MK Noodle serves up authentic Vietnamese cuisine in Lake View

CHICAGO — The friendly face on the sign of MK Noodle depicts its energetic owner, MinhKhan Le.

She is a 51-year-old immigrant, born in Laos to Vietnamese parents. She lived in Thailand, and then moved to Chicago, where she has owned and operated Vietnamese pho restaurants for more than a quarter century.

“It’s tough,” Le said. “It’s tough but as an immigrant person, when you jump into something, it’s hard to walk out.”

Le wears many hats at the restaurant. You’ll find her greeting customers, washing dishes and wiping tables. She’s also in charge of the menu, and frequently is found prepping ingredients, cooking meals, and delivering them to tables.

“I cannot be here for 24 hours,” Le said. “I try so every time I come; I bring the vibe. I got energy and that’s who I am and that’s what people sense.”

Customer’s say they return time and again because of Le’s personality.

“The owner is very special,” said Marie Kiepura, a Lake View resident and frequent customer. “Making a personal connection with your customers is always huge.”

Customers order at kiosks, then grab their food from the counter.

One menu favorite is boba tea, a thick tea drink made with tapioca pearls.

The walls are decorated with positive affirmations like, “Yes you can,” “It’s a good day for a good day,” and “You are strong,”  which Le says connect with her Buddhist philosophy that if you dish out encouragement it comes back to you.

“We believe in good karma,” Le said. “That’s why just a reminder of each day, we have to be good.”

The place has become famous for its “pho,” (pronounced fuh) the classic Vietnamese soup. “Vietnamese dishes, most of them are soup-based,” Le said. “Soup noodle, soup noodle. Soup.”

Le cooks the stock for 7 hours.

“This is the bone, beef bone,” she said, “We only use the bone stock only.”

The pho is served in stainless steel.  Another favorite is the Bahn mi sandwich.

“So we cut the baguette, fresh made, crispy outside, soft inside.” Le said. “Toast this around ten seconds, then it’s stuffed with lemongrass chicken and  topped with cilantro and our final touch will be our carrot and daikon.”

She works alongside her two children. Three separate chefs each handle one type of order –stir fry, pho, and sandwiches, making it a true family affair.

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