Ryan H.
Yelp
Must try: Hanoi Pho, Summer Rolls, and Chim Rung Cocktail!
Why: Hanoi Pho was different, in a good way. Protein was wok-fried garlic sirloin, which reminded me of my father's homemade garlic beef. The broth was light yet flavorful. Topped with tons of scallions and onions, which I love. Summer Rolls were fresh with good proportion of vermicelli, veggies, and shrimp. The peanut sauce was plentiful, which is always appreciated. It also reminded me of my mom's homemade peanut sauce. I washed it down with a Chim Rung Cocktail made with Hennessy, Pineapple, Grapefruit, and Lemon. I love Hennessy so this was a refreshing concoction to sip on throughout meal.
Notes: It was their soft grand opening or "al-dente opening." Everyone was friendly, welcoming, and smiling from walking inside to finishing my meal. Front exterior was nice with artsy floral awning, and brick and wooden decor. Narrow restaurant with a good amount tables for small and medium sized parties. They also had seating at bar near entrance. One bathroom in the back that was spacious and clean. Waitress was wonderful providing great recommendations on her favorite dishes. She asked for feedback on the food and shared the chef is from Vietnam. My entire experience was fantastic. When receiving the check, they use Toast, which is super convenient to scan QR code and pay with ApplePay. You can even easily split check using this web app (you do not need to download app). Very happy and proud to see a Vietnamese restaurant on UES. Definitely coming back soon with friends to try other nostalgic dishes like Banh Xeo and Mi Xao.