Christina R.
Yelp
Let's preface this by reminding ourselves we are in Nashville. I haven't seen more than 2 people of any Asian ethnicity, much less any specifically Vietnamese, in the last 7 days. That said, Vui's is as close to authentic Vietnamese food, as I think one can possibly find this far north of the West Bank of New Orleans. We had
1. banh mi (sandwich) with steak,
2. pho (beef broth and noodles) with beef,
3. salad with pork belly,
4. goi cuon (fresh summer rolls in rice paper wrap), and
5. bun (rice noodles) with chicken and veggies.
6. Avocado shake
Almost all the ingredients were correctly presented, very fresh, and there was good flavor. It's just that I've lived for more than 25 years in US cities with huge Vietnamese populations, and this only ends up making me notice all the subtle differences. The flavor of the pho broth was on the milder side- not as richly nuanced as a stock that has been simmering for 24 hrs. The beef in the pho was a big, already-boiled-unsliced wad, instead of millimeter thin, raw slices which should cook quickly in a boiling hot broth at the table. The plate of basil, sprouts and chili slices that usually accompanies pho was missing too. The sandwich tasted great, and the bread and meat quality were really good. In the salad, instead of bean sprouts, there was cabbage? Still, the 2 thick pork belly strips atop the veggies were perfectly cooked, rich and tender with a delicious layer of fat. The dressing was a tasty blend of sesame, sugar and vinegar. But I couldn't detect a single drop of the requisite fish sauce. As for the steak banh mi- it was delicious with perfectly crispy and soft bread with marinated radish, carrots and chili peppers that packed a punch. The summer roll contents were right, but they looked like they had been wrapped by either 6 year olds or inexperienced staff. They were too small, not full enough, and highly irregular and pinched on the ends. But if you closed your eyes, they tasted just fine. Lastly the avocado shake was too thick for regular straws and came in an airline-sized plastic cup . Typical Vietnamese shakes come with thick straws to handle the boba and thick blend, and this shake was denser than normal. Which is good, because it probably wasn't made from a prepackaged mix, but bad because it ate more like a pudding. The lovely outdoor picnic tables in the shade made it a lovely spot for our afternoon meal. I am giving 5 stars to support an under-appreciated cuisine striving to improve the city's culinary diversity.