Vietnamese Food

[Meisgq]

Hey guys and gals, im new to bangkok and I have a yearning for my hometown food, specifically Vietnamese food. Just to clarify, my hometown is Westminster, California (aka little saigon) and I'm not Vietnamese. I searched quickly online and found some restaurants but it seems that it costs more to eat here, closer to Vietnam, than it is to eat viet food in America. Anyway, I'm looking to get my pho and banh mi fix for a reasonable price. Any suggestions?

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[SlideRiceFC]

Funny, was just thinking about Lee's Sandwiches in Westminster yesterday while I had some Vietnamese food at Central Plaza (which was not all that great, I might add). Unfortunately, that was the first time I've managed to try Vietnamese food since I came here despite seeing restaurants scattered around Bangkok. Most seemed a little high end and almost undoubtedly some sort of fusion restaurants. I've been wanting to try this place though: http://www.xuanmaire...nt/Welcome.html

Edited June 25, 2012 by SlideRiceFC

[georgey]

Funny, was just thinking about Lee's Sandwiches in Westminster yesterday while I had some Vietnamese food at Central Plaza (which was not all that great, I might add). Unfortunately, that was the first time I've managed to try Vietnamese food since I came here despite seeing restaurants scattered around Bangkok. Most seemed a little high end and almost undoubtedly some sort of fusion restaurants. I've been wanting to try this place though: http://www.xuanmaire...nt/Welcome.html

Le Dalat in Suk 23 is probably the best in BKK, but it's quite expensive & relatively formal (which may or may not suit u). There's a new one upstairs in K-Village, Suk 26 which is v good & cheaper.

[dddave]

There's a Viet restaurant in the lower level of Central-Silom shopping mall across from A&W. No idea of it's quality.

[w11guy]

There's a Viet restaurant in the lower level of Central-Silom shopping mall across from A&W. No idea of it's quality.

Central Silom has been closed for 6 months.

There's a shophouse Vietnaamese place between Silom Road and Chong Nonsi BTS - about 100 metres from Silom Road on right hand side as you walk towards Chong Nonsi.

[elshaheen]

There are some Viet food stalls over on Samsen road before you go over the bridge heading to Pinklao. The name Samsen means "Vietnamese". Mostly all they have is rolls and some dishes.

[Meisgq]

Happened to be at the Emporium today so I tried little hanoi in the food court. I got the pho/banh xeo/spring roll set. With a cafe sua da, the damage was about 470 baht. The food was okay but all the standard condiments were missing. I understand that this is thailand and they don't have a little saigon here but I expect better execution, especially being this close to Vietnam. If they can make a dam_n good boat noodle, they can make pho - uses the same beef.

Just my rant...

Shawn

Edited June 26, 2012 by Meisgq

[orchis]

The Pho in Food loft- Central Chidlom is quite good. Alos T-House various locations.

[SlideRiceFC]

Funny, you mentioned the condiments. The same thing happened at the place I tried. They just had typical Thai condiments. And the sprouts and stuff were already in my pho rather than on the side for me to add to my liking. And of course since I'm American I'm accustomed to adding Sriracha to my pho. It's not something I could expect to see on the table here despite it's ties to the area but my tastebuds miss it.

[mamypoko]

I've never found great Viet food in Thailand....so great post! If and when you cross to VN...pm and I'll share my favorite eating places! Welcome!

[AyG]

Xuan Mai on Thong Lor (near soi 17) is excellent and authentic. Not too expensive. Most mains around 250-300 Baht. The chef is an ex-FBI agent.

http://www.xuanmairestaurant.com

[attrayant]

The food was okay but all the standard condiments were missing.

This is a dealbreaker for me. It is not hard at all to make proper nước mắm and most Vietnamese meals are ruined without it. I'd rather wait until I go to HCMC and get the real thing.

There is a Vietnamese food stall in the MBK food court and I have twice been there to request bánh mì, but both times I was given a bunch of frowny-faces along with "sorry, no have!" Anyone passing through there might want to give some of the other dishes a try.

