see what customers like to order. The go to or popular noodle soups at our restaurants, are either pork bones or lemon grass chicken. Some of our customers come in for spring rolls, which are just a popular snack in itself. 

 

Pork spare ribs on our rice dish is also very popular. My favourite though is a spicy noodle soup and It’s really great for winter!

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Have you always lived in Manurewa?

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Lu:

 

Well no, we came to New Zealand as refugees over 30 years ago. I would have been three years old and Ling just one year old. Mum and Dad came with nothing in their pockets. 

 

We grew up here in Manurewa, went to local schools and know Rewa very well. It’s a safe place and everyone has each others back. It’s a real community feel and there is so much love here in Manurewa.

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What do you like about Manurewa?

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Lu:

 

I like the people. I’ll tell you why, here’s an example. During covid, a string of businesses went under. We noticed that it was our community, our people, the customers here in Manurewa who supported us. We appreciate the community, they are our

life blood. 

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What are your respective roles at Pho Kitchen?

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Ling:

 

My older brother Lu handles all the marketing, I do all the paperwork and are my mother's right hand man (or woman) while Lu is the left hand (laughs). Our younger sister Lay does a lot of the graphic design work. We all work as a team.

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Any tips or practical advice for aspiring business owners?

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Ling and Lu:

 

It’s all about relationships as well as being consistent with your food, and your customer service. It’s the customer loyalty, from the local community of Manurewa that allows Pho Kitchen to be successful. 

 

The thing is you have to want to serve, rather than feel forced to serve. Customer service and being real, just being us, inviting and welcoming. Don’t judge but create a safe space for your customers - and that’s what we do here at Pho Kitchen.

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