DINING FEATURE
BY TRICIA SCHWENNESEN
Bun thit nuong ($11) , or vermicelli with grilled pork, is a favorite.
Quang “Ryan” Tran and his mother-in-law, Celia Garcia, co-own 3 Pho Bowl 09.
TRICIA SCHWENNESEN COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
COURTESY QUANG “RYAN” TRAN
The banh mi ($7.50-$8) , or Vietnamese sandwiches, are served on fresh bolillos. COURTESY QUANG “RYAN” TRAN
Pho served with thinly sliced steak ($11) is a popular menu item.
The menu at 3 Pho Bowl 09 includes pho with shrimp ($13) .
COURTESY 3 PHO BOWL 09
TRICIA SCHWENNESEN COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
HOW TO EAT PHO After conducting market research, co- owner Quang “Ryan” Tran said he realized most people were not familiar with pho. So, he created a cheat sheet that sits next to the condiments found on each table. STEP 1: Prepare your eating utensils. Choose a fork or wooden chopsticks. STEP. 2: When your pho arrives at the table, sample the broth rst. Determine if you want sweet, sour or spicy. Add lime juice to achieve a sour avor. Hoisin sauce will sweeten the broth, or add sriracha chili sauce to make it spicy. STEP 3: Add fresh basil and bean sprouts, which are served on the side, to the soup. If you like spicy avors, add jalapeno or serrano pepper slices.
3 Pho Bowl 09 Schertz small business serves up classic and fresh Vietnamese dishes I n 2019, Quang “Ryan” Tran opened 3 Pho Bowl 09—a playful take on the Schertz restaurant’s a pivotal moment for him and his family and it set him on a di erent path, both spiritually and profession-
with her husband, and the family has all settled in the Northeast Metrocom area, he said. Several of his siblings are entrepreneurs and own their own businesses. Tran said the idea of owning a restaurant came back to him in 2017. “I started to pray to the Lord,” Tran said. “I prayed about everything. I prayed about the location. I prayed about the name.” He spent the next two years learn- ing to cook the classic Vietnamese dishes his sister cooked when he was growing up, Tran said. Tran practiced, he said, perfecting his own recipes including the deli- cate broth that is the base for pho. “I practiced a lot,” he said. He also credits his mother, Cua Tran, with his gifts of cooking and servitude, sharing on the restau- rant’s website that his mother was known for her “hospitable warmth” and took great joy in having her family gathered around the table for a delicious meal. Tran said he lives by the motto, “We are third,” a belief found on the walls of the restaurant and the menu. It means Jesus comes rst, cus- tomers come second, and everyone else, “We are third,” Tran said. “I opened this restaurant, and it’s a ministry for everybody,” Tran said. “Praise the Lord, I give him all the glory.”
location on FM 3009, commonly called “three-double-oh-nine.” Tran is head chef and co-owner alongside his mother-in-law, Celia Garcia, a retired United Express Jet ight attendant. Tran said the bun thit nupong, or vermicelli bowl with grilled pork, is the most popular dish he serves. It comes with shredded carrots, cucumbers and sh sauce. The banh mi, or Vietnamese sand- wiches, are served on fresh bolillos with a choice of grilled meat—beef, chicken or pork; or fried tofu; pickled carrots and cucumber; jalapenos; cilantro; and a special 3009 sauce. “Anything with pork is good,” he said. The menu also includes cha gio, or crispy, deep fried Vietnamese spring rolls; several salads; rice dishes, such as com tom nuong, or grilled shrimp with rice; and 10 varieties of pho served with fresh basil, bean sprouts, raw jalapeno slices and lime on the side. Tran said he knew he wanted to open his own business for a long time but the timing was never quite right. He was an engineer by training who worked for KCI Kinetic Concepts and later H E B. Tran said the tragedy of 9/11 was
ally. He and his wife, Celeste, and their two children began attending church and now he is a deacon at First Baptist Church of Universal City. “It’s faith that keeps me going and gives me hope,” Tran said. “I just “IT’S FAITH THAT KEEPS ME GOING AND GIVES ME HOPE. I JUST FELL IN LOVE WITH HOW JESUS LOVES UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.” QUANG "RYAN" TRAN, CO OWNER OF 3 PHO BOWL 09 fell in love with how [Jesus] loves— unconditional love.” Tran said he grew up in Vietnam, one of nine children, and his father, Xuong Tran, owned his own business. The family applied to emigrate to the United States—where Tran’s sister already lived— but their application was denied. Tran’s family landed rst in Malay- sia, then Holland before they were able to move to the U.S. in 1985. Tran’s sister was living in Converse
Next, are you a dipper? If you are, go to Step 4. If not, skip to Step 5.
STEP 4: In a small bowl, add equal parts hoisin sauce and sriracha chili. Dip your noodles and vegetables in the sauce before each bite.
STEP 5: You are ready to enjoy your pho.
3 Pho Bowl 09 917A FM 3009, Ste. 100, Schertz 210-983-3746 www.3phobowl09.com Hours: Mon.-Thu. 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun. closed
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NORTHEAST SAN ANTONIO METROCOM EDITION • SEPTEMBER 2022
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