And sometimes, in our neck of the woods, it's very hot, especially if it comes from a restaurant specializing in the spicy dishes of central Vietnam . But don't worry if hot's not your thing; there's plenty that's soothing and mild, too.Some of the best cooking in and around Dallas at the moment is happening in Vietnamese restaurants, whether a searingly spicy seafood hot pot from an amazing spot in Garland, or a refreshing bun cha Hanoi (rice vermicelli and grilled pork dressed up with fresh herbs and pickled vegetables) in Richardson. And there's so much in between: whole baked catfish blanketed in crunchy shallots and scallions; springy goi cuon summer rolls; silky crêpes filled with earthy mushrooms and shrimp; bright, tangy salads of sliced rare beef; layered, icy parfaits for dessert. And snazzy drinks, such as fresh, fizzy soda lemonade; lightly sweet young coconut juice with silky slices of coconut; and strong, sweet Vietnamese coffee, made in a drip pot on your table.
If you're a newcomer to Vietnamese food, cracking the code might seem intimidating, but once you jump in and start tasting, it's hard to stop.
Pho (pronounced "fuh") is a good place to start, and most of the Vietnamese restaurants in the area offer it. Usually the soup features rice noodles, beef broth and beef; it can be topped with a wide variety of cuts. (There's also chicken pho with egg noodles.) Most pho houses offer some kind of super-combo (often No. 1 on menus), including slices of rare or raw beef, well-done flank and brisket, tendon, tripe and sometimes meatballs and more. If any of that is challenging, choose from a long lists of combos with different cuts. Bowls marked "medium" or "regular" are usually pretty big; "large" are often gigantic.
Order one, and it will come with a platter of herbs, lime wedges, sliced jalapeños and bean sprouts known as a rau song. Taste the broth first – it should be rich, beefy and aromatic. Then tear up some of the herbs and add them to the soup to taste, squeeze in some lime, drop in a handful of bean sprouts, add jalapeños if you dare. You can also squeeze in some thuong ot – the red chile sauce on every table. Or you can put some in one of those little saucers and dip pieces of meat in it as you go. Good luck finishing!
A good pre-pho starter is goi cuon, translated variously as summer rolls, spring rolls or salad rolls. They're stretchy rice paper wrappers filled with pork, shrimp, rice vermicelli, lettuce, chives or scallions and other herbs. Dip them in nuoc cham (fish sauce) or peanut sauce.
And when you're ready to branch out, don't worry. One thing the restaurants in this story all have in common is servers who are happy to explain the dishes. When language is a barrier (which is often the case), they'll grab another staffer who's more comfortable speaking English. Don't know what to do with that rau song (various dishes come with rau songs, with different combinations of lettuce and herbs) or that plate of what look like hard, translucent tortillas? If no one jumps in to explain, just ask – sometimes ingredients you wouldn't expect should be wrapped into lettuce leaves or rice paper. Once you show an adventurous spirit, many servers will be happy to suggest other specialties.
After months of dedicated wrapping and dipping and slurping, here's the best of what I found, in no particular order. As it happens, most are in and around Richardson and Garland. One note of caution: Vietnamese restaurants are often closed on an unexpected day of the week, frequently Wednesday, so do call ahead and check. Most are BYOB.
Of course, we're eager to hear your own favorites – there are so many Vietnamese restaurants around the area that I'm bound to have missed some good ones.
Best in DFW: Vietnamese Map: Best Vietnamese restaurantsBANH MI (bahgn mee). Long sandwiches on crisp French bread that may include pâté, cold cuts (or sometimes grilled meats), mayonnaise, cilantro, sliced cucumber and pickled cucumber and daikon.
BANH TRANG (bahgn chahng). Stiff, circular rice paper sheets that appear on the table with certain dishes, such as nin hoa, grilled pork skewers. Dip a sheet in the bowl of warm water provided, set it on a plate, fill it with vegetables from the rau song and pork, and roll it up – it becomes stretchy and sticky enough to hold together.
GOI CUON (goy kwun). Translated variously as spring rolls, summer rolls or salad rolls, these appetizers are stretchy rice paper wrappers filled with shrimp, pork, rice vermicelli, lettuce and chives or scallions. They come with dipping sauce.
NUOC MAM (nook mahm). Fermented fish sauce similar to Thai nam pla.
NUOC CHAM (nook chum). A sauce made with nuoc mam and other ingredients, often served with goi cuon.
PHO (fuh). Meat and noodle soup, most often featuring beef broth and rice vermicelli topped with various cuts of beef. Unlike most Vietnamese dishes, which are served family-style, pho is for one person.
RAU SONG (zhao sung or zao sung). The platter of raw vegetables (and sometimes lime wedges) that accompanies many Vietnamese dishes. It might include lettuce, Vietnamese herbs, cilantro, mint, bean sprouts, shredded banana flower, sliced jalapeños and more. Tear the herbs and add them, along with other vegetables, to taste.
THUONG OT (tung uht). Hot chile sauce, such as Sriracha. The most popular brand, from Thailand. You'll often see it on Vietnamese tables alongside a house-made version, usually in a squeeze bottle. Squeeze some into pho to spice it up, or use as a dip for the meat.
Ready cooked Recipe for Chicken and Beef Noodles:
Vietnamese Rice Paper for both fresh spring rolls and fried spring rolls here:
Yum Yum!!! ^^
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