Mark Hoffe
Special to SaltWire
Newfoundland and Labrador’s culinary landscape grows more diverse every year.
Although fish and chips, burger battles and pizza remain popular with locals and tourists, food from various world cultures finds a welcome home here.
A rise in immigration brings delightful surprises for the palate, a boost to the economy, and more cultural variety.
More offerings
A stroll through the streets of downtown St. John's offers a tour of international cuisine.
From the Vietnamese subs at 3 Sisters on Water Street to the various kebabs at Afghan Restuarant, the sushi at Sun Shushi, and the fresh tofu dishes and curries at Gingergrass Thai and Vietnamese Restaurant on Duckworth Street, you don’t have to wander far from the harbour to enjoy food from foreign lands.
Walk a little further and you’ll discover Pho F&M, a new restaurant that serves authentic Vietnamese food and coffee in its vibrant dining room at 117 Long’s Hill.
Opened in early January 2024, Pho F&M is owned and operated by Madeline Tran and her husband Mark.
Travel and cooking
Born in Hanoi, Madeline Tran is no stranger to travel or cooking. She spent 20 years as a flight attendant for Vietnam Airlines, the flag carrier of Vietnam.
During her travels, Tran enjoyed the cuisines of Italy, France, and many other countries, but the food from her home country is her passion.
“I had a wonderful childhood with my late grandmother and spent most of my time in the kitchen cooking a lot of dishes with her,” Tran said.
“I started cooking when I was six years old. When I grew up, I understood that Vietnamese cuisine is an intersection between the two largest culinary cultures in the world, France and China.”
Growing up, Tran lived with her parents and grandparents and remembers visiting the market with her grandmother to choose the freshest ingredients for their family meals.
New path
When she left home and married Mark, they moved to Ho Chi Minh in southern Vietnam. When the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns shuttered her spa and nail salon business, Tran’s love of cooking led her down a new path.
“We had lockdowns in the city, no one in and no one out,” Tran said.
“I wanted to share food with the poor people who lost jobs or have no food, so me and my husband cooked a hundred meals every day and we used our personal car to deliver for everyone for free.”
To stay financially afloat and keep delivering food to people in need, Tran used Facebook to start an online food business. Many of her friends bought food and helped promote the business.
“Very fast, in a couple of months, I think three months later, very rich people supported our business and then we got the money,” Tran said.
“So that’s the reason I started with business. We had a two-year lockdown, and I still shared the food with the poor people.”
Move to N.L.
Hoping to provide her two sons with better education, Tran applied for the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP) under the skilled worker category.
The program facilitates the immigration of individuals who can make a positive contribution to the province’s economy and who intend to permanently settle in the province with their families.
Tran was accepted and moved to the province with her family in 2021.
“As you can see, I named the restaurant Pho F&M after my two sons, Felix and Michael,” Tran said. “The main dish we serve is pho.”
From farmers' market to standalone business
Before the restaurant opened, Tran and her husband started their business at the St. John’s Farmers’ Market.
“Since I started the business, me and my husband decided to work together,” Tran said. “When we started the business in the farmers’ market, me and my husband cooked and tried to bring the good food for everyone.”
After a year at the farmers’ market, the couple sought a location to open a restaurant. They faced a language barrier and some disappointing negotiations with property owners.
“We found some places, but when we were set with all the conditions of the owner, in the end they changed everything,” Tran said.
“They gave me a very complex contract and I could not read it. It was very long, and I had to ask the lawyer, and they charged me a lot of money and it was not complete.”
'They support me'
With some help from new friends and a positive attitude, Tran and her husband finally found their current location on Long’s Hill.
“The customers from the farmers’ market come here and they share the notices on my Facebook and they’re very happy,” Tran said.
“They support me. We would like to say thank you so much for supporting us. They bring friends and love my food.”
Tran and her husband source the freshest ingredients and cook all the food on their menu.
She said their authentic pho broth takes about 10 hours to prepare and is flavoured with special herbs from Vietnam.
Popular dishes
Some popular dishes include house special beef pho – gluten-free rice noodles with brisket and rare eye round garnished with scallions, onions and cilantro – and fresh summer rolls, a rice paper-wrapped appetizer that includes char siu pork, shrimp, lettuce, cucumbers and rice vermicelli served with in-house peanut sauce or sweet and sour fish sauce.
“When I’m serving the customers, some of them know about Vietnamese food very well, because they love it and it’s everywhere in Canada and America,” Tran said.
“Some of them never tasted it and I have to explain the best food we’re sharing here and the way we cook and the way we eat. I’m willing to share and show them how to eat.”
Welcoming
In a show of community support, a plant from Formosa Tea House sits in the dining room and contains a note that reads, “Wishing your restaurant endless success and joyous moments! Cheers to new beginnings and delectable experiences.”
Tran wants her customers to know she and her husband cook “with all of our hearts” and appreciate all the support so far.
In the future, they plan to open a larger restaurant to expand their menu and offer a wider range of authentic Vietnamese cuisine.
