a doorway into their lives

What if the restaurant world was full of mom-and-pop shops that displayed their signature dishes which provided a glimpse into their history and heritage? That's what Donnal Chung and Frances Pham fantasize about, and the reason they created their restaurant: to pave the way towards this reality of community-sharing restaurants!

Husband and wife team Donnald and Frances created DOUDOU (dough-dough) Cafe, a Vietnamese restaurant situated next to their locally famous DONNAL'S Hair Design, Inc. They named it Dou Dou after a nickname they used to call their children, meaning bean bean. Dou Dou Cafe truly feels like a family members' home dining room. As Frances made our food in front of us in the open kitchen, the inspiring piano music was cranked up, much like we crank the music at home to help inspire our cooking. The crescendo led to our bowls of noodles being placed in front of us (then they turned the music down while we enjoyed our meal). Pretty close to a symphony encounter, but the encore was our delicious meal!

I ordered the "Spicy Lemongrass Beef Soup," one of their five main entrees. And I can testify that they only need five cause each one has been perfected! A soup of spice-laden broth, fresh bell peppers and green onions, and vermicelli noodles. Topped with the finale -- thinly cut, melt in your mouth beef, providing a light, yet filling meal. I will think about this dish for weeks! This is one of those dishes that feels like home. It is so satisfying to taste a soup that brings a sweetness to your mouth, amidst the perfect amount of spice. True perfection.

I always have to get something sweet, so Vietnamese Coffee was the perfect choice - a rich coffee with a soft finish, the perfect way to minimize the heat!