Friendship Vietnamese Kitchen NW Thurman
Vietnamese restaurant · Northwest District ·
Vietnamese & Singaporean fusion, serving pho, laksa & chili crab.
Vietnamese & Singaporean fusion, serving pho, laksa & chili crab.
"The laksa at this Singaporean-Vietnamese restaurant in Northwest Portland is a study in balance: not too heavy or thick, but still rich and creamy, the soup’s coconut milk sweetness is juxtaposed with the saltiness of dried shrimp in the base. The bowl arrives absolutely loaded with toppings — shrimp, fishballs, tofu, bean sprouts, and boiled eggs balanced on a bed of noodles beneath the surface — finished with a sprinkle of herbs for freshness." - Rebecca Roland
"At this Northwest Portland restaurant, diners can experience both Singaporean and Vietnamese cuisine, including the delicious pho chay from the original Glisan outpost of Friendship Kitchen. Rice noodles and vegetables arrive swimming in a vegan broth with earthy depth and subtle spice — a touch of hoisin enhances those flavors further. For something more on the Singaporean side of things, “Mama’s Laksa” is an adaptation of co-owner Wei-En Tan’s mother’s recipe for the coconut curry noodle soup. Although laksa is traditionally made with dried shrimp paste, Friendship Kitchen NW: Saigon to Singapore serves its version with a vegan broth; customers can request tofu instead of seafood toppings. The shop also slings shareable starters like soy-sugarcane drumsticks drenched in vegan fish sauce and extra-thick garden rolls with meaty tofu skin." - Waz Wu
"The laksa at this Singaporean-Vietnamese restaurant in Northwest Portland is a study in balance: not too heavy or thick, but still rich and creamy, the soup’s coconut milk sweetness is juxtaposed with the saltiness of dried shrimp in the base. The bowl arrives absolutely loaded with toppings — shrimp, fishballs, tofu, bean sprouts, and boiled eggs balanced on a bed of noodles beneath the surface — finished with a sprinkle of herbs for freshness." - Nick Woo, Brooke Jackson-Glidden
"I found the new Friendship Kitchen NW: From Saigon 2 Singapore opened in early October in the building that once housed Tan’s now-closed French restaurant Alouette; it’s the second iteration of Nguyen’s popular Northeast Glisan Friendship Kitchen. Nguyen serves a blend of Vietnamese dishes she loves and Tan’s mother En Lin Kong’s Singaporean recipes that she’s adapted, including a laksa piled high with shrimp, tofu, a soft‑boiled egg, bean sprouts, and fishballs with a slick of chile oil obscuring the tangle of rice noodles; Tan’s mother’s version leans toward a Malaysian style with less coconut milk but remains a thick, rich stock built on dried shrimp, alliums, and a house spice blend. The menu also ranges from bánh xèo and Singaporean chile crab and satay to 10‑hour‑simmered chicken, beef, and vegan pho broths, nasi lemak served with a crispy chicken wing, egg, fishcakes, and ikan bilis tied together with belachan, and a Singaporean chicken rice made on Nguyen’s chicken pho stock, while a nod to France appears in dishes like a tomato‑red wine Vietnamese ragout, steak frites, and garlic butter shrimp." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden
"Seeing a gap for Hainanese chicken and rice in Portland, Andy Kou with Jeffrey Doung and Sam Yos opened Jas Kitchen to serve Singapore-style Hainanese chicken—skin-on slices over tender rice—with three sauces (green onion and ginger, sweet and dark soy, and lemongrass and Thai chili); the menu also includes soy-and-cinnamon-braised pork belly rice and a slate of wings tossed in flavors from lemongrass and Thai chilis to gochujang." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden
