"The canh chua cá trê here will change your life. The soup, a Mekong Delta staple, is bright and refreshing, with an otherworldly tropical tang from tamarind and pineapple. It’s like somebody planted a vegetable garden by the beach, and then made a soup out of it, with whole tender filets of fresh catfish, stewed tomato, okra, and sharp herbs. The restaurant itself is tiny with less than a dozen tables, and it has all the appeal of a hospital waiting room. But once the food arrives, it’s an oasis. What to order: canh chua cá trê, bánh khọt, nem nướng" - chelsea thomas, nicolai mccrary