| rev:text
| - Wanting to try something different for lunch today, I took a walk down to the Strip from my office in town to check out Pho Van. I got there a little early for lunch and the place only had a handful of people in it. I was seated immediately, served a glass of water and was handed a menu. Glancing around at the place, I can only describe the interior as modest. The lighting was soft, there was light piano music playing in the background and a row of bamboo pools stretched the wall in front of me. The wall to my left had a few paintings of flower arrangements and behind me was a wall of photos depicting various scenes of the Vietnamese landscape. Quality chopsticks (not the break apart wooden kind that you get with takeout Chinese) were provided as an option along with the knife and fork.
I'm not going to try to profess to be an expert in Vietnamese cuisine; in fact I've only had it once before. So I after reviewing the menu I wasn't sure what to order and what to expect. I knew I didn't want anything real brothy, so I went for the Chicken Vermicelli bowl. It didn't take long for my order to arrive. The vermicelli was served, as you would expect, in a bowl containing rice noodles topped with a light spiced grilled chicken plank (sliced up), a spring roll, lettuce, bean sprouts, chopped mint, cucumbers, pickled carrots, peanuts, and a side of sweet chili garlic sauce.
When I originally ordered it, I had anticipated that the noodles would be warm -- a display of my ignorance when it comes to Vietnamese cuisine. These noodles were served cold which, when I thought about it, contrasted the warmth of grilled chicken nicely. I enjoyed the meal and felt nutritionally satisfied afterwards without feeling bogged down.
Would I go out of my way to dine at Pho Van again? Probably not. But if I was in a group and it was being suggested as an option for lunch or dinner, I wouldn't protest it either. For a lunch that came to under $10 (minus the tip) I'm glad that I tried it.
|