This is your spot for modern and slightly dressed up Vietnamese food, right in the heart of North Park. Went here for a late lunch and was not too crowded, atmosphere was nice with the open garage door concept.I recommend getting the house specials - Banh Xeo Tacos, Catfish Claypot (Ca Kho To), Sugarcane shrimp (banh hoi chao tom)- as the other typical menu items are easy to find at other Vietnamese spots. All 3 items were amazingly dressed with all the herbs and sauces. The biggest surprise was the sweet and sour prawn soup that came with the catfish claypot, almost reminded me of a Filipino sinigang. That could’ve been a dish itself!Careful though, I think many of these items are limited availability, so not sure if only available weekends and/or can run out by dinner. Also got the dry pho which is definitely a more unique find, great stir fry-like dish that lightened up with all the herbs that were in it.Will have to come back for the wagyu pho and bone marrow banh mi!
THE best pho I've ever had (to date). I'm not local to the area, but I'd come here again if I'm ever in the San Diego area. First time I've had marrow, and I absolutely loved it! Service was amazing and timely, and the food now serves as a north star for what 10/10 pho tastes like.I would recommend this place to anyone craving pho.
A restraunt that asks the question, what if the whole menu is "dac biet". Menu with frequent specials including premium wagyu beef and bone marrow delicacies. Once you get past the eye watering 22$ price for a bowl of their signiture pho, you'll find an enthusiastic interpretation of how over the top you can make the classic dish. In place of tendon or meatballs you'll find whole shank bones with meat and tendon still attached and a hearty marrow bone stealing the show from thin sliced rare steak. The broth is dark, rich, silky smooth and continues to develop in the bowl thanks to the fat from the marrow bone. Bonus points in the presentation as the steaming hot broth was poured from an insulated carafe tableside into the "dry" pho ingredients. Wine and craft cocktails with solid on tap beer list. Parking is not great in this part of North Park unfortunately. Happy hour 3-6pm m-f. Treat yourself!
FOOD & DRINKSI had the braised fish and tried several other items including their bone marrow. The taste was fresh and authentic but I think the braising juice needs to be more caramelized and a bit more heat. I understand that the food here might be catered more towards the western audience but a bit of black pepper wouldn’t hurt if you don’t want to go all out and use chilis.SERVICEHospitality and service was top notch!ATMOSPHEREA take on modern street food style.RATINGAuthentic Vietnamese food prepared with fresh ingredients and a price tag that might be hard to swallow for some. I personally think it's fair to ask for a certain price if everything adds up but if you just want some authentic Vietnamese food there is an endless sea of Vietnamese restaurants that sell their food at an unbelievable low price.
First of all street parking was tough to find but luckily we found a public parking structure within a block. The restaurant was about half full by the time we arrived. It was very inviting with an open floor plan, brightly lit and nicely decorated. There were both indoor and outdoor seating. The roll up doors were open so it was a little colder indoors than I expected. We came for the signature pho so that was our order for the evening. First came the big bowl filled with our choice of noodles, five kinds of meats (oxtail, shank, eye of round, flank and brisket) and marrow and then our server poured (from a uniquely long teapot) steaming pho broth into our bowls. The broth was so rich and merged with the rest of the ingredients full of flavors and deeply satisfying that warmed our insides. It was quite good but not sure that this would be a $22 bowl that I would buy regularly. Other menu options included both rice and vermicelli dishes, Banh mis, and appetizers (spring shrimp rolls) or unique dishes like the Banh Zoe burritos. Service was quite good.
Everything was delicious. Had the vegetarian spring rolls, brisket bahn mi with bone marrow, thai tea. Brisket was smoky. Chimichurri on bahn mi was flavorful. And their patio is pet friendly!
I've been here many times, food is good and I regret having to rate 1*. Danny (the manager on 4/01 duty) is a testament to poor service in the F&B industry - Aggressive attitude and turning away from customers is something that should not be in the F&B service. I hope the business owner will make an appropriate adjustment to this situation.
My wife is Vietnamese and has been a US citizen for less than a decade, so she was excited to try this place after I heard about it from a coworker. We ordered some rolls for an appetizer and split a vietnamese sandwich for a light lunch, and everything was fresh and delicious. Service was good, place was clean, and the decor was very nice. The motorcycles reminded my wife of Vietnam, and now we're going to have to return sometime soon and delve more deeply into this restaurant's menu. The Thai tea was good - not too sweet. Will return and recommend. Definitely try this place if you're looking for Vietnamese food.
i have been searching far and wide for a good vegan pho. i tried shank and bone last night, and i have to say it’s the best i have had in san diego! i didn’t snap a photo, but trust me, iits worth a visit! they actually flavor the broth with traditional spices/aromas. i used to live in vietnam so im a tough critic!
The catfish and chicken wings are amazing