NextSharkNextShark.com

A Pho Restaurant Just Became the First OC Restaurant Awarded with the James Beard Award

A Pho Restaurant Just Became the First OC Restaurant Awarded with the James Beard Award

Pho 79, a Vietnamese restaurant in Garden Grove, California best known for its oxtail soup, is the first restaurant in Orange County to be awarded the prestigious James Beard Foundation.

February 1, 2019
SHARE
Pho 79, a Vietnamese restaurant in Garden Grove, California best known for its oxtail soup, is the first restaurant in Orange County to be awarded the prestigious James Beard Foundation.
The restaurant was one of the five winners of this year’s America’s Classics Award, according to an announcement posted by the foundation.
Subscribe to
NextShark's Newsletter

A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.

Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories to your inbox daily for free.

Unsure? Check out our Newsletter Archive.

In 1982, Thọ Trần and Liễu Trần first opened Pho 79 when it was among the area’s very first restaurants of its kind, introducing Americans to bowls of slippery rice noodles in beefy broth,” the James Beard Foundation wrote. “With chef Liễu in the kitchen, Pho 79 helped pave the way for Southern California’s Little Saigon to become the dynamic hub of Vietnamese cuisine that it is today.”
Mai Tran, a member of the family that owns Pho 79, said that winning the prestigious award, which is often referred to as the “Oscars of the food world,” is a dream come true, according to The OC Register.
I can’t sleep at night,” she said.
The James Beard Foundation called the restaurant about the award and told them to keep it a secret until they made the official announcement.
“I can’t believe it happened to us. I thought that only happened to the 5-star hotel restaurants. I feel so honored and happy,” Tran added.
Some of Tran’s family members will represent Pho 79 at the James Beard Awards Gala on May 6 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
My children think we’re workaholics, but that’s how we earned this and now they can’t complain,” she said.
Featured Image via Instagram / trameats
MOST READ
    HAPPENING NOW
      Bryan Ke

      Bryan Ke is a Reporter for NextShark

      SHARE THIS ARTICLE:

      RELATED STORIES FROM NEXTSHARK

      Support
      NextShark's
      Journalism

      Many people might not know this, but NextShark is a small media startup that runs on no outside funding or loans, and with no paywalls or subscription fees, we rely on help from our community and readers like you.

      Everything you see today is built by Asians, for Asians to help amplify our voices globally and support each other. However, we still face many difficulties in our industry because of our commitment to accessible and informational Asian news coverage.

      We hope you consider making a contribution to NextShark so we can continue to provide you quality journalism that informs, educates, and inspires the Asian community. Even a $1 contribution goes a long way. Thank you for supporting NextShark and our community.

      © 2023 NextShark, Inc. All rights reserved.