By Kristin Leeson
For the Northwest Asian Weekly

"Sure, the pho is good, but it's the cream puffs that keep me coming back." "I'm hooked on those little puffs!" This is what the loyal customers of Than Brothers continually say about this local chain of Vietnamese noodle soup shops.

It's interesting that this pho business got its start because of little, two-inch-round pastries called "banh choux a la creme," or cream puffs, which are expertly crafted by the women in the Than family.

As Dat Than tells it, "In 1993 or '94, my sister Uyen created the puff and Mom made the filling. People loved these treats and we sold them to markets all around the International District."

The homemade dessert business also sold coconut cookies and specialty French cookies - snacks from their native land, Vietnam - but it was really the cream puffs that outsold the other treats.

Soon, the demand for desserts outgrew the Than's family kitchen and they moved production into an old Chinese restaurant that they remodeled. In 1996, brothers Quang and Kuen Than opened their first restaurant at 7714 Aurora Ave. N. in Seattle.

"There were no noodle houses up north back in '96. We were the first one. We realized that people like noodles a lot and we had the simple idea of soup," Dat Than, son of Quang Than, said.

The restaurant menu is simple here. They serve rice noodle soup in small, medium, large and extra-large bowls with such meats as brisket, round steak, tendon, tripe, meatballs and chicken.

Pho can be eaten during lunch or as a light supper. Even though it is a steaming hot dish, Vietnamese eat it year-round. It's a light treat during the summer; in the cooler months, it satisfyingly warms up your belly. Some even say that a good bowl of pho can take care of a cold.

Each bowl also comes with a plate of crunchy bean sprouts, basil leaves, fresh-cut limes and jalapeno peppers to add spice and flavor to the broth. Everyone has their own way of personalizing their pho.

The complimentary cream puffs that kick off every meal really set this noodle shop apart, especially now that pho restaurants have become a regular part of Seattle's landscape. Today, Than Brothers isn't the only noodle place on Aurora. That busy street now hosts plenty of pho joints. Clearly, this Vietnamese specialty appeals to Seattleites' diverse tastes.

Exciting news is that the Than family has expanded its business into Everett. Visit the fourth family-run shop, which opened just a few weeks ago at 607 S.E. Everett Mall Way, and partake in the family's good fortune, good taste and good food.

"Mom still makes our cream puffs every day, seven days a week, 365 days per year," Than said while chatting on a break from duties at the busy University Way location. It takes eight hours to make the 1,500 puffs required by the four restaurants.

Customers can enjoy them for free as part of their meal or buy them in packages of three for $1.25 or a tray of 15 for $6.25. It's even possible to buy a bulk order of puffs - for example, 500 at a time. However, take note that for big pastry orders, the Than women need at least one day's notice.

The Than family always respects their customers, Than said, and they work hard to fill special orders, keep the homemade quality high and give customers good value for their money.

"We pay attention to price. We have raised our prices, I think, once in six years of business. To overcharge is ridiculous," he said.

Every bowl of pho at Than Brothers is less than $5.

"Pho is a simple, healthy, low-fat food. Easy to eat. We know that a lot of our customers are students, families and hard-working people," Than said.

Big plans

The Thans' dream is to keep growing their restaurant chain. "Like McDonald's, we would like to ‘go public.' Maybe franchise this business, expand the chain," he said.

Vietnamese noodle soup plus tasty desserts plus specialty coffee drinks - seems like a winning formula in the Pacific Northwest. Who knows? Maybe the East Coast would like it too. A key to business success is to keep your eyes open for opportunities while working on doing an excellent job with what you already have.

The Thans rely on word of mouth to stay in touch with business opportunities, like locations that might be good for a new pho restaurant, how to serve the freshest food possible and how to improve their customer service. Support from the community is also key to continued success.

So what is the secret to success for Than Brothers Pho? It's simple, but not an easy recipe to create: inexpensive, good food; plus fast and efficient service; plus a clear menu equals the Thans' successful noodle soup restaurants.

But there's one more thing to add to the mix: cream puffs. It's a good idea to give your customers something special - something memorable and a little different, but appropriate - to keep them coming back.

Check out the Thans' new restaurant in Everett, or any one of their other three pho shops in Seattle, to experience first-hand this family's recipe for success.