Pho Lane’s menu is small, offering Vietnamese cuisine with a street food approach, co-owner Trinh Yambao said.

The restaurant opened in November 2023, and Yambao said her philosophy is that everyone should be able to come into the restaurant and experience good food at an affordable price.

The background

Yambao owns the restaurant with her husband Mike, she said, adding that the couple relocated to McKinney from New Mexico and immediately fell in love with the area. They knew it was where they wanted to lay their roots and raise their family.

They both have backgrounds in the medical field, Yambao said, noting that after moving to McKinney, they decided it was time to do something different.


Yambao said they wanted to do something they are passionate about and food fit the bill. She said her mother and brother are also passionate about cooking, adding that before opening the restaurant, she would often challenge herself by asking what she could cook for her family that is better than what she cooked last time.

“I love watching the family take the first bite after preparing the meal,” Yambao said. “That does translate to [Pho Lane], every time a customer gets their meal and sits down...and takes their first bite and says ‘oh, that’s good,’ I love that.”

What’s on the menu?

The restaurant serves phở, a traditional Vietnamese soup, prepared with basil, cilantro, bean sprouts, jalapenos, onions, limes and the customer’s choice of broth.


It also serves bún thịt nướng, a vermicelli noodle plate. Patrons choose from chicken, pork, beef, tofu or sliced egg rolls, and the dish is served with lettuce, cucumbers, cilantro, peanuts and a house sauce. Also on the menu is xà lách, a Vietnamese salad consisting of lettuce, cucumbers, cilantro, pickled carrots, fried onion garnish with a choice of protein and a house, peanut or basil ginger dressing.