Asian Fortune Your source for all things Asian American
By Jennie L. Ilustre
Khanh Nguyen and his family lost their homes and livelihood when Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast in 2004, leaving destruction and desolation in its wake.
“We were used to hurricanes come and go, and didn’t take the warnings seriously,” Khanh recalled. One of his sisters just built a new brick house, which was supposed to be hurricane-resistant. The hurricane did not damage the house; the flood did. Another sister had a fishing boat that was destroyed by the strong winds.
The Nguyen family and extended relatives had to leave Louisiana and Mississippi. Some relocated to Florida, where Khanh joined his sister and started a crawfish restaurant.
“We were humbled by the experience, but we are just very grateful for the second chance,” said the Nguyen family. It took a while for Florida diners to adapt to the Cajun specialty. But after awhile they did. New Orleans Cajun Seafood Restaurant in Orlando, Florida became so successful that it has become a local favorite and a tourist magnet.
Khanh’s wife Sherry recalled: “We have a lot of customers in Orlando who are from out-of-town. Every time they were in Florida, they encouraged us to open one here, because no one has the same special, spicy flavor in the area.
Favorites
In May, Khanh and Sherry opened a branch of the restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia, offering the same popular menu in a no-frills, friendly atmosphere.
Since it opened, people have been flocking to the restaurant. Reason: Everything is fresh. Sherry drives to the airport every day to pick up fresh seafood from Louisiana.
“Among our customers’ favorites are our special spicy boiled crawfish, spiced crabs, and oystal po’ boy,” said Sherry, a former resident of Maryland and accounting manager for a nonprofit. She met Khahn in Louisiana. The couple has a 15-month old daughter, Thao Nguyen.
“We already made profit on our first month,” Sherry said. “But we need more people to know about this place.”
Her plan for the future “is to build up this restaurant to be successful and to provide funding directly for poor children’s education.” Sherry was born in China and came to the US, where she finished high school and college.
Sherry has been helping needy children since her first job. “Currently, we donate 10% of our Tuesday gross sale to Child International. Aside from that, we also support five children in Vietnam through Child International.”
Nice Picnic
On entering the place, one is struck at its simple, unassuming style. Dining is like having a nice picnic. Everything is served on trays. Customers dine on disposable plates. There are paper towels aplenty.
Scott Rodgers, managing partner for eight years now of Carrabas, an Italian grill favorite in Centreville, Virgina, brought his family for dinner and raved over the food.
“The big surprise? Food is the focus,” he remarked. “There are no gimmicks. Nothing fancy. The food is great –the shrimp appetizer, the crabs and the crawfish.”
“They’re going to be successful,” he said, referring to the owners. “I will definitely tell my friends who like seafood to come to this place.”
Last August, Filipino American community leader Nancy Ceniza tasted the seafood fare in the restaurant, and liked it. On the spot, she made a decision. She would celebrate her birthday in September with friends, family members and co-workers.
Her 15 guests enjoyed their lunch, starting with French fries, fried sweet potato fries, corn and potatoes. The main course consisted of shrimp on a salad bed, soft-shelled crab sandwich, catfish and crawfish.
On the wall, there’s a poster for customers who might want to know how to properly eat the crawfish. There’s also a LED TV in a corner, but on the two occasions we were there, the customers’ attention was manily focused on their food.
The restaurant seats 50 people. It also offers catering service for special occasions, with a minimum order of $500.
The restaurant is located on 6168 Arlington Blvd., at the Wilston Center. A bus stop is just steps away on Patrick Henry Drive. The restaurant opens at 11:30 a.m., and closes at 9:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday. Friday hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on Sundays, 12 noon to 10 p.m.
