Today we’d like to introduce you to Tracy Dang.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Our family has spent many years working in restaurants in both Vietnam and the U.S., so food has always been a part of who we are. When we opened La Dalat in May 2019, we simply wanted to share the authentic Vietnamese flavors we grew up with.
At that time, many people in Temple were unfamiliar with Vietnamese cuisine, but they were willing to try — and they ended up loving it. Not long after, COVID hit, and our family worked together through every challenge to keep the restaurant alive.
What touches us most today is the loyalty of our customers. Some drive hours just because they miss our food, and many have supported us through delivery for more than six years.
La Dalat is built by our family’s effort and the love of our community. That’s the heart of our story.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Even with our experience, opening in Temple came with unique challenges. The biggest one has always been staffing, because not many people here are familiar with Vietnamese cuisine. Our food is cooked fresh to order — nothing frozen, nothing pre-made — so the learning curve can be difficult.
Sometimes this means longer wait times, which affects the business, and finding people who can adapt to our cooking style hasn’t been easy.
We also opened just months before COVID, which tested us in every way. But our family worked together, supported each other, and kept moving forward. Our loyal customers are the reason we made it through.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about La Dalat – Vietnamese Cuisine?
La Dalat-Vietnamese Cuisine is a family-run Vietnamese restaurant specializing in fresh, made-to-order traditional dishes. The name “La Dalat” comes from Da Lat, Vietnam — the city where our family is from and where we grew up before coming to the U.S. Our food reflects the flavors, care, and warmth of our hometown.
What are your plans for the future?
Our hope is to continue growing La Dalat with the same heart and authenticity we started with. Rather than rushing to expand, our focus is on serving our loyal customers well and continuing to improve our food, service, and team.
Most of all, we want to continue serving the customers who have supported us for years — from dine-in guests to those who consistently order delivery. Their love inspires our family to keep going.
Pricing:
- Appetizers: $10-$13
- Main Dishes: $12-$14
- Specialties:$13-$17
Contact Info:
- Website: http://ladalattemple.com
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/ladalat.tx
Image Credits
All photos provided by La Dalat Vietnamese Cuisine
