HA VL Vietnamese Noodle Soup
Vietnamese restaurant · Powellhurst-Gilbert ·
Rotating daily soups, banh mi sandwiches, and pho.
Rotating daily soups, banh mi sandwiches, and pho.
"Described as a predecessor to Rose VL and a go-to for soups and Vietnamese specialties—recommended to grab a soup or two from this lineage of restaurants." - Dianne de Guzman
"Portland has no shortage of spots for steamy bowls of phở. But nothing beats Hà VL. This simply decorated Vietnamese restaurant on 82nd has a daily rotation of two or three soups with illustrative photos on the wall, which doesn’t always include the beefy classic (that’s served on Sunday). The options could be bún chả ốc with snail meatballs, tofu, and tomatoes on a Thursday, or a coconut chicken curry soup on a Wednesday. To prevent broth-based heartache, go early if you’re set on a particular soup since they’ll sell out by lunch. There are two other iterations of Hà VL around town—Rose VL Deli on Powell and the newer, more centrally located Annam VL. We like this location because it’s in the Jade District so you can stock up on Asian groceries at nearby markets." - krista garcia
"Portland has no shortage of spots to grab a steamy bowl of phở. But nothing beats Hà VL. This simply decorated Vietnamese restaurant on 82nd has a daily rotation of two or three soups with illustrative photos on the wall, which doesn’t always include the beefy classic (that’s served on Sunday). The options could be bún chả ốc with snail meatballs, tofu, and tomatoes on a Thursday, or a coconut chicken curry soup on a Wednesday. To prevent broth-based heartache, go early if you’re set on a particular soup since they’ll sell out by lunch. There are two other iterations of Hà VL around town—Rose VL Deli on Powell and the newer, more centrally located Annam VL. We like this location because it’s in the Jade District so you can stock up on Asian groceries at nearby markets. photo credit: Emily Joan Greene Food Rundown Vietnamese Turmeric Noodle Soup A.k.a. mì quảng. It’s a Sunday special that manages to be light despite all of the pork (ribs, ground, sliced, and in meatloaf form). The soup also includes shrimp, peanuts, and a fried sesame rice cracker for texture, all tied together with sunny turmeric rice noodles for color. Pnompenh Noodle Soup This borderline baroque soup is never boring. You’ll find slices of Chinese BBQ-style pork, liver for that mineral tang, plus a few shrimp and fish balls, and handfuls of garlic chives, chrysanthemum leaves, quail eggs, and fried pork cracklings. Highly customizable, you can get it made with rice or egg noodles or a mixture of the two. Each is so good, you should try both together. Chicken Curry Noodle Soup We like to switch things up mid-week when it’s all about this light poultry-laden soup teeming with shredded chicken, potatoes, and vermicelli noodles in a coconut milk-based yellow curry broth spiked with lemongrass. Pencil in Wednesdays on your calendar to remember when to get this creamy chicken soup." - Krista Garcia
"You can get banh mi and pho in practically any neighborhood in Portland, but when you’re looking for the best, head to this family-run Jade District favorite that’s hidden inside a strip mall. Regulars have Ha VL’s daily roster of soups committed to memory, while we have seriously considered tattooing Ha VL on our arm, mom-style inside a big heart." - krista garcia
"Lauded as one of Portland’s finest restaurants, alongside sister soup shop Rose VL, Ha VL has been an anchor to the Jade District. Founders William Vuong and the late Ha (Christina) Luu handed over day-to-day operations to their son Peter Vuong in 2015, but the restaurant’s soups remain among Portland’s “must try” dishes. Ha VL keeps the menu simple, serving two to three soups each day, five days a week. Highlights include Thursday’s snail noodle soup or chicken soup, Friday’s hủ tiếu nam vang, and Sunday’s mì quảng — for certainty, however, it’s best to call ahead for the day’s soups." - Alli Fodor
