Pho bo. Lightly stir-fried eye round steak, ginger and garlic served with fresh noodle. Small $7.50
Basil Leaf Asian Cuisine, Fremont CA
This soup was pretty good, but I didn’t like that the beef weren’t all sliced in cross section so that some of the slices were a bit difficult to chew. The broth had great flavor though!
Basil, sprouts, and lime.
Goi cuon tom thit. Shrimp, rice vermicelli, cucumber, and lettuce wrapped in rice paper. Served with peanut sauce. $4.25
Basil Leaf Asian Cuisine, Fremont CA
There were standard fresh rolls and tasted pretty good. I liked the size of them and that they were open on both ends. I never like chewing through thick overlapping rice paper at the ends.
Shrimp, pork, vermicelli noodles, salad served with sweet chili sauce. 39,000 VND
Sisters Cafe, Ho Chi Minh City VIETNAM
Meh, these were standard for Saigon. I mean they were better than most you can get back in the states, but they didn’t blow me away after having eaten at so many places already. I was surprised that they got their food from somewhere else though. You order at the restaurant, but they must have their kitchen at a nearby building because the server always came from outside to deliver our food. Hmm, odd.
Nha Tho Cha Tam Church, Cholon (Chinatown).
Bun gao xao tom thit. With carrots, cabbage, onion, green onion, cilantro. 120,000 VND
Nha Hang Ngon, Ho Chi Minh City VIETNAM
This was pretty good and I liked the slightly al dente texture of the vermicelli noodles. The pork was ok, but the shrimp were really tasty. Overall, it was good but I probably wouldn’t order it again.
Outdoor dining area.
Nga sau Phu Dong Thien Vuong, super busy roundabout!
Goi cuon tom thit heo. With shrimp and pork, vermicelli noodles, assorted greens, cucumber, green onion, served with peanut sauce. 24,000 VND
Barbecue Garden, Ho Chi Minh City VIETNAM
These spring rolls were pretty good and tasted fresh. I was really intrigued by the peanut sauce though. It had so many cool things on top including fried garlics chips. It tasted great, but it was a little on the thick side for my taste.
Tiger draught beer. 330 ml 27,000 VND
Aahh! These beers were SO refreshing and so were the mister fans blowing throughout the dining room.
Barbecue Garden outdoor dining area.
Cho Binh Tay Market, Cholon (Chinatown).
Bun gao xao hai san. With shrimp, calamari, carrot, cabbage, onion, sprouts, cilantro, and scallions. 120,000 VND
Nha Hang Ngon, Ho Chi Minh City VIETNAM
Mmm, another delicious dish from Nha Hang Ngon. This had SO much flavor and a variety of textures – it was perfect! The seafood was prepared properly and the sauce was amazing. I could eat two plates of this!
Place setting.
Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica.
Shredded chicken and boiled shrimp, vermicelli noodles, mint, rice paper, peanut sauce. $4.75
Dinosaurs, San Francisco CA
Why is Vietnamese food SO good?! Perhaps it’s because it’s packed with flavor (and saltiness)! Whatevs, I’ll eat it any day.
Decorative maple tree (Aceraceae) with a sycamore tree (Platanaceae) in the background, 16th Street.
Summer rolls. Steamed shrimp and pork, rice vermicelli, bean sprouts, red leaf lettuce, cilantro and mint wrapped in rice paper served with peanut sauce. $8.50
Zadin, San Francisco CA
Being the little piggy that I am, I enjoyed that these summer rolls came with both shrimp and pork inside! In gnereal, I’d also have to say that I was impressed with all their sauces. Go Zadin!
Marble stairs, US Customhouse, Battery Street.
Vermicelli noodles, tomatoes, green onions, mint, cilantro, crushed peanuts, rice wine vinegar. $11
Jiao, Palm Springs CA
Mmm, this was tasty! The shrimp were tender and delicious and all the noodles and herbs kept the dish super light. A great, summery dish – noms!
Lychee iced tea. $3
Black sesame shortbread cookies. Complimentary with check
With sweet and sour pepper sauce. $7
Jiao, Palm Springs CA
I really liked this roll. The addition of ripe mango was great and the pepper sauce kept everything bright and fresh. We were looking for light fare so this was perfect!
Place settings.
Lemon tree in the backyard on a typical Palm Springs day.
Imperial rolls and BBQ pork served over soft rice vermicelli noodles, shredded lettuce, carrot, cucumber, crushed peanuts, accompanied by their house special “Nuoc Mam” sauce. $8.25
Ben Tre Vietnamese Homestyle Cuisine, South San Francisco CA
Fresh spring rolls. Shrimp, rice vermicelli noodles, lettuce and bean sprouts rolled in rice paper. Served with peanut sauce. $5.85
Ben Tre Vietnamese Homestyle Cuisine, South San Francisco CA
These were a standard order of fresh spring rolls, nothing special. I do wish they would include mint leaves inside!
Vittle Monster 