Pho Barclay, located in Kaiserman’s Barclay Farms Shopping Center in Cherry Hill, N.J., recently got a makeover — on national television.
This fall, the Vietnamese eatery was the subject of the Cooking Channel’s “Restaurant Redemption,” a show in which renowned chef Ching He Huang rehabs struggling Asian restaurants across the country.
Pho Barclay is the brainchild of brother-sister team Jim Ong and Anita Te. The duo opened the restaurant in July 2009 but, despite the bustling traffic of the shopping center, five years later, sales weren’t adding up.
“There are other restaurants, plenty of cars. It’s a large strip mall,” Huang observed as she pulled into the shopping center. “Foot traffic and exposure isn’t a problem. They’re in a great location.”
But, while the parking lot was full, the restaurant itself was more than half-empty.
At Huang’s visit, she learned that Te was doing most of the day-to-day work, sometimes putting in up to 13 hours in the restaurant, while her brother focused more on his other ventures. Huang helped the siblings come together to talk about the shared responsibility of the business. And then she got to work on giving Pho Barclay a facelift.
The menu initially contained more than 90 items, which Huang worked with the owners to diversify and pare down. She introduced them to some new spices, techniques and trends, including using grilled instead of broiled, meats. And, she overhauled the space: changing the wall color, bringing in more modern lighting and rearranging the layout.
“It’s really going to stand out,” Huang promised.
Because of the large commuter population around the shopping center — which Huang estimated to be about 50,000 cars daily — she suggested a “grab-and-go” option for diners on the move.
And, the evolution paid off: The line was out the door at the official re-open, with guests raving.
“I love this place,” one effused.
Check out the full episode at www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExlcVpvfP34.
And make sure to stop by and see the newly refurbished Pho Barclay for yourself at 65 Barclay Farms Shopping Center, Cherry Hill, N.J. Or, check them out online at phobarclay.com.
