A pioneering Vietnamese restaurant with an intriguing history returns to Fort Worth after 15 years: Pho King Way, which was an early local purveyor of pho, is making a comeback — opening a location at 5633 N. Tarrant Pkwy., in a space previously home to Tabla Indian restaurant (and before that, Spice 8).

The opening represents a comeback for the restaurant and its amiable owner, Alex Le, who previously operated two locations in Fort Worth back in 2009. He left Texas in 2011 to open two locations in Southern California, which are still in operation.

He hopes to get the Fort Worth location open by the end of August.

"Not as many people knew what pho was back when we first opened in Fort Worth," Le recalls. "People would come in and ask for orange chicken. But over the years, diners have become more savvy and are able to appreciate what we do."

That savvy also includes getting the joke behind the "Pho King Way" name. Pho is pronounced "fuh," which turns the name into a sassy curse — one that has brought loads of joviality to the Fort Worth Foodies Facebook group.

His menu is centered on pho, the comforting Vietnamese soup featuring a long-simmered broth filled with rice noodles and various other ingredients, such as beef, chicken, vegetables, and bean sprouts.

A build-your-own option lets diners select from meats such as round steak, brisket, tendon, tripe, or meatballs, with prices starting at $9.25. Or choose from already composed selections, such as vegetarian pho (pho chay); shrimp noodle soup (pho tom); pho with oxtail; pho with filet mignon; or pho with seafood (pho hai vi), including shrimp, squid, steamed fish, fried fish, imitation crab, and rice noodles in beef broth.

In addition to pho, they have a big selection of stir fries with beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, and eggs combined with fried rice; and vermicelli bowls, with flavorful seasoned meats and veggies over delicate vermicelli noodles, served with lettuce, bean sprouts, cucumber, and peanuts.

Other pho alternatives on the menu include lettuce wraps, bánh mì, spring rolls, egg rolls, and wontons. There is currently no alcohol, although Le says he may apply for a liquor license after he opens.

Le mostly grew up in California, but he and his wife already had plans to retire in Fort Worth, even before this opportunity came along. He has relatives in Fort Worth who've been begging for him to return, which is how he ended up discovering this location.

"My sister-in-law works at a nail shop and spotted the empty space," he says. "We weren't planning on coming back for another few years, but I have always loved Texas, and it ended up working out."