Traditional cooking means something different to Long Nguyen than it does to many other people, which is why he named his business, Pho King Rapidos, after a Mexican food restaurant and created menu items like a banh mi with pho ingredients, and carne asada poutine.
It’s also why it took him a long time to begin cooking “traditional” pho, the brothy noodle soup synonymous with Vietnamese food in the United States.
But once he did, he served it with pride. “We figured out a way to make it small-batch. My mom would make enough for 15-20 bowls when I was growing up. We are doing 30-35 bowls.”
Nguyen and Shauna Seamen will focus on more straightforward Vietnamese recipes like these when they open a new concept, Saigon Noodle Club by PKR, this summer in the Edgewater Public Market. In addition to pho — made with a 24-hour bone broth and briket or beef meatballs — they plan to serve grilled noodle bowls, “sticky icky” wings and other dishes.
The goal in a food hall like Edgewater Public Market is to provide quick-service turnaround for customers with friends or families waiting to eat at a table — and to do it well. “We want people to come back, tell friends about it, and get value for their money,” Nguyen said.
Speaking of families, that is part of the reason why Nguyen and Seaman decided to come up with a new concept name that doesn’t sound quite so off-color when you say it fast. “Over the past four years, I always fought tooth and nail to keep the name,” Nguyen explained. “But this is an evolution of our business. We never want to be stagnant. This is a great way to do that.”
The pair first opened Pho King Rapidos as a food truck during the pandemic in 2020, rolling up to breweries, festivals and other locations with their personal takes on Vietnamese food. Nguyen, who was born and raised in Denver, wanted to combine his experiences in New York City and Denver with his Vietnamese background and American upbringing.
Their street art ethos — Pho King’s logo resembles Denver’s big blue bear wearing a Biggie Smalls-style crown — blended multiple cuisines, and the truck gained a dedicated following.
In late 2023, they shut down the food truck and opened a stall at the Avanti food hall in Denver, along with a side concept called Thuy by PKR that ended after just a few months. Pho King was forced to close earlier this year, however, when Avanti underwent renovations.
Saigon Noodle Club joins 16 other food and beverage businesses at Edgewater Public Market, including Black Box Bakery, Gyro King, Konjo Ethiopian and Barquentine Brewing. It will be located in a space formerly occupied by Mac Shack, between Gladys and Arepas House.
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