Tuesday
Apr202010
Phuong Nam - Oakland, CA
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at 1:25AM
Rare Beef Salad
Just a quick post on this little gem I stumbled upon in Oakland. As soon as I walked into this restaurant I knew I was going to enjoy this meal. There is a lack of decor or ambiance and in the front of the restaurant are the owners children running around and playing with coins from the register.
The thing I really love about Vietnamese food is how light and fresh all the flavors are. If you've never tried it I highly recommend the salads and pho. The beef salad above is a rare beef salad that is topped with all sorts of fresh veggies and caramelized garlic and onions.
Fresh Sprouts, Basil, Lemon, and Jalepenos for the Pho
These are like fresh condiments to pho. Pho is a rice noodle soup dish that has a very flavorful beef broth and various kinds of meat. I usually like pho dac biet because of the various meat parts that add to the texture of the meal. The broth here was really nice and rich with beef flavor and the veggies were extremely fresh and fragrant.
Pho Dac Biet
I hope you're sold on considering Vietnamese the next time you go out to eat. If you want suggestions on what to order please feel free to ask!
Cheers,
--Joe Kwon
Just a quick post on this little gem I stumbled upon in Oakland. As soon as I walked into this restaurant I knew I was going to enjoy this meal. There is a lack of decor or ambiance and in the front of the restaurant are the owners children running around and playing with coins from the register.
The thing I really love about Vietnamese food is how light and fresh all the flavors are. If you've never tried it I highly recommend the salads and pho. The beef salad above is a rare beef salad that is topped with all sorts of fresh veggies and caramelized garlic and onions.
Fresh Sprouts, Basil, Lemon, and Jalepenos for the Pho
These are like fresh condiments to pho. Pho is a rice noodle soup dish that has a very flavorful beef broth and various kinds of meat. I usually like pho dac biet because of the various meat parts that add to the texture of the meal. The broth here was really nice and rich with beef flavor and the veggies were extremely fresh and fragrant.
Pho Dac Biet
I hope you're sold on considering Vietnamese the next time you go out to eat. If you want suggestions on what to order please feel free to ask!
Cheers,
--Joe Kwon
tagged pho, rare beef salad, vietnamese in Oakland, CA
pho, rare beef salad, vietnamese in Oakland, CA
Reader Comments (5)
How do you feel about the pho at Lime & Basil, in Chapel Hill? I have memories of it being the most delicious soup I've ever tasted. I thought that I'd be able to find even better out here in the Bay Area, but nothing quite seems to measure up (but I've yet to try this place). Am I cursed by nostalgic taste buds?
Vietnamese food is heavenly. There's something so beautiful about the plate of fresh Thai basil with its dark purple stems, translucent white sprouts and little rounds of jalapeno. I love that the eater gets to decide what they want in their pho, and add it by hand. I also always add an absurd amount of lime. "Light and Fresh" is right. If you're ever in Los Angeles County, head about 20 minutes outside downtown to a restaurant called Golden Deli that has the best Vietnamese food on the West Coast. It's mind-blowingly good.
That is one of my fave restaurants! Their pho is great as is the lemongrass chicken. Very close to where I work, so cool you like it too. Awesome show at HSB by the way.
If you ever find yourself in Vietnam: http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/michaelbauer/2010/11/09/the-best-food-i-found-in-vietnam/
Great show in Oakland, love every seconds of it!!
Joe next time you're in a Vietnamese place, ask for a dish called "bun bo Hue", a dish that is a step up from the pho.
This is a very addicting spicy beef noodle soup, the broth is very fragrant, but it is not for the fainted hearted!
So that means you have to try it!!
Enjoy!!