Julie Phan and Kin Tran pose for a photo with a bowl of spicy beef noodles at Four Seasons Restaurant, 401 W. Seventh St. Four Seasons offers a full menu of Chinese favorites and Vietnamese cuisine.
Justin Wan, Sioux City Journal
Spicy beef noodles are one of the items on the Four Seasons menu.
SIOUX CITY | Four Seasons Restaurant is filling a niche for cozy cuisine near Sioux City's Hamilton Boulevard corridor.Â
The restaurant at 401 W. Seventh Street, which opened in May, primarily offers Vietnamese dishes, but also serves Chinese food. Four Seasons is closed Monday and is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
Julie Phan, one of the restaurant's managers, said two dishes on their 94-item menu have become favorites among repeat customers.
She said people are drawn to pho (pronounced "fuh"), a hot soup, Â because of the cold weather.
"It's warm," Phan said of the dish. "Right now, it's cold outside."
Pho is made with thin rice noodles, vegetables, fresh herbs, a variety of meats and a broth that takes hours of preparation.
The other popular dish is banh mi, a Vietnamese sandwich with meat or vegetables, served on a loaf similar to French bread.
Phan added the restaurant is very busy around noon because of lunch specials and the popular banh mi, which starts at $4 per sandwich.
"The price is very reasonable," she said. "I try to keep the price as affordable as it can be."
Phan, also a licensed cosmetologist, likes to style each meal because in addition to taste, she said, presentation matters.
The restaurant bills itself as a healthier alternative to Western cuisine. The chefs use many natural ingredients and spices such as basil, garlic and mint.
Phan said some ingredients are shipped in while others are purchased locally.
In the future, Phan said she plans to add a sign on the west side of the restaurant to attract more customers. The restaurant currently has one sign.
She also said the restaurant is currently looking at installing larger windows inside. As for expanding, Phan said she's comfortable with the current building.
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Julie Phan and Kin Tran pose for a photo with a bowl of spicy beef noodles at Four Seasons Restaurant, 401 W. Seventh St. Four Seasons offers a full menu of Chinese favorites and Vietnamese cuisine.
