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Courtesy of Jennifer R. Duong

At A&J restaurant, located in the Arbor Village Center, Pham orders a traditional Taiwanese pork rice bowl, known as Lu Rou Fan.

Physics and engineering teacher Anthony Pham’s passion for the culinary arts is something most of his students know of. Pham often brings up the restaurants he frequented, detailing specific dishes, seasonal deals and the delectable experiences each meal brought him. Pham also enjoys posting the food he eats on his Instagram (@mistahhpham) stories, where he adds a small blurb explaining each dish’s name. 

We sat down with Pham to learn more about his background with food, favorite meals and recommendations for anyone looking to taste the diverse cuisines of Orange County.

Q: What are some of your favorite foods? Why do you enjoy them?

A: Some of my favorite foods include things like sushi, fried rice, Vietnamese noodle soups and pastas. Sushi was more of an acquired taste for me—the first time I had it, I kind of hated it. I grew up eating fried rice, so it’s something I’ll always like. And noodles—I’m really particular when it comes to Vietnamese noodle restaurants, for sure. And I kind of just grew to love pasta, because I like hearty foods. My favorite food, to be perfectly honest, is nigiri, which is just raw fish on rice. It’s very simple. 

Q: How does food help you bond with your family and friends? Why do you enjoy sharing the food you eat with your students and on social media?

A: I’ve always kind of believed that food was a way to bring people together. I love sharing a meal with someone, and even if we don’t talk much, it’s something that we enjoy together. In my family, we’re all very busy people. So you know, when we have the chance to have a family meal, it’s a great way to bond. I also like to learn about what others eat. You can imagine that when you’re very hungry, and you eat good food, you feel a certain way. And you know, it’s something that I’d like to experience as well.

Q: What got you into the fine dining experience in the first place? Is there a specific experience you remember?

A: I think the first time I went out to eat at a “fine dining restaurant” was a steakhouse when I was 17. It was something that I had saved up for to go with my significant other at the time. And you know, when people think of fine dining, they think of this fancy American steakhouse. But over the years, I’ve experienced different settings of fine dining, especially across different cultures. It’s something that I have grown to enjoy because it takes these elements of traditional foods, and they elevate them and combine them with modern recipes.

Q: What Orange County restaurants would you recommend?

A: I guess it really kind of depends on your price point, but one of my favorite restaurants is this Korean restaurant called Mo Ran Gak. They’re known for their cold noodles, but I really like their general dishes and platters. I also like this place called Ritter’s. They sell pan roast and food from New Orleans, which is not something that you can get too much from around here. It’s over in Costa Mesa. I don’t really like to eat pho outside the house very often, but when I do, I do like to eat at Phở Gà Hải Vân, which is a little chicken pho place over in Westminster. 

During our interview, Pham also recommended the following places:

Thai Nakorn, a small, family-owned restaurant located in Garden Grove and known for their Thai tom yum soups. 

Luv Fish, a compact, counter-serve offering Hawaiian-style sushi and poke bowls located in Garden Grove. 

San Shi Go, an upscale Japanese restaurant located in Newport Beach, known for its creative takes on sushi served omakase. Omakase literally translates to “I leave it up to you,” and is used when the customer leaves it up to the chef to serve their own seasonal specialities at a set cost. 

Ichiran, an easygoing Japanese eatery known for its authentic Tonkotsu ramen. Pham specifically recommends Ichiran’s bento boxes.