Instead of looking for the man in the moon, try looking for the lady the next time the moon is full. According to Chinese legend, the beautiful and divine lady Chang’e (pronounced chung-er), dwells on the moon, forever pining for her beloved husband on Earth.
When the Chinese community celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival on Sep. 13, offerings of mooncakes and fresh fruit will be made under the night sky to Chang’e. Sometimes known as the Mooncake or simply, Moon Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival is the second-largest celebration in the Chinese culture, behind only Chinese New Year.
The Mid-Autumn Festival comes a little earlier this year — on Sep. 13 (it was Sep. 24 last year). But on the Chinese lunar calendar, it’s always on the 15th day of the 8th moon. The day just doesn’t always correspond to the more widely used Gregorian calendar.
The Chinese lunar calendar calls for a full moon onSep. 13. Barring any clouds, you’ll see the lunar calendar is always spot on! All around the world, moon-gazing is the activity of choice. The roundness of the moon symbolizes the completeness of family. Family members near and far reunite for dinner, then step outdoors to continue the celebration. The night is illuminated with paper lanterns – both hung outdoors as well as hand-carried ones.
Go ahead, visit your favorite Asian bakery and stock up on the countless varieties of mooncakes. Or make your own: Doll Mooncake Recipe.
Most importantly, enjoy the moment with your loved ones. Happy moon-gazing!
Say “Pho Lang Thang” and many Cincinnatians will likely want to whisk out their chopsticks and make slurping noises. Pho Lang Thang, arguably Cincinnati’s most famous Vietnamese restaurant, opens at their new location today at 1828 Race St. — just around the corner from their original space at Findlay Market. Pho Lang Thang is ingrained in the urban core’s story of revitalization, even securing a spot on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” in 2014.
Pho Lang Thang’s founders, David Le, and brothers, Duy Nguyen and Bao Nguyen, are second generation Vietnamese-Americans who were born and raised in Cincinnati. Determined to make their beloved hometown a place they want to be around, they decided to open a pho shop. “We wanted a pho shop to hang out at so we opened one,” Le once very simply said. In October 2010, the trio opened Pho Lang Thang at Findlay Market.
“Lang thang” sums up an attitude of not taking things – anything – too seriously. When they were kids, their concerned parents would fuss at them for being “lang thang.” Perhaps, as a playful homage to their parents, the group named themselves, the Lang Thang Group.
The business group has since expanded to include Danny Yant and Mike Dew.
L to R: Danny Yant, Duy Nguyen, Mike Dew, Bao Nguyen. (Not shown: David Le.)
The new location has been in the works for over a year and projects 1970s Vietnam, from the unabashed floral motif on the wall to bold, colorful wallpaper in the bathroom that resembles patterned tiles. “It reflects the time when our parents came to this country,” Duy explained.
The space is about three times bigger than the original location, and comes with a roomy bar — amply hosting the Vietnamese notion of “drinking and eating go hand-in-hand.” According to the press release, “customers will be treated to new ‘drinking food’ items specifically tailored to pair with a full cocktail menu, carefully selected wines, 10 draft beers with an extensive can and bottle selection.”
The availability of the full bar is pending the transfer of the liquor license from the old location. The Lang Thang group plans to hold a special event to open the full bar when the transfer is complete.
Perhaps the best indication of how the restaurant has grown is in a room hidden from view. Tucked away in the back of the house, three 60-gallon steam-jacketed kettles work overtime to produce stock for pho. Depending on the type of stock, each batch could take up to 24 or 48 hours. These industrial-scale kettles are a veritable cue how far the restaurant has come. Gone are the days of simply only using stock pots to prepare the soup for pho.
All the favorites from the original menu will transfer over to the new, expanded menu which includes Vietnamese iced coffee on draft, and specialty soda drinks. The new Pho Lang Thang will soon have a quick-service walkup nook for carryout lunch and dinner. The group is also planning to add a lounge and event space in the basement sometime in the future.
Clockwise: Goi Bap Cai Ga (poached chicken salad served in an edible “cracker bowl”), Cha Gio (fried spring rolls), Pho Bo (beef rice noodle soup with rare steak and brisket)
Pho Lang Thang will eventually open seven days a week but for the next few months, they will be closed on Mondays for kitchen training and dinner menu development.
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