Pho Clay to Geaux

from 337 MAGAZINE /// JUNE 2021

New Police Chief's Community Policing Initiative Aims to Bridge Gaps

Acadiana Mom's Drive-Thru Dreams Realized During Pandemic

By Abby Meaux Conques

Like many new businesses born out of the pandemic, Pho Clay to Geaux found its inception in the midst of serendipity and happenstance while the world dealt with COVID.

After deciding to leave a long run in retail, Diane Phak found a new pursuit of happiness in something that lit her up since childhood: making traditional Laotian fare.

We sat down with her recently and learned the inspiring story behind her recently-opened drive thru restaurant, Pho Clay to Geaux.

Diane grew up in a family of four children with her Laotian parents, who were both from Laos and met in Shreveport. She’s one of four children, and the only girl. She grew up watching her Mom make time-honored Laotian meals for the family to enjoy. “Watching my Mom cook was therapeutic for me and watching my Grandparents cook was amazing to me as a child.”

How was the idea of Pho Clay to Geaux born? Her inspiration came from cooking for her 7-year-old son, Clayton, and for her family and friends. “I always cooked for my family. One day during the early days of COVID last year, I made pho and dropped it off at my family’s house.” After she dropped off the meal and headed home, she got a phone call from her brother that would change her course of thinking about the future for her and her son. “My brother called me and asked, ‘Did you make this? This is really damn good.’” It was even said that her Mom, her inspiration for cooking, said that the pho Diane made that day rivaled her Mom’s recipe. The compliments that she didn’t expect planted a seed of insight.

Diane decided that she didn’t have anything to lose. She began a private facebook group of close friends and family and began taking orders for a limited menu she concocted. “The facebook group began to grow, and so did my ambition.”

In another serendipitous stroke, Diane came across a friend’s social media post sharing an image of cabbage rolls. “I was craving some good cabbage rolls and asked where these were from. They were made by Hungry As a Mother off Morgan Ave in Broussard.” The drive thru spot that Hungry As a Mother was utilizing hit sentimental notes for Diane. “It was the old Poppa D’s, a place I used to order from all the time when I lived in Broussard.” Diane enjoyed the cabbage rolls, and eventually befriended Hungry As a Mother owner, Amy Wellborn. She saw the drive thru building in a new light that day, making a promise to herself that she’ll have a spot like that once she gets more people to order her food.

How did she achieve more orders? She got creative with getting word-of-mouth referrals. “I began to give away free meals in the Facebook group, asking one thing of people...I told them, ‘I know you’ll like it...all I ask is that when you do, post about it for me.’” Her plan worked. Eventually people began to post her meals and tag her in the photos.

CHICKEN EGGROLLS

**Fried bulgogi dumplings, with red curry aioli.**

**Khao Poon (Red Curry Coconut Soup with chicken & bamboo shoots)**

In another twist of fate, Diane received a phone call from Amy Wellborn offering rental of the drive-thru spot after lunch hours when Hungry As a Mother was not operating. The space would serve Hungry As a Mother lunches by day, and Diane’s pho and appetizers at night. “Amy helped me to get to where I am today...I wish I could carry her in my pocket!”

Since January of this year, Diane has served her pho bowls, various eggrolls, fried bulgogi dumplings and special offmenu treats like their popular Korean Cheese Cornogs (coated with sweet flour batter & stuffed with mozzarella cheese) from the drive-thru building at 812 S. Morgan Ave in Broussard. A few changes have happened in the recent months including Hungry As a Mother pursuing new business endeavors, which opened up lunch hours for Pho Clay to Geaux. Since its inception via drive thru, Diane also offers Eat Fit options on her menu including zoodle bowls (pho bowls made with zucchini noodles), tofu zoodle bowls and brown rice spring rolls.

Diane is still enjoying cooking with her family. Clay is with her daily at the drive thru restaurant and loves to greet the customers through the drive thru window and her Mom helps her to roll the eggrolls. “I also have employees that help me and I would honestly trust them with my life,” she mentioned. She credits much of her new-found success with her ability to try something even when she was admittedly apprehensive to do so, and with befriending people in the local restaurant industry who offer advice and are eager to see others in the area succeed.

Diane’s last advice to readers included, “Don’t be afraid to expand your ideas, even at a cost.” She told us that in all honesty, the very start of her business hinged on the choice between paying her note or making her first batch of orders. She chose making her first batch of orders which eventually turned into more orders, allowing her not only eventually paying that car note, but starting a business where she could support herself and her son doing something she is passionate about. “To this day, I don’t regret my decision...I needed to do it for my son,” she said. “To date, the best feeling in the world is feeding your friends and knowing they and their kids’ bellies are full; I’ll always make sure peoples’ babies’ bellies are full.”

What’s next for Diane?

“My goal is to open up a dining restaurant in the next 5 years and have a booth at various area festivals.”

Pho Clay to Geaux’s expanded hours are Tuesdays through Fridays 11am-2pm and 4pm-8pm and Saturdays 4pm-8pm. Follow their social media pages for popups and menu announcements.