Pan-fried lobster, spring rolls: Jump into authentic Vietnamese flavors at Brockton's Pho 89

BROCKTON ― Brockton is the new home of a traditional Vietnamese restaurant that opened to preserve and spread the culture of their country.

Pho 89, located at 708 Belmont St., right next to Brockton High School, serves more than just pho—it's food with a story.

The owner, Phuc Le, learned how to cook when he was a little boy in Vietnam; his mother taught him the ins and outs of the kitchen.

As a child, Le's first job was to capture wood for the fires, and as he got older, the task became more complex as he learned new recipes and cooked for the family.

To him, cooking is a way to share memories and happiness through food and experience.

Before opening the restaurant, Le was known for extravagant parties and delicious entrees. Naturally, this sparked the idea of opening a restaurant.

Watching family gave the owner a foundation to evolve into an "amazing cook" by nature.

As an adult, Le became a pharmacist but always envisioned a new, burning passion, which led to his opening Pho 89 in Randolph and his second location in Brockton.

The menu combines classic Vietnamese dishes learned as a kid and a mix of his unique touch.

"I am so proud to bring a good dish to the customer. You get a sense of pride; there is a lot of pressure in the restaurant industry," Le said.

What's on Pho 89's menu?

Customer favorites include beef noodle pho, conch salad, chicken noodle pho, house-fried rice, spicy pan-fried lobster with fragrant garnishes, and deep-fried egg rolls.

Other items to try are fried chicken wings with sweet and sour sauce, scallions, and onions.

Seafood is a significant portion of the menu, but there are several land items, including fried chicken vermicelli with fried eggs and fresh vegetables.

Stir-fried rice and noodles are super popular, and you can customize it to your taste.

There are over 200 food items and dozens of tasty combinations to try.

Le just wants everyone to enjoy his culture through food and their rich traditions through the restaurant.

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Pho 89 Vietnamese restaurant opens on Belmont Street in Brockton