Words and Photos by
Elisha Nuñez
Trang “Tracy” Vu remembers the day she opened her first restaurant on El Paso’s West Side. Having owned previous businesses, she never thought about expanding into the food industry.
Sure enough, she stood in front of her newest shop, Love Pho.
“We have no idea what we got into,” says Vu, who opened the shop with her business partner and husband Trung Chau.
“We never intended to open a restaurant because we were never in that business. It’s a huge difference.”
Vu got her start as a businesswoman during her time in Vietnam. Born and raised in Hoc Mon, she was taught the ropes of business from her father and later pursued it.
From an online flower business that would reach international success to making a profession out of teaching people how to use internet software, Vu sought to make a name for herself after retaining her father’s advice.
“My father used to be like a big businessman, and I learned from him,” says Vu.
“One thing he taught me about business is you have to keep your word. Secondly, do everything with your heart, moral principle is very important,” she adds.
After dealing with some personal issues in Vietnam, Vu made the big move to the United States.
Arriving in Los Angeles, Vu decided her first steps at the LAX would be her first to achieving the American Dream.
“I came to America when I was 30 years old with 300 dollars in my pocket, one suitcase of clothes, and zero English,” says Vu. “The American Dream for me is if you want to be someone or you want to go somewhere, you will get there if you work hard.”
Following her time in Los Angeles as a graphic designer, Vu made the move to Michigan after a friend told her business was good there.
During that time, she went to cosmetology school and met Chau before coming to El Paso.
Using what she learned in Vietnam combined with her new experiences in America, Vu opened a number of businesses from nail salons to Asian markets.
“My very first business in America was my nail shop in the Lower Valley. When we bought it had no customers, no employees,” said Vu. “After the nail salon, we got a market, Saigon Market. Before it was an Asian market on the west side. Something happened to the previous owner and he could not make it work, so I bought out a business again.”
Throughout her time in El Paso, Vu found new business opportunities and stayed committed to being a good businesswoman.
Little did she know that a collection of experiences at different restaurants would lead her to make a bold decision in opening her own.
“Me and Mike joke that we never intended to open a restaurant because we were never in that business. It’s, like, a huge difference,” said Vu.
“The thing is we are a little bit picky with food. When we go eat, we always have to fix the food. The other thing is I’m allergic to chemicals like MSG. The other thing is the portions can be a little too little,” and Vu was inspired to establish a restaurant that met her standards.
With a new place and a new mission, Vu has set out to get more locals to experience the flavors of Vietnam.
From phở to dim sum to bánh mì, Love Pho offers a variety of heartwarming dishes that can keep you cozy during the fall.
To ensure that their customers always have a satisfied experience, Love Pho goes through a process of testing their ingredients, sticking to Vietnamese recipes and most importantly cooking from the soul.
“Trung loves to cook and he really enjoys when he sees people enjoy his food. That’s his happiness,” says Vu. “He taught me how to cook two, but it’s not good. He teaches so many people to cook but it’s not the same. When we asked him, he said that you need to add one ingredient, your soul.”
Once you taste the food, you can feel the soul that it was made with. Warm broth with a rich flavor and steamy dumplings filled with delicious ingredients are just some examples of the comforting food El Pasoans can look forward to as the leaves fall from the trees.
In addition to their popular foods, Love Pho plans to add more items to the menu, from familiar Vietnamese breakfast favorites to other dishes that will not keep you waiting.
“I plan to offer Vietnamese breakfast. American breakfast is a little bit tasteless for me, so Vietnamese breakfast is very different and I think customers will love it,” said Vu. “We want to make sure everything we put on a menu comes out quick. I want to give the customers more choices, but it has to be a good choice. That’s my concept.”
With some heartwarming food for the morning and even the possibility of a new location in Eastlake, Vu plans to expand her business while expanding your palate.
