Lang Van

If you've been in Charlotte long enough, you may already know the story of Dan Nguyen and Lang Van: Born in South Vietnam, Nguyen married her husband, Tuyen Tran, at 20. Tran left almost immediately for America, and they didn't see each other for five years when he was finally able to bring her to America in 1999. When the original owner, No Duong, moved, Nguyen took over, with her husband, Tran, doing most of the cooking. They raised their children, Henry Tran, 19, and Alice Tran, 16, in the restaurant, while embracing the children of regulars who considered it home, too. Part of the Lang Van experience is Dan Nguyen's memory: If you come in once, she'll know you when you return - and she'll probably remember what you ordered before.