I have to be honest, readers. I judged a book by its cover and I was wrong.
As a Ripon resident, Manteca and Modesto are pretty much equidistant. So I frequent both cities to shop and eat, and I knew about Pho Island in Manteca long before I found out another location is opening in Modesto.
I had never visited the Manteca restaurant, despite loving Vietnamese food, because I thought it was a large chain, based on the logo and name. I typically prefer supporting our region’s small businesses…