This place is close to home. And I'm glad it is.
I can't speak to authenticity, or what part of Vietnam their cuisine reflects. But I can see execution in the hot runny egg in my bahn mi or the crispness in a crepe appetizer I don't think I've ever seen on a menu. They don't stint on the side greens and vegetables. And the usual condiments are on the table.
They have more than a few things I haven't seen on a menu. Like beef stew. Like this salted lemonade drink they have. I don't know how the lemons are prepared, but there's definitely some fermentation going on. Or maybe they just add some fish sauce. Sound weird to you? Well. It tastes great, and is really refreshing on a hot Arizona day.
So I have lots of reasons to go back.
There is nothing fancy about the place. It's more than a bit disorganized in a organized sort of way. It reminds me of a lot of places you might find in San Francisco. Good food, cheap prices, and not for neat freaks or OCD's.
I find the people polite enough in a reserved way. They don't have the manic faux friendliness some people seem to expect in this metro area. I had a nice chat with the owner's husband after I asked him how to eat the crepe thingy. He joked about how messy I was going to get. And when I paid for my breakfast he pointed out more messy wrap things on the menu. More reasons to go back.