Friendship Vietnamese Kitchen
Vietnamese restaurant · Kerns ·
Quirky Vietnamese eats, signature cocktails, lively patio
Quirky Vietnamese eats, signature cocktails, lively patio
"From the bright green walls to the cheekily named cocktails like “White Man’s Tears,” owner Trang Nguyen’s ebullient personality shines through in this Kerns restaurant with extensive outdoor seating. The menu includes traditional dishes like spicy bún bò Huế and twists like cauliflower wings and the Hoi An banh mi that incorporates Laughing Cow cheese (which isn’t exactly an aberration). The must-order, however, has to be the restaurant’s luc lac, which gets a little hit of sweetness with a touch of pineapple juice." - Janey Wong
"Founded by Trang Nguyen Tan, I learned that Friendship Kitchen reflects her childhood Lunar New Year traditions: Trang has fond memories of making and eating bánh tét—the savory glutinous rice roll made by soaking mung beans overnight, layering pork belly and glutinous rice, rolling it inside banana leaves, tightly knotting the parcels, and boiling them for hours before slicing (some people fry the slices for crispy edges). Last year Trang and her wife Wei‑En served bánh tét at Alouette as part of a Lunar New Year prix fixe, and because Alouette has since been converted into a second Friendship Kitchen location, they plan to offer bánh tét again this Tết, serving it at both locations for a weeklong period and including it in a sampler as a nod to how Trang grew up eating it; follow Friendship Kitchen’s Instagram for updates." - Janey Wong
"At the vibey Vietnamese restaurant Friendship Kitchen, teachers receive 30 percent off any meal for the duration of the strike." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden
"Eastside Portlanders flock to Friendship Kitchen for its welcoming nightlife atmosphere and spacious patio, which stays toasty even through the winter months. Diners can choose from an array of shaken meats and banh mi amid the backdrop of buzzy neon signs and brightly patterned lanterns, alongside drinks with playful names like the Pho-Jito (rum, Combier, cilantro, cinnamon/cardamom/star anise syrup) and Thai’d Up (a boozy Thai iced tea). The pho broth simmers for 10 hours, resulting in a bright and well-seasoned bowl with a modest portion of tenderloin and brisket. The vegan option features a broth flavored with traditional pho spices — star anise, coriander seeds, fennel — as well as a heaping of vegetables and “thicc” cuts of tofu. The Northwest Portland sibling offers other regional variations of pho, as well." - Janey Wong
"I recall Nguyen opened the original Friendship Kitchen on Northeast Glisan the day before her birthday in 2021 after leaving her marriage; a former flight attendant, she built the popular Vietnamese restaurant around foods she missed from growing up in Vietnam, and that original spot is the predecessor to the Northwest outpost." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden