By Erica Thomas, managing editor
TRUSSVILLE — A lot of people get tired of the same-ole, same-ole when it comes to restaurants. But one Trussville restaurant is offering a different option for foodies.
Pho Sizzle opened in 2018. Owner Cuong Tran, from Vietnam, has been in the states for 12 years. Before moving to the U.S., Tran trained in Judo martial arts.
“When I came here, I was 25 years old,” said Tran. “I had just finished college and I was a martial arts coach in my country.”
“I came to Trussville from Florida and checked the location,” Tran explained. “I checked and saw there were no Vietnamese restaurants, so I said, ‘yes!”
Tran said he enjoys seeing the pleasure people get when they eat at Pho Sizzle.
“I love to see our customers eat and enjoy the food,” he said. “I like to see the elders sit down and share the ice cream. It’s so cute. I love to bring the Vietnamese food to Trussville.”
Food was always important for Tran. In fact, he said he always knew he wanted to be a chef.
“When I was in high school, I lived far away from my family and I cooked for myself, so I thought, ‘why not be a chef?” said Tran. “I love to cook for people.”
Pho Sizzle is a healthier option, according to Tran.
During COVID, family members have come all the way from Florida to help Tran. When the family is not in town, Tran is a one-man-band for the most part. During the daytime hours, he is the hostess, the chef, the server and the cashier. He has help from high school-aged students after school hours.
If you think the name of Pho Sizzle was derived from rapper Snoop Dogg’s saying, “fo shizzle’ that is not the case.
“When we cook in the kitchen, the sound of the sizzle is where that part came from,” Tran said. “And pho is traditional for noodle soup.”
Pho Sizzle offers Vietnamese, Thai, Singapore-inspired foods. They also serve bubble tea and rolled ice cream.
The restaurant is located at 5880 Trussville Crossing Boulevard and can be reached by phone at (205) 655-9500. Hours are Tuesday – Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Pho Sizzle is closed on Mondays.