DOCTORS INLET – Everyone knows that picky eaters can make family meals difficult, if downright impossible, some weeks.

After navigating football practice, band recitals, homework requirements, and juggling a long day at work, the last thing you want to consider is what to fix for dinner. But “what sounds good?” can be impossible when one child wants pizza and the other wants hibachi.

But there is a solution.

Hungry for Pizza or Chinese food? Middleburg’s Bambinos Pizza and Panda Wok have it all; freshly made pizzas, wings, baked spaghetti, baked ziti, baked lasagna, loaded calzones, and Mongolian beef, bourbon chicken, teriyaki chicken, sweet and sour chicken, hibachi, traditional Filipino and Chinese blends. Their top sellers are teriyaki chicken, bourbon chicken and lo mein.

The restaurant’s owner, Tracy Nguyen, bought Bambino’s Pizza in 2022. She was a long-time customer of Bambino’s and a part-time employee.

“I began working with her for about four months. The business was doing okay, but the owner’s family got ill, so she had to step down to take care of family matters. She mentioned selling the business, so I told my husband that night that I was interested in buying it,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen took over the business the following month. Nguyen’s well-known chef husband left his previous position at another restaurant to work alongside his wife.

“He’s been cooking for 30 years. He’s cooked Chinese, Japanese and Asian food. He’s done it all,” Nguyen said.

Despite their best efforts, business was slow.

“So we had to come up with an idea to boost revenue. We thought, why don’t we do pizza and Chinese food?”

Pizza and Chinese are the top two most popular takeout foods in America. Why not combine the two culinary traditions that have dominated takeout for hundreds of years?

At first glance, Chinese and Italian have very little in common.

“They require separate prepping, separate seasoning, separate cooking. It’s two completely different methods. That’s why it’s so different. It’s easy to blend Asian food with different Asian food rather than Western or European foods,” Nguyen said.

However, they share similarities in noodles with rich sauces, homemade oils, vegetables and garlic with greens.

Nguyen embraces their similarities and differences, staying true to the spirit of both traditions.

“We did a customer survey, and people were really excited about the idea,” Nguyen said. “I added a few appetizers and a couple of Italian dishes. It’s a strange concept, but we felt like it was creating a place of local convenience for customers.”

Patrons welcomed the new concept with open arms.

“We have a lot of seniors that dine in at our restaurant, as well as families with little kids. It’s a very family-focused atmosphere, but our dining is very small, and people know that. Sometimes people will call ahead and ask if there is a table available because we only have four tables, seating about twelve people in total.”

Takeout is 75%-to-80% of their business.

Nguyen’s husband prepares most Asian food, while their two daughters “do the pizza side of the business.” When one side is slow, they reinforce the other side.

“It’s a family job. What is unique about us is not only that we do Italian and Asian Food, but our hours are strange as well. We are only open from 4-8 (p.m.) and closed Monday,” Nguyen said.

With flexible hours, Nguyen can prioritize spending time with her family and caring for relatives.

“We’re not looking to expand. It’s very family-focused. We just want to be supportive and convenient for the local community that we live in,” she said.