Vietnam Restaurant: A lifetime of experiences

Vietnam Restaurant is located on 11th Street between Race and Vine, at the edge of Philadelphia’s Chinatown. As I open the door, the delicious aroma of Vietnamese food envelops me and draws me inside. The hostess greets us and asks our name and the number in our party. Nine times out of ten there is a wait, even with a reservation, but I guarantee the experience of the restaurant is worth it.

I have been going to Vietnam Restaurant for well over ten years, and I can easily say that it is my favorite restaurant. The staff is courteous and well-trained, and the food is simply amazing. I recently went back with my mother and my younger sister. Some say that it is possible to have too much of a good thing, but I sincerely hope that never becomes the case with Vietnam Restaurant.

Over the years, I have watched Vietnam Restaurant change from a hole-in-the-wall with one small room, harsh fluorescent lighting and plastic dishware to today’s upscale establishment with two floors, dark wood-paneled walls and fancy menus. In all this time, the one thing that has remained unaltered is the food.

We started out with an assortment of appetizers to share. This time we ordered vegetarian spring rolls and grape leaves stuffed with grilled beef. On previous occasions, I have sampled grilled meat balls with rice noodle wrappers, rice paper rolls with shrimp, and grilled shrimp skewers, to name a few. Each appetizer is served with rice vermicelli, lettuce leaves, cucumber slices, pickled carrot and radish slices, mint leaves, and a complementary sauce, and is simply garnished with green onions and chopped peanuts. The combined effect is one of both hot and cold, both spicy and mild, making each mouthful a deliciously balanced contrast. One could easily make a meal out of a selection of the appetizers.
For my main dish, I ordered chicken with lime sauce, a new favorite. Both my sister and I had previously been in the habit of ordering grilled chicken, pork, or beef served on a bed of rice vermicelli and mung bean sprouts. This time, she decided on a variation of the dish, with grilled tofu replacing meat or poultry. My mother ordered her usual, Vietnamese wonton soup with noodles.

My lime chicken was perfectly cooked and the taste of the lime was very intense without being overly sour, which I love, but others may find it too overpowering. The lime chicken is served in the center of a ring of dark green steamed broccoli and comes with a bowl of rice, which counterbalances the acidity of the lime. I did not sample my sister’s dish as I am not a fan of tofu, but she seemed to find it more than acceptable. I have sampled my mother’s selection on previous occasions, and her continued preference for this dish indicates that it has retained the high quality that first drew her to it. The broth is flavorful, with the tastes of both pork and chicken, and the thin-skinned wontons reminded my mother of similar wontons she ate when she lived in Indonesia.

The presentation of these dishes is attractive without being elaborate, which works wonderfully, as the focus is on the flavor of the food rather than the aesthetic appeal.

The one area in which Vietnam Restaurant seems to fall flat is that of dessert. The selection is very limited, only consisting of jackfruit or coconut ice cream. My sister enjoys the coconut ice cream, but did not order it this time.

The most significant menu-related change is the prices, which have risen as the restaurant has grown. In the past, I have not paid much attention to the prices, but I know that they have increased as the restaurant has changed. Today, the prices for appetizers range from $3.95 to $7.95, for soups from $4.75 to $6.95, and for entrees from $7.50 to $12.95: not excessively high, but not as easy on the wallet as it once was.

Vietnam Restaurant is the best of both worlds: classy enough for a special-occasion dinner outing, yet casual enough for a spur-of-the-moment “let’s eat out tonight.” The food is always perfectly prepared, the service is friendly and efficient, and the atmosphere is both elegant and relaxed. A perfect balance in an often unbalanced world.