Phở Gabo

Phở Gabo
Map
Restaurant information
Owner(s)Eddie Dong
Food typeVietnamese
City
StateOregon
CountryUnited States
Coordinates45°32′14″N 122°52′11″W / 45.5372°N 122.8696°W / 45.5372; -122.8696
Websitephogabo.com

Phở Gabo is a small chain of Vietnamese restaurants in the Portland metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of Oregon. The business is owned by Eddie Dong and has operated in Hillsboro since 2015 and Happy Valley since 2022. Previously, a third location operated in northeast Portland's Roseway neighborhood from 2018 to 2024. It closed due to a series of odor complaints by an anonymous neighbor, resulting in multiple visits from inspectors, fines, and later a change to the city's odor code.

The Portland location's closure received pushback by some community groups and politicians, including the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon and the Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association. City commissioner Carmen Rubio directed the Bureau of Development Services to suspend the inspection of odor complaints about restaurants, a decision praised by Vietnamese American state legislators Daniel Nguyen, Hoa Nguyen, Hai Pham, Khanh Pham, and Thuy Tran. In April 2024, Dong announced plans to sue the city for discriminatory code enforcement.

Description

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The Vietnamese restaurant chain Phở Gabo has operated three locations in the Portland metropolitan area. The business has locations in Happy Valley and Hillsboro, and previously operated at the intersection of 73rd Avenue and Fremont Street in northeast Portland's Roseway neighborhood. The menu includes beef noodle soup.[1]

History

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Phở Gabo is owned by Eddie Dong. The Hillsboro, Portland, and Happy Valley locations opened in 2015, 2018, and 2022, respectively.[2] The Portland location operated in the space previously occupied by Phở Hùng, starting in 1995.[3]

Portland closure

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In September 2022, Dong received a notice that the Portland restaurant "was in violation of the zoning code that prohibits odors impacting a nearby residential neighborhood", according to Willamette Week. The restaurant had not received any complaints during its first five years operating, and replaced an Asian restaurant that had operated for approximately three decades.[1] In February 2024, following an eighteen-month-long series of odor complaints filed by an anonymous neighbor to the city's Bureau of Development Services, the location was closed temporarily. A note affixed to the door said, "Due to the city's and the neighborhood's complaints about the smell of the food that we grill and the foods that we serve customers we are temporarily closing this location."[1] Complaints had resulted in a dozen visits from inspectors as well as fines.[4] The location had been broken into nine times over seven years, and the front door had a sign that read, "Please do not break windows/doors. No money inside. Thank you!"[1]

The Portland location's closure prompted some pushback from the community.[5][6][7][8] The Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon took issue with the closure and said the zoning code "disproportionately impacts the BIPOC-owned businesses that bring vibrancy and cultural diversity to our neighborhoods".[9] The Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association requested that the city review its "subjective, unfair 'smell' code immediately and cease targeting small restaurants and their owners, many of whom are people from various racial and ethnic backgrounds". Dong reportedly received "messages of support from Vietnamese community organizations and ... heard about City Hall's interest".[10][11][12] City commissioner Carmen Rubio directed the bureau to suspend the inspection of odor complaints about restaurants.[13] Additionally, five Vietnamese American state legislators—Daniel Nguyen, Hoa Nguyen, Hai Pham, Khanh Pham, and Thuy Tran—issued a statement about the closure and praising Rubio's decision.[14][15]

In April 2024, Dong announced plans to sue the city for "economic and noneconomic damages related to the City’s subjective, selective and disproportionate enforcement of city codes", and "discriminatory enforcement of city odor codes".[16][17][18][19] The claim also said Dong "has suffered…reputational harm, fear, humiliation, embarrassment, emotional distress, and loss of his community".[20] The building that housed the Portland restaurant is slated to be sold.[21] The city changed its odor code in November 2024.[22][23][24] Dong filed a lawsuit seeking up to $2.4 million in December.[25][26][27]

