Danglicious Vietnamese Kitchen brings authentic dishes to downtown Washougal

Owners Andrew Dang and Thoai Nguyen: 'This is the food that we eat at home'

By Doug Flanagan
September 5, 2024 2:22 pm
Business, Latest News, News

Andrew Dang (left) and Thoai Nguyen attend the grand opening for their restaurant, Danglicious Vietnamese Kitchen, in downtown Washougal, Aug. 17, 2024. (Contributed photo courtesy of Andrew Dang)

Some of Andrew Dang’s fondest memories involve family get-togethers at his parents’ house in northeast Portland, where he and his nine siblings would gather once per week to catch up on each other’s busy lives, and, just as importantly, eat a delicious home-cooked meal, usually pho, a traditional Vietnamese soup.

Food and family is the heart of the Danglicious Vietnamese Kitchen, which Dang and his wife Thoai Nguyen opened in downtown Washougal on Aug. 17.

“This is the food that we eat at home,” Dang said, nodding to a bowl of spicy beef stew during a lunchtime conversation on Aug. 29. “We feel that food is the connection among us as a family, and we want to be able to pass that on to customers, to be able to have them enjoy nice food and talk about their lives. You come here, you order, sit down, relax, and enjoy the food and the conversation.”

“I don’t even mind if they bring a book in here and read,” Nguyen added. “I know that we have a very limited space, but at the same time, I enjoy it when I see people taking their time, slowing down, and enjoying their lives, rather than hurrying all the time.”

The restaurant, located at 1887 Main Street, serves a variety of authentic Vietnamese dishes, including chicken noodle soup, pho, vermicelli noodles, banh mi sandwiches, and more.

“I think the most famous (Vietnamese dish) is pho,” Dang said. “We would describe it as comfort food on a cold day, or if you feel sick or whatever. You feel very comfortable after you eat it. We cook for hours to bring all the flavor from the bones out. We’re not cooking from condensed paste or anything like that. We cook from the bones, and I think that’s something special about us. We want to have fresh ingredients and serve authentic Vietnamese food.”

Nguyen admitted that the restaurant “twists” its recipes a bit to accommodate American tastes.

“I found that a fusion or a balancing-out is always the best,” she said. “Just like the way I raise my kids, I try to balance out the American way and Vietnamese way, because I find with each way you have the best (of both). We try to blend it in and make sure we choose the best one from both cultures, and that is what we do with our food here.”

When Dang says that Danglicious is a family-oriented business, he’s not exaggerating. He claims that “everyone in the family helps out one way or another.” Dang’s brother, Don, serves as the restaurant’s cook and operations manager.

“We grow stronger as a family,” Dang said.

The family focus extends to the restaurant’s customers as well.

“I’ve put in toys, books, card games, and other activities for kids (to use), so if they don’t want to talk, they have something to play with rather than their electronic devices,” Nguyen said. “We like to welcome people in a way that they feel like they’re coming to a family-friendly restaurant where they feel comfortable to sit down and spend time with us.”

Danglicious is the only Vietnamese restaurant in East Clark County, according to its website.

“That was a big part of (our motivation),” Dang said. “We decided that we’re not going to compete in Vancouver or Portland, where there are a lot of Vietnamese restaurants already serving those communities. (Once we discovered that) there was no option in downtown Camas or downtown Washougal, we thought there may be an opportunity.”

“After we moved to Camas, when we had a craving for Vietnamese food, we really didn’t know where to go, and I feel like a lot of (other) people probably had the same feeling,” Nguyen added. “We saw that a lot of Americans were really interested in our Vietnamese food; at my workplace, when I talk about our food, (people say), ‘Yeah, I know I know pho’ or ‘I know the banh mi sandwich’ and those kinds of things. I feel like there’s a need for it.”

Dang said that he and his family members are focused on “community-building” and have received a warm welcome from their fellow downtown Washougal business owners, several of whom attended a grand opening ceremony on Aug. 17.

“We were a little nervous because we weren’t sure if we would have the crowd or the community support enough for us to be here long term as a profitable restaurant,” Dang said. “But then we talked to the owner of the building, Wes Hickey, and he’s very good. We felt comfortable that he wants to build community here, and that’s why (we came here).”

Dang, Nguyen and their three children moved to Camas from Portland, where they had lived for 20 years, in 2022. Dang works as a product owner for Northwest Natural Gas, and Nguyen is a pharmacist for Costco. They refer to Danglicious as their “side job,” one that comes with occasional pressure but enjoyment as well.

“We’re not going to hide from it. It’s very stressful because we didn’t have any experience before opening a restaurant, and we have full-time jobs and then all the kids’ activities that we need to keep up with as well,” Dang said. “But the thing that makes me feel the most proud of is the family involvement with this restaurant. The support from our family and our friends has been tremendous, and we’re just so grateful for it. That’s why we were able to open this restaurant.”

Dang and Nguyen have hired two high-school students to work at the restaurant in an effort to “help teenagers experience their first job.”

“I’m using this opportunity to train high-schoolers,” Dang said. “We understand it’s their first job, and there will be coaching opportunities. That’s why we have a senior waitress. She has a lot of experience already, and she can oversee the younger (employees).”

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The restaurant has received positive reviews on Google, Facebook and Yelp.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Danglicious Vietnamese Kitchen to the community,” Washougal resident Tony Colllver wrote in a Google review. “Our lack of a solid pho shop in town has been a frustration for me over the years. Having tried their pho for the first time this weekend, I am very excited for my next visit. (The) service was excellent, take-out was well packaged, and the food was delicious. Thanks for being part of the Washougal experience.”

“I highly recommend this place,” Washougal resident Diana Hall wrote in a Google review. “I ordered the vegan banh mi and it was one of the best meals I’ve had in a very long time. The baguette was soft and crispy, and the ingredients were incredibly fresh. I’m so excited that we have such a yummy restaurant in downtown Washougal now. (I) can’t wait to eat there again.”

Nguyen said that “a lot of people are excited to see us in the neighborhood.”

“This is our first time doing a business, so maybe we are still naive on a lot of things. It may take a while to really ‘get up there,’” she said. “But so far, with all the feedback and how we see people enjoying themselves when they come in, I think this is rewarding for me already.”

Danglicious is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Online ordering is available at thedanglicious.com.

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