Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.
http://riceandspoon.com/
Crispy Egg Rolls. Filled with chicken, shrimp, crab, taro, carrot, jicama, egg, onion and vermicelli noodles, these were served right out of the fryer, shatteringly crispy on the outside and filled to the brim with fresh ingredients. The sweet fish sauce and picked carrot and daikon served on the side balanced the taste of the plate with sweet and tangy.
Spring Rolls Sampler. Served with a sweet and savory peanut dipping sauce, these were made with fresh rice paper. The roll on the top was made with shrimp, avocado, vermicelli noodles, lettuce, mint and bean sprouts. The second was made with grilled pork, vermicelli noodles, mango, lettuce and mint. The third had tofu, vermicelli noodles, lettuce, mint and bean sprouts. Each one had a distinctive taste that was refreshing and light. I've never had fresh rice paper before; the texture had a bit more chew. These were very enjoyable.
Double Decker Spring Rolls. This was their crunchy fried egg roll wrapped in lettuce and their fresh rice paper. A fantastic appetizer that gives you crunchy, chewy, fresh and tasty all in one.
Crispy Chicken Wings. Tossed in rice flour, these chicken wings were crispier than the usual crispiness of fried chicken wings. The juicy, moist meat was seasoned well and the sweet fish sauce it was served with rounded all the flavors nicely.
Rare Lemon Beef Salad. Incredibly fresh beef was served with many slices of citrus, fresh onion, fried onion, mint and peanuts. Served with a sweet hoisin-like sauce, this was probably one of the best versions of a carpaccio-type of dish I've ever tried.
Clay Pot Rice. A toasty rice dish with chicken, beef, shrimp, mushroom, broccoli, carrots, onions and cilantro. A nice comforting and simple dish covering almost every food group.
Rare Beef, Flank, and Beef Ball Noodle Soup (pho). This broth was super clean, with no MSG or any other additives or artificial flavoring agents. Just bone broth with veggies and spices simmered for a long time. The fresh rice noodles (your choice of thin or thick) had a nice, bouncy texture and all the meat and vegetables were fresh and satisfying.
Spicy Beef Noodle Soup. This was a similar base broth as the pho, but amplified with a spicy chili paste. I liked the fact that it wasn't shy about the heat; I actually felt my lips tingling after a while. It was great.
Beef Stew. Chunks of beef were cooked until tender in this flavorful braising liquid with carrots, and then topped with fresh onion, cilantro and green onions. This broth had a very rich, clean meaty flavor that left this bowl without a drop.
Seafood Pho. I was very impressed with this broth. The fish taste was very pronounced while still maintaining the complexity of the other aromatics. The fresh chives gave it a vegetal roundness that I found extremely appealing and the bits of tofu skins also soaked up the broth and added some nice texture.
Crab Paste & Shrimp Noodle Soup. I don't think I've ever been so happy with the different varieties of broth for noodle-soup types of dishes at any other restaurant. This broth was similar to the Seafood Pho broth but with added heat and meatiness. The crab paste & shrimp came in the form of a frittata-like, seafood-y egg round that was cut into sizable pieces and the chunks of tofu and fresh tomato added a sweet savoriness that was very pleasing. The toppings of fried onion, green onion, cilantro and the side additions of bean sprouts, lemon and mint made for a really delicious and hearty meal.
Grilled Short Rib Bun. This was cool vermicelli noodles with fresh and crunchy cucumbers, carrots, daikon, bean sprouts and lettuce. It was topped with umami-rich, tear-off-the-bone short ribs and served with sweet fish sauce.
Since this restaurant is fairly close to where I live, I will probably be a regular for the foreseeable future. I hope others get a chance to experience this fantastic MSG-free Vietnamese food!
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