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| - When you think about it, Vietnamese food really is the best post-bar snack...
Fried spring rolls or wontons satiate the crispy craving that seems to increase with the amount of alcohol consumerd. Carbs in the form of noodles in the Bun or in a salad roll, or your Bahn Mi baguette help to absorb excess whiskey in your stomach. Sate, peppers and chili paste provide a nice heat kick that is sorely lacking in pretty much any other fast food. And, carrots, cucumber and cilantro are vegetables! When was the last time your post-pub scarf included vegetables? (and no, tomato sauce on pizza or pickles on your cheeseburger don't count).
So, it goes without saying that Kimanh on the 17th ave strip should be a beacon to the hungry drunk.
The food if fine, if somewhat unremarkable. My sate sub was loaded with beef, sauce and veggie; though the carrots could have been a bit more pickled and the promised jalapenos didn't really bring any heat to speak of. Spring rolls where nice and densely packed, fried crisp to order. The fried wontons even better with a bit more ginger kick to the filling (though in hindsight I'm not sure why they would make separate fillings for spring rolls and wontons...the ginger thing could have all been in my head)... My soda was warm; however the array of bubble teas that were prepared and served to the group before me looked very cold, tasty and wet, so I probably should have just otdered one of those.
Overall I'd give the food a 3/5. Fine, tasty, quick and pretty good value (especially thinking about how much they could be charging drunks for their late-nite snacks, and during stampede no less! They really should get a star for being generally friendly and not gouging their poor inebreated customers!)
So, final rating 4/5. It's the location, hours and context that turn Kimanh from a run-of-the-mill Vietnamese hole-in-the-wall to a certifiable civic treasure.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
I need to get some sleep...
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