Edited June 27, 2012 by attrayant

[tutsiwarrior]

most vietnamese food don't even taste good in Vietnam but the pho bo and the bun bo are OK for breakfast or a late night repast with traditional condiments...in Hanoi I always got the nachos from the Le Bar on Hang Bey St or in HCMC a shwarma or a Loteria burger...

and the sandwiches from the cart ladies in the a.m. weren't half bad; 'oh, hello tutsi, are you here to get some sandwiches or do you just want to look at my arse?...'

[farang000999]

try Viet Cuisine on 7th floor of MBK for good food at a decent price.

also, try going to nakhon phanom in isaan, one hour flight from bangkok. it was a refugee spot from the war and plenty of unbelievable delicious yet cheap vietnamese food to be had.

[GreenSnapper]

Madame T. Suk Soi 23.

Pass Soi cowboy, after about 300m, take first Soi right, then another 200m, left side.

Very good, clean, not expensive.

[Spaniel]

Try the Winner House. You'll have to call them for directions: 02 942-0287, 02 942-1622, 02 942-1644

[Noriki]

Any body know where the Vietnam Restuarent on top of Top's supermarkert (Thonglor) move too? I really like the food there, good and cheap.

[ihunnieibee]

Good Vietnamese food at a spot near Queen Sirikit MRT, pm me for a link to their FB because I don't want to break any forum rules.

[lomatopo]

Xuan Mai Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thong Lor) http://www.asialifemagazine.com/thailand/xuan-mai/

Vietnamese and More http://www.eatingthaifood.com/2012/12/vietnamese-and-more-bangkok-restaurant/

Namnuang Lublae (Udomsuk) http://www.bangkokpost.com/food/restaurants/listing/namnuang-lublae-udomsuk/3460/

VT Nam Nueang 84/3 Bearing 29, Sukhumvit Soi 107, 02-399-5292 http://vtnamnueng.exteen.com/

[HidyHo]

Lomatopo, are these your personal recommendation based on your visits?

Xuan Mai is on my list of places to try out.

Around 10 years ago, there was a Vietnamese place near Emporium (I think it was on Suk 24 or 26 very near Sukhumvit side) but I can't remember the name.

Regardless, I'm also from California and I find Pho (pho dac biet) to be much better back in California. I've tried them at Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore and they aren't as good as back in California, for me. It's one of those food that I must have whenever I visit California (along with our mission burritos wrapped in aluminum foil).

Thai food is one of the few Asian cuisine that I prefer in Thailand.

[lomatopo]

Lomatopo, are these your personal recommendation based on your visits?

Yes. I have been to all of these and recommend them, but I am no expert. Most all are a bit out of the way, frequented by Thais and often very, very busy. The waits at VT Nam Neuang can be lengthy.

There is also a chain, Viet Cuisine, in many malls - I saw one in Paradise Park and Mega Bang Na - I've eaten at the latter and it was pretty good.

[Jingthing]

This Nam Neuang thing is so Thailand. Not popular in Cali Viet places.

[isawasnake]

I lived near a vietnamese area in the USA and the food was amazing. I have never had anything close to it here either. In fact, normally, the Thais totally mess up Vietnamese food. Those amazing vegi spring rolls with great stuff in there (I have no idea what?) are ruined here! Oh god, they just CANT do it. But in Laos you will find good ones oddly. Anyway, cant even imagine ordering something more complex like the Vermicceli noodle dishes with mint etc - they will just make their version of it here. Thais seem to think the only way is the way they want to do it. My favs in Cali were the broken rice dishes, and that vermecelli... omg. At one of my favorite spots in Cali, I once asked them how they made their (unbottles) water taste so good. He told me they boil it and filter it!! Free water and they do all that. This place is cheap too. Miss that place so much.

Anyway, nice thread. Sorry I dont have any recommendations, but i'll surely be watching what other say.

Edited March 7, 2013 by isawasnake

[Jingthing]

I agree Vietnamese food in the USA (especially in Vietnamese areas where I lived), no comparison at all the Vietnamese food in Thailand. It's really very sad. Thailand is so limited in their offerings of nearby Asean cuisines -- Vietnamese, Malay/Singapore, Burmese, Indonesian. Those are among some of the best food nationalities in the world and yet not represented here in any credible way. OK. good on Lao food as its so close to Isaan food, and let's face it Cambodian food is no big loss. Even the Chinese food in Thailand doesn't compare to Chinese food in the USA in the big cities, even in Bangkok.

