Lâu Vietnamese Pho opens in Bethpage
Sugar cane pork at Lâu Vietnamese Pho in Bethpage. Credit: Newsday/Melissa Azofeifa
With the opening of its second location, in Bethpage, Lâu Vietnamese Pho is ensuring that it’ll live up to its name.
Lâu means "long term" according to its owner, Jackie Li. "We want to stay here as long as we can," she said.
Lâu's first location opened six months ago in St. James. The Bethpage location, formerly Ruby Crab, "is a central area, making it convenient for customers from several nearby towns to visit," Li said.
While Lâu serves several varieties of in-demand pho, Vietnamese rice noodle soup, Li diversified by adding appetizers such as sugar cane pork ($15), which is ground meat with chestnuts and lemongrass all wrapped around a sugar cane stalk that is grilled over an open fire. Garlic sautéed okra, the plant also known as "lady's fingers," is steamed then sautéed with housemade garlic sauce ($10).
New entrées include beer clams ($22) with garlic, shallots, basil, cilantro and scallions in a beer broth. Roasted short ribs are served with rice noodles. Lâu's chicken banh mi ($13), the popular Vietnamese sandwich, comes with a toasted French baguette with pickled vegetables — sweet, juicy and flavorful. Lâu also offers sandwiches made of pork ($13), steak ($16) and tofu ($12).
The sleek interior at Lâu Vietnamese Pho in Bethpage. Credit: Newsday/Melissa Azofeifa
For drinks, the strawberry jasmine fruit boba tea ($6) has the right amount of sweet and tangy to pair with just about any dish. The extensive choices include iced or hot Vietnamese coffee ($6), Thai iced tea ($5), fresh fruit smoothies and lemonades.
Li’ said her goal is to continue to offer "healthy and tasty" food at a reasonable price.
Lâu Vietnamese Pho, 4037b Hempstead Tpke., Bethpage, 516-855-0025, lauvietnamesepho.com. Open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday noon to 8 p.m.
Melissa Azofeifa is a restaurants reporter with Newsday's FeedMe team. Having grown up on Long Island, she loves talking about food and its impact on culture. A graduate of Stony Brook University, she joined Newsday in the fall of 2024.
