My last date with Pho 8

On Christmas Eve eve I grabbed a pen and notebook and headed over to Pho 8. I was looking for a steaming hot bowl of comfort food and hoping to find inspiration for this column along the way.

I get a little anxious at the culmination of each year. While most people are worrying about their New Year's Eve attire or who they will be kissing when midnight arrives, I feel pressure to make everything THE BEST EVER before 2021 slips away into the past.

This would be my last foodie column of 2021 and nothing short of a life-changing story would do. I wanted to share something that would knock your socks off. I imagined you sitting at your desk or maybe alone in a coffee shop absorbing each sentence. Tears would roll down your cheeks with one paragraph and laughter would escape your lips with the next. You would hand your copy of the paper to a friend, insistently prompting "here, you gotta read this." Or maybe, you would post it to your social media page where, with a single keystroke, you could share it with 500 of your closest friends, acquaintances, and multi-level marketers.

The friendly (and handsome) server arrived with my beef pho and Thai coffee as I reflected on the past year. I thought to myself, "That was a crazy ride, wasn't it?" My mind provided Elton John's voice crooning "I'm still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah)" in the background to further set the mood.

Did I accomplish everything I wanted? Did I conquer my goals? Did I take chances on life and love? Did I throw caution to the wind and live every moment with wild abandon? Did I achieve all of the resolutions I made last year?

Pho 8 Thai tea.Submitted by Mary Ann Castillo

Ummm ... absolutely not. I didn't do any of that. In fact, if I made resolutions for 2021 I sure don't remember them. How was I going to inspire you when I was busy living a semi-ordinary life?

That is when inspiration struck. Maybe, today isn't about sharing a single foodie adventure at all. Maybe, today is about you. That's right - all of you. Every. Last. One.

Today is about how each of YOU made 2021 a great year.

Today is about the restaurant owners/managers: Thank you for taking the risks and providing us with venues to gather for date nights, celebrations, and new experiences. You do all the behind the scenes work. You adjust the budgets and fret over prices. You manage staffing schedules to provide good service while also trying to accommodate the needs of your workers.

Today is about everyone in the service industry: I've been going to Scooter's on Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau pretty regularly and I must say, I have consistently received fantastic, friendly service. They help me start my day on the right foot several times a week. Kudos to them. It made me think about all of the places I have eaten and all the fantastic people I have met along the way. You make dining out an enjoyable experience regardless of how your day may be going and it makes all the difference in the world - thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Pho 8 Thai beef pho sriracha.Submitted by Mary Ann Castillo

Today is about everyone at the Southeast Missourian: Publishers. Editors (especially my editor). Sales. Website/social media people. Journalists. All of the contributors and people doing the behind the scenes heavy lifting I know nothing about. Thank you for doing what you do day in and day out to keep us informed, entertained, and most of all connected. Without you, there would be no "me".

Last, today is about you, the reader: You humor my silliness and anecdotes. You stay on board when I use paella as an analogy for a spiritual journey or somehow find a way to forever eulogize my fur baby in print. You stick with me even when you question my taste buds. You go on your own foodie adventures, share your experiences in the comments, and keep the local restaurant industry vibrant and alive for us all. You are so appreciated.

My eyes got a little misty as I became overwhelmed with feelings of gratitude and I couldn't help but wonder, "What the heck did they put in that bowl of pho?"

I don't know their secret ingredient but I definitely recommend you stop by Pho 8 located 3036 William St, Cape Girardeau if you want to be warmed up from the inside out.