You know you're from Denver when...you don't bat an eye at a Vietnamese-Mexican food truck sporting a big blue bear wearing a gold crown at a rakish angle like Biggie Smalls. The blue bear is an iconic symbol of Denver, the word "Rapidos" a familiar one to west-side residents in need of a late-night taco fix: The smell of pho in that part of town is as common as the whiff of Greeley on a brisk winter night before a snow. Combine them all and you have Pho King Rapidos, launched last year by Long Nguyen and Shauna Seaman as a "Vietnamese-ish" food truck turning out killer bun bo Hue and pho, but also mashing up street food in the form of a birria bo kho (Vietnamese beef stew) banh mi — a cheese-encrusted sandwich that comes with broth for dipping and al pastor fries. Nguyen grew up around Federal Boulevard but has worked in fine dining in New York and Denver; the combination of street cred and culinary chops makes Pho King Rapidos a B.I.G. deal.
pkr-denver.com