Reception

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In 2022, Willamette Week said Phở Gabo was "certainly worth a stop for noodleheads".[28]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Portland Location of Pho Gabo Closes After 18-Month Battle With Neighbor". Willamette Week. 2024-02-24. Archived from the original on 2024-08-28. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  2. ^ "'Incredibly unfair': Portland Vietnamese restaurant Pho Gabo closes due to smell complaints". KOIN. Archived from the original on 2024-04-12. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  3. ^ Russell, Michael (2024-03-08). "City, state leaders say odor code that closed Portland Vietnamese restaurant doesn't pass smell test". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2024-08-28. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  4. ^ Russell, Michael (2024-02-28). "Portland's latest restaurant closures include Roseway Vietnamese restaurant, Sellwood gastropub". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2024-08-28. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  5. ^ "How common are odor complaints about Portland restaurants? Not very, records show". KGW. 2024-03-08. Archived from the original on 2024-08-28. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  6. ^ "After odor complaints shut down a Portland Vietnamese restaurant, city revisits a potentially discriminatory policy". NBC News. 2024-03-20. Archived from the original on 2024-08-03. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  7. ^ Corte, Michael La (2024-03-22). ""It's just food": Why the closure of a Portland pho restaurant is sparking discrimination complaint". Salon. Archived from the original on 2024-08-23. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  8. ^ "Following outcry, Portland is set to review its controversial odor complaint policy". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on 2024-08-28. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  9. ^ Bicchieri, Paolo (2024-03-29). "Odor Complaints Closed This Vietnamese Restaurant. Now, Portland Is Changing Its Rules". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-06-16. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  10. ^ "Restaurant Association Calls City Odor Code "Unfair" and "Unbelievable"". Willamette Week. 2024-02-28. Archived from the original on 2024-08-28. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  11. ^ "Vietnamese restaurant in Northeast Portland forced to close after repeated complaints about cooking smell". KGW. 2024-02-28. Archived from the original on 2024-08-28. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  12. ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2024-02-28). "A Portland Vietnamese Restaurant Has Closed Because a Neighbor Kept Complaining About the Smell". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-06-16. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  13. ^ "Commissioner Rubio pauses odor complaints in Portland following closure of Vietnamese restaurant Pho Gabo". KGW. 2024-03-06. Archived from the original on 2024-08-28. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  14. ^ "Commissioner Carmen Rubio Suspends City Inspections of Restaurant Odor Complaints". Willamette Week. 2024-03-06. Archived from the original on 2024-04-19. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  15. ^ Aguilar, Paulina (2024-03-07). "State leaders call Portland 'smell' ordinance unfair, discriminatory after complaint closes pho restaurant". KPTV. Archived from the original on 2024-03-07. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  16. ^ "Pho Gabo Owner Eddie Dong Prepares to Sue City". Willamette Week. 2024-04-11. Archived from the original on 2024-06-16. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  17. ^ Peterson, Danny (April 11, 2024). "Pho Gabo owner intends to sue City of Portland over smell code closure". KOIN. Archived from the original on April 18, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  18. ^ "Pho Gabo owner intends to sue city of Portland after closure stemming from odor complaints, fines". KGW. 2024-04-12. Archived from the original on 2024-08-28. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  19. ^ "Restaurant owner plans to sue City of Portland over odor code closure". KPTV. 2024-04-12. Archived from the original on 2024-04-20. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  20. ^ Bicchieri, Paolo (2024-04-12). "The Odor Complaint Controversy Is Heating Up With A New Lawsuit". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-06-16. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  21. ^ Slaughter, Shelby (2024-04-12). "Pho Gabo owner files notice to sue the city of Portland following odor ordinance debate". KATU. Archived from the original on 2024-04-16. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  22. ^ "City Council Amends Restaurant Odor Code in Response to Pho Gabo Closure". Willamette Week. 2024-11-15. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
  23. ^ "Restaurants no longer included in Portland's controversial 'odor' ordinance". KGW. 2024-11-14. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
  24. ^ "Portland amends odor code after smell complaints caused Vietnamese restaurant's closure". KOIN. 2024-11-15. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
  25. ^ Russell, Michael (2024-12-12). "Pho Gabo owner files $2.4 million lawsuit over City of Portland's 'smell code' enforcement". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
  26. ^ "Pho Gabo restaurant owner files $2.4M lawsuit against city of Portland". KGW. 2024-12-12. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
  27. ^ "Pho Gabo Owner Sues City for $2.4 Million, Claims Discrimination". Willamette Week. 2024-12-13. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
  28. ^ "These Are Portland's Souper Stars". Willamette Week. 2022-12-23. Archived from the original on 2023-01-14. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
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