Help needed please: vietnamese food

[MissMillie]

a few friends and I have decided to walk to Harvard Sq. for lunch. Someone has mentioned vietnamese food. I've never had it, but I'm a sport and willing to try.

What should I order?

I like spicy, but not too spice. I love noodles. Is there a vietnamese equivalent to Pad Thai?

[sasquatch]

1. How about the Ho Chi Minn chicken

:silly::sarcasm:

[eyesroll]

2. You can't go wrong with Pho.

It's noodle soup (in beef broth) and you generally can get it with any combination of meat you like. If you're brave, you can get tripe, tendon, etc. If you want to stick to something familiar (and I don't blame you -- I'm not big on tripe myself), try meatballs, shrimp, regular beef, or a combination.

It's not spicy, but you can season it to your liking. There's often a condiment basket with limes, jalapenos, bean sprouts, cilantro and/or basil, and fish sauce, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sirracha, sugar, and hot peppers (sometimes more -- mushroom sauce, tamarind powder, and a few things I didn't recognize have been on the table) are available on or near the table. I usually like a squeeze of lime, one pepper ring, a squirt of fish sauce (go easy on that stuff -- it's strong) and a squirt of hoisin.

[NewJeffCT]

5. I love it - I'd recommend pho, too

Unfortunately, when we moved to eastern CT, it's a lot harder to find good Vietnamese food as when we lived a bit west of Hartford when we had authentic Vietnamese & authentic Chinese cuisine within 10 minutes drive at several locations.

[philosophie_en_rose]

3. Pho, maybe.

It's not the same as Pad Thai, but it's pretty good. I'd also recommend the Banh mi (meat, pickled veggies, french breach).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A1nh_m%C3%AC

[eyesroll]

4. Seconded, if you can find them.

Most restaurants here don't carry them -- but my GOD, they rule.

(I need a good recipe.)

[ScreamingMeemie]

6. Go with the Pho....

...and enjoy it! It's my favorite. :hi:

[madinmaryland]

7. I have a Vietnamese friend whose parents

owned a Vietnamese restaurant. The food was wonderful. They would make a special tray of samples from the menu for us when we would go into the restaurant. As I remember the food was really flavorful, though not overly spicy. I always loved the spring rolls that they made!!!

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Rabrrrrrr]

8. I love Vietnamese food! And I am addicted to Pho.

[MissMillie]

11. The Pho was magnificent

very tasty. I took the advice I got and seasoned my bowl w/ some of the chili paste, a squeeze of lime and a few sprigs of cilantro.

Stupendous!

Then we went to the candy store and loaded up on Jelly Bellies. Mmmmmm pink grapefruit jelly bellies!!!!

[Rabrrrrrr]

13. Wonderful! I'm glad you liked it - did you get meat with the Pho?

Did you go daring and try the tripe? Or go with the thin sliced beef that you cook yourself in the soup? Or something else, perhaps?

[MissMillie]

14. sliced beef

plenty tasty

I loved that I could put some fresh sprigs of cilatro. What a lovely contrast of texture and flavor in a warm bowl of soup.

[Rabrrrrrr]

15. Did they give you the beef raw?

I could eat Pho every day. We have a place here that has very good Pho, and ALSO makes the best egg rolls I have ever had in my life, 3 for $3. Woo hoo!!

I go there almost every week at least once for lunch...

[MissMillie]

19. no,

but it was still pretty rare when I got it.

[Taverner]

9. Bun Bo Hue

Yummmmm - bbq beef or pork over noodles and spring rolls - all mixed together with penuts and spice

[Shakespeare]

10. Spring rolls!!!

fried or steamed (but I prefer the fried ones)....and if you're a carnivore, Hanoi grilled pork is wonderful, as is lemongrass steak (sort of a Vietnemese swiss steak, but with a lemongrass-flavored sauce).

[commander bunnypants]

12. second that

I like the steamed better though

CB

[Squeech]

16. All of the above

Plus I'm very fond of banh xeo (I think it's pronounced ban shayo), a kind of omelet of ham, shrimp and bean sprouts, with some other interesting flavors tossed in. It's not on too many menus, unfortunately.

[Initech]

17. Pho is one of the greatest things ever

[grace0418]

18. I'm too late but Vietnamese food ROCKS.

I always ask the waitstaff for recommendations and tell them what I like and don't like. They know how to steer you in the right direction most of the time.

[Aristus]

20. Try Brocolli Chicken or Garlic Chicken.

They're both delicious. Be careful not to order HOT Garlic Chicken, because it suuuuure is!

[flamingyouth]

21. Banh mi (sandwiches) are great

:9

Actually, I pretty much love all Vietnamese food. I'm sure I've missed your lunch hour by a long shot, though. :D