John Nguyen’s love for cooking became the catalyst for him in 2013 to quit his job of 13 years as a construction manager to pursue a career in the kitchen. His construction experience worked to his advantage when renovating the space to open his Vietnamese restaurant, Pho What, he said, through repairing the ceiling and flooring and painting the walls orange. “I just love cooking,” he said. “I always wanted to own a restaurant. I cook all day, every day anyways for my kids.” Pho What serves pho—or a type of Vietnamese noodle soup—and other Vietnamese dishes, such as grilled pork spring rolls and banh mi, a 10- to 12-inch sandwich made with grilled chicken or pork and vegetables served on French bread, which John buys from a local bakery. Many of Pho What’s pho dishes are made with beef bone marrow, which simmers for 26 to 30 hours before serving. The BYOB, dine-in restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and offers weekly rotating specials, such as bun bo hue, which includes ham, beef and beef broth as well as thick vermicelli noodles and blood cake—a dish John calls a “Vietnamese menudo.” One of the more popular dishes, John said, is the Cajun pho, which includes crawfish tails, sausage and chicken broth. Hanging on edge of the bowl is a bright red crawfish for flavor and decor. Diner Courtney Mosley stopped at Pho What for lunch for the first time in July and ordered pho with eye of round steak, lean brisket and beef meatballs. She said she enjoyed her dish. A fan of pho, Mosley said the flavors in her dish were “cohesive” and said she appreciated the quick service. Although this is the Nguyens’ first time as culinary entrepreneurs, Linda, John’s wife, said she has a great deal of experience working in the restaurant industry. “It’s been a fun experience,” she said. “You learn as you go. … It’s stressful, but it’s all worth it.” Pho What 251 N. Bell Blvd., Ste. 105, Cedar Park 512-284-7267 www.phowhat.com Hours: Mon.-Thu. 10:30 a.m.- 9 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m., closed Sun.