Pho Viet

Special thanks to Pho Viet for extending this food review invitation.

Update: This business has ceased its operations.

Pho Viet is a small Vietnamese eatery along Beach Street (Lebuh Pantai). Its food menu is a combination of traditional dishes from various regions around the country. The restaurant is operated by ethnic Vietnamese, so you can expect the food here to be as authentic as it gets.

The restaurant's entrance is decorated with Vietnamese lanterns and nón lá (farmer's hats). Stepping inside, the dining section presents a homely feeling reminiscent of Vietnamese hospitality. Because Pho Viet is celebrating International Women's Day this weekend, the dining tables are covered with red tablecloths.

Today's meal begins with a starter dish called Gỏi Bưởi (RM18.00). The plate of pomelo and shrimp salad is served with sweet sauce. The dressing also has moderate spiciness, which does a good job in building appetite.

Combo Set B (RM29.00) allows customers to savor gỏi cuốn. These Vietnamese spring rolls contain a variety of fillings like chicken, beef, pork or shrimps, as well as bún (rice vermicelli) and vegetables. The skin is made of soft rice paper called bánh tráng. As for condiments, the platter comes with nước chấm (spicy fish sauce) and tương đậu phộng (peanut sauce).

Diners can also opt for Combo Set A (RM39.00), which comprises of gỏi cuốn, chả rế (deep-fried spring rolls) and chạo tôm (grilled prawn cakes on lemongrass sticks). These signature finger foods are best enjoyed with nước chấm and tương đậu phộng.

Phở Bò (RM14.00) is perhaps one of the most iconic Vietnamese dishes to most people outside Vietnam. The broth is boiled with beef bones for over 8 hours, culminating in immensely rich flavors. Phở Bò is customarily eaten with bánh phở (rice noodle), beef slices, coriander and onions. Served on the side are húng quế (Thai basil), bean sprouts, red chili peppers and lime.

If you are fond of fried tofu, Đậu Hũ Chiên Xả (RM10.00) should appeal to your palate. Tofu is prepared in bite-size pieces in order to maximize its crispiness. Lemongrass and chili peppers season the tofu in an appetizing manner. I cannot recommend this dish highly enough.

Cà Phê Sữa Đá (RM7.50) is probably the most popular drink here. I love the bitter aftertaste of Vietnamese coffee on my tongue. As for something refreshing, Sả Gừng Đá (RM7.00) has a soothing aroma as it is cooked from fresh lemongrass and ginger. Meanwhile, Chè Ba Màu (RM7.00) is the Vietnamese equivalent of Penang's local cendol.

Pho Viet has recently introduced a kids menu in effort to present a family-friendly setting. For example, this kids' meal consists of French fries, meatballs and watermelon cubes. Adorable plates and cutlery are used.

Each kids' meal comes with a glass of nước ép cam (orange juice). The drink has the right level of sweetness. A slice of orange on the glass' rim is for decorative purpose.

Pho Viet places strong emphasis on cooking food from scratch, which explains why it does not use MSG when preparing any of its dishes. To keep food taste as authentic as possible, the restaurant sources most ingredients from Vietnam. In spite of that, the food pricing here remains fairly affordable for most people.

Name: Pho Viet
Address: 496, Lebuh Pantai, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 012-559-1905
Business hours: 11:00am-10:00pm, closed on Thursdays
Website: https://www.facebook.com/phovietvietnamesecuisine
Coordinates: 5.41226 N, 100.33460 E
Directions: Pho Viet is located on Beach Street (Lebuh Pantai), next to Magpie Heritage and near the intersection with Lebuh Prangin. Street parking is available along Beach Street.

Viet Food

Viet Food Cuisine Restaurant is a Vietnamese restaurant at Taman Kheng Tian, Jelutong. The restaurant is operated by ethnic Vietnamese, so I am expecting to see more authentic recipes here.