Edited March 7, 2013 by Jingthing

[isawasnake]

Lomatopo, are these your personal recommendation based on your visits?

Xuan Mai is on my list of places to try out.

Around 10 years ago, there was a Vietnamese place near Emporium (I think it was on Suk 24 or 26 very near Sukhumvit side) but I can't remember the name.

Regardless, I'm also from California and I find Pho (pho dac biet) to be much better back in California. I've tried them at Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore and they aren't as good as back in California, for me. It's one of those food that I must have whenever I visit California (along with our mission burritos wrapped in aluminum foil).

Thai food is one of the few Asian cuisine that I prefer in Thailand.

This is spot on, right down to the burrito statement. We have the same tastes buds.

[lomatopo]

I lived near a vietnamese area in the USA and the food was amazing. I have never had anything close to it here either. In fact, normally, the Thais totally mess up Vietnamese food.

Which Vietnamese restaurants have you tried here? Just so we know which to avoid.

Expecting Thai's to prepare Americanized Vietnamese cuisine may be unreasonable? ( In my small town in the U.S. we welcomed a Vietnamese family as emigrants back in 1975; they quickly opened a restuarant, which is still going strong, so I have been enjoying Americanized Vietnamese food for well over 30 years. )

[Jingthing]

I lived near a vietnamese area in the USA and the food was amazing. I have never had anything close to it here either. In fact, normally, the Thais totally mess up Vietnamese food.

Which Vietnamese restaurants have you tried here? Just so we know which to avoid.

Expecting Thai's to prepare Americanized Vietnamese cuisine may be unreasonable? ( In my small town in the U.S. we welcomed a Vietnamese family as emigrants back in 1975; they quickly opened a restuarant, which is still going strong, so I have been enjoying Americanized Vietnamese food for well over 30 years. )

I don't think you get it. The Vietnamese food in Vietnamese areas in the USA is cooked for VIETNAMESE tastes! The places I went most had 90 percent Vietnamese customers. Americanized Vietnamese my arse.

Edited March 8, 2013 by Jingthing

[wayned]

I lived near a vietnamese area in the USA and the food was amazing. I have never had anything close to it here either. In fact, normally, the Thais totally mess up Vietnamese food.

Which Vietnamese restaurants have you tried here? Just so we know which to avoid.

Expecting Thai's to prepare Americanized Vietnamese cuisine may be unreasonable? ( In my small town in the U.S. we welcomed a Vietnamese family as emigrants back in 1975; they quickly opened a restuarant, which is still going strong, so I have been enjoying Americanized Vietnamese food for well over 30 years. )

I don't think you get it. The Vietnamese food in Vietnamese areas in the USA is cooked for VIETNAMESE tastes! The places I went most had 90 percent Vietnamese customers. Americanized Vietnamese my arse.

They really don't get it! little Siagon, just south of LA, Vietnamese food cooked by Vietnamese for Vetnamese people, they could care less about your nationality! Good food! Best that I've had in Bangkok was Le Dalat (spelling) on Soi 23 but a long time ago. If I want it now, I cook it myself!

[lomatopo]

I've been to Le Dalat a few times, and the food is pretty good and everyone in our larger parties have enjoyed it; the ambiance is fantastic. Very similar to Vietnamese restaurants I've been to in the U.S. (not little Saigon). When I worked in Lowell, MA back in the '80's there were quite a few Vietnamese and Cambodian immigrants who operated smallish restaurants for local immigrants and us locals; the food seemed relatively authentic but maybe not the same as Cali? I've only been to Vietnam once, Hanoi, and enjoyed the Pho and Bun Cha. I assume there is some regionality to the cuisine, that I am am unfamiliar with?

[lomatopo]

I found a couple of blog posts:

http://www.iguidebangkok.com/?page_id=10157

http://riya-kitchen.blogspot.com/2007/08/vietnamese-food-in-bangkok.html

with some ideas, hopefully not too out of date?

I did also remember a smallish place we went for a work lunch, on the right side of Nathiriwat Rajagarindra 1 (parallel to/between Silom and Surwaong, behind the ITF Tower), can't remember the n ame, but is was pretty good.)