Lang Van is a small Vietnamese restaurant nestled away between a few gas stations on the corner of Shamrock and East Sugar Creek. When I first came across this place I figured I’d be putting y’all on to some hidden gem, but based on the countless awards and family Christmas cards hung upon the walls, I realized this isn’t a hidden gem at all. It is a local treasure, and from the second I walked in the door, it was clear why it is so beloved by Charlotte locals. 

“How many and do you like beer?” an old Vietnamese woman asked me immediately. Not one one to say no to a beer I replied, “Just me and of course.” Not even 30 seconds later, my new spirit guide arrived at my table with a King Fisher Lager and a frosty mug. “Yummy yummy” she said, taking the words right out of my mouth as she poured it into the ice cold mug. At that moment, Lang Van won a new customer for life, and I graduated from a damn Yankee transplant to a Charlotte Eagle Scout. 

This wonderful lady who got me situated with a delicious lager is Lang Van’s owner, Dan Nguyen. If you’ve interacted with Dan you understand why the community cares about her and her restaurant so much; she treats you like family. It was truly astounding how many people she recognized and ecstatically greeted at the door during my short time dining in the restaurant. 

Before we dive into the meal, a quick little feel good story I learned about Lang Van. To further emphasize how much Nguyen and her restaurant mean to Charlotte, during the early days of COVID when restaurants were closing left and right, one of her customers made a simple Lang Van t-shirt in which all proceeds would go to supporting the restaurant to ensure that it remained above water. The city rallied. Thousands of people lined up outside to buy the t-shirt, ultimately resulting in more than $65,000 for Lang Van to remain a staple of the community for years to come.

Now let’s get into the food. I wish I could tell you what I ordered, but I have no idea what it was. Dan could see it was taking me a bit of time to decipher the extensive menu of dishes I’ve never heard of, so she came over and asked what I like. “Appetizer?” “Do you like noodles?” “Chicken and shrimp?” “Spice?” 

“Yes to all of the above, my new friend.” And that’s all she needed to hear. 

Sometimes you need to hop on a horse without a saddle and see where it takes you and tonight, I’m glad I did. 

Within minutes she came back with two delicious Summer Rolls to start me off. They were light, refreshing, packed with steamed shrimp and veggies, and had a delightful minty flavor. A perfect start to the meal. Pretty much simultaneously with the last bite of summer roll hitting my gullet, the spicy noodle dish hit my table. This place seriously operates with the efficiency of a NASCAR pit crew. 

I wish I knew what this dish was called (my bad for not asking). It was perfect. From the second I walked in the door, I felt like the staff read me like a book. Not only did they have a light beer ready for me, but they knew I’d enjoy a sloppy plate of noodles with a few different kinds of protein and veggies covered in some spicy, but not overpowering Asian sauce. 

The NASCAR pit crew (staff) was in action the entire time. Throughout my meal I don’t know if my mug of beer or my water ever reached half empty. The refills were constant and aplenty. A perfect complement for a little spice. 

Sometimes when I navigate through a restaurant I feel like Roald Dahl’s BFG. The Big Friendly Giant. I can feel the eyes on me as some giant oaf tries to maneuver through the tight spaces. For whatever reason, maybe it is the spacing, but restaurants tend to make me feel especially gigantic. Lang Van was no exception. It is a tiny space. So when I stood up I prepared for my proverbial walk of shame, but immediately the whole staff turned, looked at me and said, “See you tomorrow!” with Dan popping out of the back saying, “See you soon my love!” It was truly so sweet. And while I wasn’t planning on going back to Lang Van until my parents visit next week, now that the staff has planted the seeds in my brain, they may in fact see me tomorrow. What a place