Stepping inside the eatery, the ambience here is rather homely. The walls of this family-friendly restaurant are covered by pinkish wallpapers and photos of popular landmarks in Vietnam.

Pho Bo (RM12.90) is a beef noodle dish that uses a type of flat rice noodle called "bánh phở". Unlike other recipes that I have tasted before, this version is quite reddish because it contains a number of spices. I love the rich taste of the soup.

Other ingredients in Pho Bo are beef slices, beef balls, bean sprouts and onions. The beef slices are quite tough, though. Lime juice and red chili peppers serve as condiments. Go easy with the chilies because they are extremely spicy.

Café Sua Nong (RM5.00) is a popular Vietnamese drink. It is prepared in a drip filter called cà phê phin. Hot water is poured over ground coffee in the filter. Brewed coffee trickles down to the glass below where it mixes with condensed milk. I appreciate the strong taste of Vietnamese coffee.

Viet Food has a small section which displays imported merchandise from Vietnam. Items on sale are coffee, rice paper (bánh tráng), bánh phở, bún (rice vermicelli), instant noodles and condiments.

Address: 9-1-15, Jalan Van Praagh, Taman Kheng Tian, 11600 Jelutong, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 012-560-9659
Business hours: 11:00am-10:00pm, closed on Thursdays

Taste

Presentation

Ambience

Hospitality

Value

Ăn Viet

Special thanks to Ăn Viet for extending this food review invitation.

After its debut at The Gardens Mall and another outlet in Sunway Pyramid, Ăn Viet opens its third restaurant at Gurney Plaza late last year. Ăn Viet is founded on the principle of minimizing food wastage. The proprietors feel that Vietnamese cooking is a good platform to pursue this goal. By the way, the phrase "Ăn Viet" means "to eat Vietnamese (food)".

Ăn Viet presents a casual dining atmosphere, making it suitable for family-style dining. The food menu revolves around home-cooked Vietnamese recipes. The dishes were inspired during a fact-finding mission to Vietnam before Ăn Viet's opening. Ăn Viet's menu leans towards northern Vietnamese cooking, but several southern recipes are also featured.

Gỏi Cuốn (RM9.90) is one of the popular appetizers on the menu. These Vietnamese spring rolls are filled with cooked tiger prawns, rice vermicelli (bún), carrots, cucumber, lettuce and Thai basil (húng quế). The ingredients are wrapped in chewy rice paper (bánh tráng), which unlike Chả Giò (fried spring rolls), is not cooked.

I enjoy the soothing aroma of Thai basil. While the overall taste is mild, the spring rolls go well with sweet-and-tangy fish sauce called nước chấm. The sauce is not overpowering and only serves to accentuate the freshness of juicy vegetables.

Bánh Tráng Nướng (RM9.90) is a specialty in Ho Chi Minh City. I would describe it as a cross between a pancake and a pizza. The skin is made from the same rice paper as Gỏi Cuốn, but the snack is grilled to a light crisp. Inside the cracker are savory fillings such as minced pork, egg, mayonnaise and dried shrimps. Scallions, shallots and spices are also added for extra flavor. Try this dish if you are particularly fond of pork.

Bún Chả (RM18.90) is a pork-and-noodle delicacy from Hanoi. It consists of a bowl of diluted nước chấm with pork meatballs, sliced pork belly and pickles. A separate rattan tray contains bún, Thai basil, mint and lettuce. At Ăn Viet, rice vermicelli is sourced from Vietnam because locally-produced ones do not make the cut.

The proper way to enjoy Bún Chả is by first adding fresh vegetables to the sauce. Next, dip a mouthful of bún into the sauce, and then slurp the springy noodle into the mouth. I find the pork and meatballs to be truly gratifying. For RM4.00 more, the meal comes with an appetizer and a bowl of soup.

Bánh Mì (RM14.90) is another recommended dish on Ăn Viet's menu. The sandwich contains grilled pork chops (sườn nướng), tomato slices, sliced lettuce, sliced cucumber, shredded carrots and homemade pickles. The pork's tantalizing toastiness is what makes the sandwich so appealing. To enhance flavor, a dash of Sriracha sauce is added to the pork chops.

