Vy Banh of Rice & Noodles says her family's migration to the United States was not an easy journey.
Rice & Noodles' Pho Ap Chao with seafood combination
Rice & Noodles' Bun Ga Nuong with seasoned char-grilled chicken breast
Rice & Noodles' Bun Tom Nuong with char-grilled shrimp
Since 2005, Rice & Noodles has served authentic Vietnamese dishes at its Lititz Pike shop.
Rice & Noodles' understated interior makes room for its tasteful cuisine.
The staff at Rice & Noodles makes customer service a priority.
DINING OUT: Rice & Noodles
Hardship could have been a recipe for disaster for this Vietnamese restaurant.
Displaced first from Vietnam, then from New Orleans, this family-owned and run restaurant has changed names and locations but not its focus.
It's always been about the food and the customers.
Rice & Noodles, a small, nondescript Vietnamese restaurant at 1238 Lititz Pike, Lancaster, does not readily reveal a volatile history.
But the family that runs it has a story to tell.
It begins first in war-torn Vietnam, where Vu Van Y and his family members — including daughter Anh-Thu Cao — opened 13 restaurants.
DINING OUT: Rice & NoodlesBut when Saigon fell in the '70s, the family fled first to Pennsylvania, then to New Orleans, where they had heard there was a growing Vietnamese fishing community.
"It was a lot to leave," says Vy Banh, the daughter of Chau and Anh-Thu Cao.
The family started over.
"It took my mom quite a bit of time to collect money," Banh says. "She worked hard and opened a restaurant (Pho Tau Bay) in 1982."
The restaurant eventually expanded to four locations, building a solid reputation not only in the Vietnamese community but among the New Orleans populace as a whole.
"We served sort of a melting pot," Banh says.
But sometimes lightning does strike twice.
When Hurricane Katrina hit three years ago, the family's restaurants were all destroyed.
The family, now in its third generation, moved again, this time to Lancaster, where an aunt lived.
In short order, the family opened again in 2005, this time under the name Rice & Noodles.
Banh says the restaurant focuses on basic Vietnamese cuisine.
Rice and noodles are the base of an expansive menu of soups, hot noodle dishes, vegetarian specials, rice platters, vermicelli patties, salad bowls — and yes, even Vietnamese-style hoagies.
Prices are reasonable, ranging from $3.75 to $4.50 for spring rolls to around $7 or $8 for regular entrees.
The menu, with simple but modern pop-off-the-page black, green and white subheadings, reflects the exterior sign design.
Food servings are more than generous, but don't expect free refills on drinks (Each soda is $2.). The no-refill policy is spelled out on the menu.
The restaurant gets high marks for its varied offerings — the entree names are in Vietnamese, but a detailed explanation in English follows — and also for its prompt service and helpful staff.
When asked for recommendations, my server was quick to offer popular choices.
She recommended Com Tam Bi Suon Cha Trung Chien ($8), which translates into a combination of shredded pork, char-grilled pork chop, steamed egg cake and sunnyside-up eggs over crushed steamed white rice and sliced cucumbers and tomatoes. A small soup came with the entree.
The pork was spiced to perfection, and the hot-off-the grill flavor was pleasing, but the rice was a tad cold.
My partner in dining raved over her choice, Bun Cha Gio ($6.50), or imperial Vietnamese egg rolls in a vermicelli salad bowl. Her entree included shredded cucumbers, cilantro, bean sprouts and lettuce.
The interior of Rice & Noodles is as basic as its name. There's nothing fancy here, just simple, unassuming and bright decor, and banquet-style chairs and granite tabletops in one room.
On the day we lunched, the dining room was full.
The focus is less on looks and more on service and food.
"I thought I'd miss (New Orleans), but people are people, and they enjoy the food here, too," Banh says. "We establish relationships with them."
And nothing can put that asunder.
Rice & Noodles, 1238 Lititz Pike, Lancaster, 481-PHO1 (7461) or www.riceandnoodlesrestaurant.com; hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Reservations not taken.
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