Today we’d like to introduce you to Moulino Tan.
Hi Moulino, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I started at age 12 washing dishes and worked my way up to learning the entire operations. My dad started the restaurant back in 1985. During that time, it was a small shack with only 5 tables. The kitchen space was tiny and could only fit a couple of people (3 people max). Prior to this, my dad purchase the business from another owner called Gerry’s Cafe.
Back then, we opened at 5 am, serving mainly donut shop workers. A bowl of noodles was $3 a bowl. This restaurant was a place for healing which help bring memories of the good times before the war in Cambodia.
In 2012 is when we remodeled the location and renaming to Phnom Penh Noodle Shack. We currently have 12 tables and a bigger kitchen space that fits 8-10 people.
Our current hour of operation is from 7 am-3 pm. Open 6 days a week and close every Monday. Residential parking only.
In 2017, we opened another restaurant called Rice String Noodle Shack, the sister company. This location was a turnkey located in Cerritos, California, on the corner of South Street and Pioneer.
Compared to Phnom Penh, Rice String has more parking, dinner, rice dishes, appetizers, boba drinks, beer, and Open 7 days a week from 9 am-8:30 pm.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road. Some of the struggles we faced are: burglary, physical fights between customers inside the restaurant, family drama, staff members stealing, hiring toxic people, managing operations w/short staff, staff member walking out during busy hours, managing customers complaints, staff members arguing with each other during busy hours, and so on.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are known for Cambodian Street and Comfort Food: Dry Noodles, Noodle Soups, Stir-Fry Noodles, Pork Bone Soup, Savory Porridge, and Fried breads.
We value family, Cambodian culture, community, unity, diversity, and humanity as a whole.
We want to bring inspiration and hope for our community. We want to be an example for our community by supporting other Cambodian-owned businesses and uniting our people together instead of dividing.
We want to also unite all cultures together and see each other as one race, ” The Human Race.”
At the end of the day, it’s all about the people. We want to empower and inspire others to instill the same values.
Our parents valued cultivating an environment where our customers felt welcomed. And leading by example to show our teammates what that looked like.
We learned a lot from our parents, and we truly miss them. We are here (all my brothers and sisters) to help keep their legacy alive and passed this down to our next generation.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
I believe true happiness is earned. It’s about living in gratitude for being alive. Understanding and accepting that life will have ups and downs. It’s about enjoying the little things and the journey along the way. It’s about learning from your mistakes and becoming wiser. It’s about improving %1 every day. It’s about aligning your actions with what’s important in your life. It’s about being able to make changes along the way. Overall, it is just being human without the anxiety, just living.
Pricing:
- $14 Dry Noodles
- $14 Noodle Soups
- $14 Rice Porridge
- $16 Stir-Fry Noodles
- $2.50-$3.50 Fried Breads
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thenoodleshack.com
- Instagram: @phnompenhnoodleshack
- Facebook: @phnompenhnoodleshack
- Youtube: @thenoodleshack
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/bYFuycaPkW
- Other: TikTok – @thenoodleshack
Image Credits
Van Tan
Moulino Tan
Rothana Tan
Naleine Tan
Naran Tan