Vietnamese bread is pretty similar to French baguette but the former is considerably airier. Bread is widely eaten in Vietnam as the country was historically under French colonial rule. Go for this dish if you seek a filling meal. In lieu of pork, diners can opt for grilled lemongrass chicken or vegetarian patty instead.

Xôi Chiên Phồng (RM14.90) starts off from a small lump of glutinous rice. The lump is deep-fried in a wok for more than 10 minutes. Throughout the duration, the rice is continuously shaped with a spatula until it eventually puffs up to several times its original size. Although Xôi Chiên Phồng is as large as a child's head, it is actually hollow inside. It has a chewy texture as opposed to being crispy.

Xôi Chiên Phồng comes with a serving of grilled lemongrass chicken and green mango salad. Also included are roasted peanuts, coriander and carrots. The salad resembles Tam Mamuang (ตำมะม่วง) in Thai cuisine but the former is not nearly as spicy. As Xôi Chiên Phồng takes lots of time to prepare, there is a limited quantity every day. Advance ordering is highly recommended.

Moving on to drinks, Cà Phê Sữa Nóng (RM7.90) is Vietnam's most popular beverage. Unlike most coffee-growing countries, Vietnam primarily produces Robusta beans. The conventional way to brew Vietnamese coffee is by using a metal drip filter called cà phê phin. Ăn Viet provides condensed milk in a separate cup so that customers can control the coffee's level of sweetness.

As for ice blended drinks, Sinh Tố Dừa (RM10.90) is made from coconut water, coconut flesh and coconut ice cream. The smoothie has a refreshing taste and serves as an excellent thirst quencher. In the effort to reduce waste, Ăn Viet only provides plastic straws upon request.

Viet-ffogato (RM9.90) differs from regular affogato in two ways. Firstly, Viet-ffogato uses Vietnamese drip-brewed coffee instead of espresso. Secondly, the ice cream is made from frozen condensed milk as opposed to the usual vanilla ice cream. Coconut cream is provided separately.

Trà Atisô Nóng (RM6.90 per cup, RM9.90 per pot) is Vietnamese artichoke tea. Dried artichoke is steeped in hot water for several minutes to impart its essence. The herbal tea is very mild in taste but is soothing as the drink trickles down the throat. Drinking artichoke tea is believed to be good for health as the artichoke is one of the richest natural sources of antioxidants.

Xả Gừng Nóng (RM7.90 per glass, RM10.90 per jug) is another herbal drink at Ăn Viet. The tea is prepared from actual lemongrass and ginger, not from instant powder. The drink also includes a lemongrass stalk that serves as a stirrer.

The overall food taste at Ăn Viet is satisfying to the palate. The restaurant does not cut corners when it comes to food preparation. Nearly every ingredient is prepared from scratch and food is only cooked to order. Ăn Viet does not use much garnishing for food presentation, but instead focuses on incorporating premium ingredients especially fresh vegetables.

Ăn Viet encourages its customers to avoid food wastage. Customers are allowed to choose the amount of rice or noodle when placing their orders. Even in the event that the portion is insufficient, the restaurant is happy to top-up to the larger serving size at no extra cost. To further incentivize diners to finish their meals, Ăn Viet donates RM0.10 to the Food Aid Foundation for every customer who leaves no leftovers.

Name: Ăn Viet
Address: 170-B1-32A, Plaza Gurney, Persiaran Gurney, 10250 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-293-3481
Business hours: 11:00am-10:00pm (Monday-Friday), 10:00am-10:00pm (Saturday-Sunday, public holiday)
Website: http://www.anviet.com.my
Coordinates: 5.43783 N, 100.30985 E
Directions: Ăn Viet is located at the Basement level of Gurney Plaza, sandwiched between Seoul Garden Hot Pot and The Little Nyonya Cuisine. Gurney Plaza has basement and multi-level parking garages.

