Heng Heng Pho's menu of mouth-watering dishes are Chef Chantha Sung's award-winning creations

I must confess that relocating from Elm Street and Manila to my El Cerrito Hills piano sanctuary ushered in a sad farewell to my weekly tryst at Heng Heng Pho on 10386 San Pablo Ave.

In the old days, my path from Del Norte BART led straight to the Stockton Avenue Library for a book browse, followed by an ambrosian repast at the nearby Southeast Asian restaurant. To my delight, it was within easy reach of El Cerrito Natural Foods Grocery, another personal favorite.

Hong Beng, Heng Heng Pho hostess, always greeted me like I was a family member. She would guide me to my favorite seat beside the window and quickly bring a pot of steeped herbal tea. In a heartbeat, a plate of tantalizing tofu with crisp, steamed mixed vegetables was set before me, looking far too attractive to eat. It rivaled the beauty of menu selections posted along the wall.

The place had an easy-going  mom and pop atmosphere, with its plain and simple interior. Cosmetic appeal had been secondary to fine food preparation.

As proof, house Chef Chantha Sung had won awards for his Vietnamese, Cambodian and Chinese cuisine. Sue Heng, owner of the El Cerrito restaurant said that her brother-in-law had been honored in China as well as Cambodia. A framed photo  on the far wall featured Sung in chef's attire. He embraced a good-size trophy that became a menu logo.

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My return to Heng Heng after a year's departure, was quite by chance. After I'd searched out a few housing opportunities in and around the El Cerrito/Berkeley area, I found myself hiking back along Ohlone from the Plaza, needing an energy boost. On my reverse route, I re-encountered Heng Heng Pho with a brand new look that invited my curiosity.

As if time had been suspended, I gazed at Hong Beng standing beside an ice chest in her familiar pose. But now she registered surprise at my arrival.

After I had explained details surrounding my new studio location, schedule and traveling route, Hong gently nudged me back to my old window seat, brought the time-honored vegan delight and made sure to add a special treat. She served me cold pumpkin soup with tapioca that tweaked my taste buds and sent me to edible heaven. 

No sooner than I sampled the gourmet offering, I dug into my purse and pulled out a digital camera.

Instantly, I captured the colorful dishes set before me, and then panned around the restaurant snapping murals of Southeast Asian peoples in colorful native attire. These mountings were freely donated by an adoring customer who was a principle at art.com.

Samples of everyday life in urban and rural Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, spruced up the interior, giving it an exotic flavor. A "soldier king" made of clay added to the ambiance, sitting atop a soft drink dispensary to ward off evil spirits.  Sue Heng insisted that two Southeast Asian symbols including a Buddha were meant to keep the premises safe.

She also emphasized that the double HENG restaurant name bestowed GOOD LUCK!

Did I detect a grain of superstition?

Hong Beng's teenage son, Lim Huot, answered most of my questions about dad and the family's emigration to California. An Oakland  high school student, he described the family's journey from Vietnam to Cambodia and finally to California. They had arrived in the U.S. six years ago after Sung had been head chef in Cambodia, and for a time he had worked at the Saigon restaurant in Oakland.

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In the two years since Heng Heng Pho's official opening, the place had grown in popularity attracting a nice flock of fans. (It satisfied partisans of Vietnamese, Cambodian and Chinese food)

As testimony, I noticed tables filling up rapidly with adults and children who savored healthy spring rolls, seafood dishes, soups, and fancy salads. I was assured that everything on the menu was prepared WITHOUT MSG! 

Four-year old Lillian and her mother patiently awaited a take-out order that included spring rolls, one of the child's favorites. A Piccoli pre-schooler, she told me that her vocal music teacher, Ginger made class fun. What a perfect musical tie-in that was the one missing ingredient of this adventure. Thank you, Little One!

After my memorable reunion with Hong Beng, I knew I'd be back for a delectable repast in far less than a year. Without a doubt, Heng Heng Pho had become a favored eating spot in El Cerrito and its double name would be my talisman through an agonizing house-hunting journey.