Vancouver, WA

I was sitting in front of my computer doing some research for my book, which consisted of typing Felton in any way I could on Google Book search to see if I could come up with a hit. This tends to give me a headache after a while, so I was more than ready for a break when my friend Patti dropped by and asked if I wanted to go share a plate of french fries at our local movie theater, Cinetopia. I know that sounds like a strange place to go for fries, but this is a sumptuous movie theater with its own dining room and wine bar, Vinotopia, but that needs its own post..

We found our regular tall stools at the bar vacant, climbed up and Patti promptly ordered the fries. She had already had a glass of wine, which the fries were ordered to counteract, but we were told we needed to order a drink as well; luckily a soft drink was enough because neither of us was in the mood for more wine. We checked out the theater picks, but found nothing we wanted to see and ended up talking about Jimmy’s restaurant.
                                                   
That is what everybody we know calls it, Jimmy’s restaurant. Jimmy is a friend of our sons, between us we have three, and someone we see often. Recently his parents had decided to close their restaurant in Camas and open one in East Vancouver. Patti had been to their grand opening and raved about their beef and broccoli and after we ate our french fries she insisted on taking me out for a lite dinner.
                                                            
Jimmy’s restaurant is actually Pho Le, a Vietnamese restaurant located at the back corner of the strip mall at 164th and SE Village Loop. The street into the front of the mall is McGillivray Blvd. The front doors, bordered by small bamboo trees, were a precursor for the subtle foliage settings we found inside. The place was half-full with Jimmy at the cash register, his mother behind the counter handling a takeout order, and his father in the kitchen.
                               
Patti and I shared appetizers and another beef dish and I could see why she was so excited about the food. I am not a food connoisseur, and could not tell you what we had, just that both were delicately flavored and the beef tender and mouth watering and everything sumptuous. It reminded me of Gonzaga University where I roomed with a Vietnamese girl. One day I was invited to join her and a bunch of her friends for a memorable Vietnamese meal at the home of one of their sponsors. It was unlike anything I had ever tasted before or since, until today. It was no surprise the place was full by the time we left.