Another Vietnamese family is making a go-for-it at the landmark Rice Bowl location on 16th Street in Merced.

Last year, the County Times wrote about the Le family venture at the Rice Bowl and their incredible journey to America. Unfortunately, the economic downturn took its toll on the business and owner Jason Le was forced to close the doors over the summer.

Three weeks ago, new owners Khai Do and sister Nancy Ngo showed up with a new restaurant name, Lucky Pho Noodle, and yet another amazing story about leaving Vietnam.

Do was born and raised in Camranh Bay in South Vietnam.

"It's a beautiful place where they used to have a U.S. Marine base," he said. "A lot of retired GIs would know exactly where it is."

Do's father served with South Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War, and his inspirational mother operated a convenience store while she raised a large family that included two Amerasian boys that were abandoned on the streets.

An Amerasian is a person born in Asia, to a U.S. military father and an Asian mother. And, according to Do, there were many Amerasian children wondering around Camranh Bay after the war.

"One of my adopted brothers was left in a basket in front of my mom's store," Do said. "There was a picture of his parents in the basket. That's it. My other brother we found walking alone in the streets. He was 3 years old."

Do said his family suffered under Communist rule and then lost everything when a flood devastated the bay in 1986.

"It was a rough time," he said. "I was just a kid, and I was selling hot tea in the street for less than a penny a cup."

Meanwhile, Do's mother was determined to gain immigration status so that the entire family could make their escape to the United States.

The effort took her 10 years and a lot of saved money.

In the early 1990s, Do's parents, four brothers and two sisters were finally able to enter this country, joining up with a family member already living in Modesto.

The family thrived in their new home. Do said he had a difficult time picking up English, but he quickly made it through middle school and found success in high school. He became the first South East Asian to volunteer as a Police Explorer in Stanislaus County. He then studied criminal justice at Stanislaus State and became a probation officer at age 19. He went to become a special deputy in the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

He decided to return to Modesto after he married and his first child was born. He bought a 2 1/2 acre farm and started talking to his sister about opening up a restaurant business.

They found the perfect spot right here in Merced.

Now there's a Lucky Pho Noodle banner covering the old Rice Bowl neon lettering. The bowl-shaped building, built in the late 1940s, is a historic Merced landmark, and Do is working with the city to come up with a new sign somewhere on the property.

"Merced has welcomed us over these last three weeks," he said. "We have been really busy. During the Christmas Parade we were swamped all day. There were new batches of customers every 15 minutes."

Do said he has been getting rave reviews about his specialty egg rolls that feature shrimp, pork and vegetables. Another favorite is the Special Beef Combo Rice Noodle Soup or "Pho Dac Biet."

"Hmong families will come in with a party of 10 people or more and order king size portions of it," Do said. "I love when I see people finishing the whole bowl of soup."

He said his pho chicken soup is also quite good during recent cold winter days.

In all, there are more than 100 items on the menu that also includes Chinese cuisine.

Do said he hopes business will continue to pick up and he would like to open up a Lucky Pho Noodle II closer to UC Merced.

"That's what the American dream is all about," he said. "Any immigrant can live the dream if they stay out of trouble, work hard and stick to it."

He also wanted to add something else: "I want people in the community to know that this is not my restaurant. It's Merced's restaurant."