A Delicious, Local Work of Art & Dedication
Decades ago, a young woman travelled Vietnam learning the secrets of regional foods, spice combinations, and popular flavours. After coming to Canada, she opened a restaurant, starting a chain-of-events leading to the flavours of Vietnam on Vancouver Island.
Lan Vietnamese Express in Parksville shows off decades of restaurant expertise. When working on the concept for his family’s new location, Tom Vuu collaborated with two Island designers for a look and feel that would bring ambiance excellence to match the menu.
The Best Items from Nanaimo’s Huong Lan on Bowen Road
“I wanted to create a smaller version of our flagship restaurant in Nanaimo,” Vuu told us when we spoke with him at the new location on Hirst Avenue East. “We had to take the interior down to the studs, so we put a lot of thought into a West Coast feel. Our live-edge tables play off the original artwork we commissioned. We wanted a warm, welcoming, thoughtful vibe — paired with the best from our family’s decades of Vietnamese cooking.”
Lan Vietnamese Express selected the top dishes from its big sister, Nanaimo location. Focusing on authentic flavours and traditional spices — pho soup, Vietnamese baguette subs, vermicelli rice noodles, marinated tofu lemongrass, rice stir-fry, and more. Straight from recipes Vuu’s mother gathered in her travels through Vietnam and perfected over decades of restaurant ownership.
Second Generation Restaurant Excellence
Vuu explained, “I grew up working in my parents’ first restaurant, then I studied hospitality and business administration at university. When I came back, we expanded our Nanaimo location and began producing our customers’ favourite menu items for Island grocery store specialties. You can take home frozen soup and fried wontons, plus bottled sate chili oil — the deliciousness of Lan Vietnamese right at home.”
The family’s Nanaimo restaurant was voted #1 Asian restaurant nine years in a row. The pre-pandemic plan was to have an ‘express’ menu at the new Parksville offshoot.
“Covid really made a mess of our plans, but our family is grateful for our loyal Island customer base. Because of their love for our flavours — the touches my mother’s recipes emphasize, like fresh daikon, homemade fish sauce, pickled julienne carrots, and aromatic cilantro — we made it to the other side of Covid. Now, we’re excited to watch as Parksville, both its year-rounders and summer tourists, get to love these same favourites,” Vuu said.
Eat-In, Take-out, Delivered, Online Ordering
A bowl of steaming pho with a deep-fried banana ice cream chaser. Grilled lemongrass chicken with Vietnamese iced coffee. Or delectable spring rolls with bubble tea. There’s something for everyone on Lan Vietnamese Express’s menu.
Plan a special lunch with friends, or dinner with your family. Check out this exquisite ambiance in Parksville Downtown. Vegan and gluten free items are always available. Stop in to experience Island artistry, combined with Vietnam’s delectable, aromatic flavours.
