Our 10 Best Vietnamese Restaurants
Lauren Shockey Bun cha Ha Noi at Pho Bang
Alas, New York City isn't one of the great Vietnamese culinary capitals of the world. Which is too bad, because, at least in our minds, Vietnamese cuisine is one of the best on the globe. But you can still find some decent Viet grub. You just have to know where to look. So without further ado, we present Our 10 Best Vietnamese Restaurants. (For this list, we decided not to include fusiony places like Má Pêche or spots that primarily sell banh mi, or Vietnamese sandwiches, no matter how delicious they might be. Sorry, Ba Xuyen and Banh Mi Saigon Bakery, we'll get you on a 10 Best Banh Mis.)
10. Pho Bang -- Pho, the beef-and-rice-noodle soup, is the way to go at this Vietnamese restaurant. The Saigon-style broth is rich and full of warming spices. Add in an extra squirt of hoisin and chile sauce and you're good to go. Maybe throw in an order of steamed rice crepes, too. We also love this restaurant because they serve bun cha Ha Noi, the Hanoian-style grilled pork patties over rice noodles. Unfortunately, it's not an amazing rendition of bun cha Ha Noi. But we believe that mediocre bun cha Ha Noi is still better than no bun cha Ha Noi at all. 157 Mott Street, 212-966-3797
Lauren Shockey Shrimp paste on sugarcane at Gia Lam II
9. Gia Lam II -- Sunset Park is now home to several Vietnamese restaurants, although many are run by Chinese. Still, the food isn't bad at this spot, smack-dab in the bustle of Eighth Avenue. The shrimp paste on sugarcane is a good bet for a starter, and the barbecue beef with sesame seasoning is as tender as can be. 5414 Eighth Avenue, 718-567-0800
Robert Sietsema Rice cake and egg dish at Tu Do
8. Tu Do -- Skip the pho at this Vietnamese eatery, which recently moved across the street into nicer digs. Beef dishes like bo luc lac are good, as are the curries, and the sour soups are particularly noteworthy. Or be adventurous and opt for rice cakes and eggs. 102 Bowery, 212-966-2666
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