Yoonique Phở & Grill

Portland Vietnamese Restaurant Yoonique Pho and Grill Opens on Division | Eater Portland

"Newly opened on Southeast Division, Yoonique Pho and Grill is Cindy Phan’s effort to broaden Portland’s Vietnamese offerings using family recipes and the cuisine of Ho Chi Minh City. The menu highlights underrepresented dishes such as bún nem chua (cured sour beef) and com chiên dồ biển (seafood roe fried rice), and also features bò tái chanh (lime-juice-cured thinly sliced beef with shallots and herbs), lobster tail wontons, and a wide array of noodle soups. I was told bún cá hồi—turmeric grilled salmon served with mam nem (a shrimp paste–pineapple sauce popular in Vietnamese street food)—is on the menu, and seasonal shifts steer summer toward grilled dishes with lots of fresh herbs and vegetables while winter leans on warming soups. Phan is bringing back a street-food vibe with specials that may include quail and frog legs, and she’s showcasing broken rice—served now with pork chops and salted egg ham and planned with grilled pork belly. There are vegetarian projects underway, including a vegetarian bún bò Huế made with slow-cooked vegetable broth and an oyster-mushroom Vietnamese “sausage,” and Phan is especially excited to debut chả giò rế—exceedingly crispy “netted” egg rolls with a lacy rice-flour and tapioca wrapper. The menu also carries a condensed selection of tea drinks designed to temper the punchy flavors of the food, such as Ceylon black tea with fresh fruit, coconut juice with house-made pandan jelly, and fresh lychee drinks." - Janey Wong