Little Saigon

Special thanks to Little Saigon Vietnamese Cuisine for extending this food review invitation.

Update: This business has ceased its operations.

Situated on Lebuh Melaka, Little Saigon Vietnamese Cuisine is somewhat off the beaten path. Nevertheless, this Vietnamese restaurant is quite popular among locals. As its name implies, Little Saigon specializes in southern Vietnam dishes.

The air-conditioned dining section is reasonably spacious. Hung on its orange walls are photos of famous landmarks in Vietnam. Meanwhile, a small shelf behind the cash register displays Vietnamese merchandise such as coffee, noodles and condiments.

Today's lunch begins with an appetizer: Banh Khot (Bánh Khọt, RM9.90 for 4 pieces, RM16.90 for 8 pieces). These fried pancakes are made of rice flour and contain coconut milk and pork. The pancakes are quite soft and fairly sweet. Meanwhile, chili sauce is provided in a separate saucer.

Cha Gio Chien (Chả Giò Chiên, RM12.90) is another appetizer that is popular in southern Vietnam. These spring rolls are filled with taro and minced pork, and rolled in a sheet of rice paper. The rolls are then deep-fried such that the outer coating becomes crispy.

Pho Bo Uc (Phở Bò Úc, RM16.90) is one of the most recognizable dishes in Vietnamese cuisine. The broth is prepared by simmering beef bones and various herbs for several days. For customers who do not take beef, chicken and pork versions are available too.

Pho Bo Uc uses a type of flat rice noodle called bánh phở. This dish also contains succulent slices of Australian beef. Thai basil (húng quế) and bean sprouts are served on the side. Condiments include hot sauce (tương ớt), fish sauce (nước mắm), Vietnamese chili peppers and lime.

Meanwhile for customers who prefer rice, Little Saigon has a surprisingly large variety of à la carte dishes. I highly recommend Thit Kho Tieu (Thịt Kho Tiêu, RM13.90). Served in a claypot, tender pieces of pork belly are seasoned with savory pepper sauce. Enjoy this dish while it is still hot; every morsel of pork is tantalizing to the palate!

Meanwhile, diners who do take beef may want to try a plate of Bo Xao Bong He (Bò Xào Bông Hẹ, RM15.90). The dish comprises of stir-fried Australian beef with garlic chives and onions. Onions provide much-needed juiciness to balance the strong taste of red meat.

Dau Bap Xao Sate (Đậu Bắp Xào Sa Tế, RM10.90) combines okra (lady's fingers) and onions using sweet satay sauce. This vegetable dish goes better with rice as the sauce is somewhat intense in flavor.

Cafe Sua Nong (Cà Phê Sữa Nóng, RM5.90) is prepared from Vietnamese coffee beans. Dark roast gives the coffee exceptionally bold taste. There is also an iced version of this drink called Cafe Sua Da (Cà Phê Sữa Đá, RM6.90). In either case, the coffee is brewed in a drip filter called "cà phê phin".

Hot water is poured over finely-ground coffee and is allowed to seep through for several minutes. Drip by drip, filtered coffee mixes with condensed milk in the cup below. Little Saigon uses condensed milk that is imported from Vietnam because it has richer taste than its Malaysian counterpart.

Little Saigon's menu covers a wide range of dishes to cater individual diners as well as families. Vietnamese steamboat is available too but I have yet to try it. The restaurant's recipes reflect the very basics of homestyle cooking, essentially how a typical Vietnamese family cooks at home. As for pricing, the food here is pretty affordable.

Name: Little Saigon Vietnamese Cuisine
Address: 37, Lebuh Melaka, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-218-9686
Business hours: 11:00am-10:30pm, closed on Wednesdays
Website: https://www.facebook.com/littlesaigonpg1
Coordinates: 5.41286 N, 100.32302 E
Directions: Driving eastbound along Jalan Dato Keramat, turn left to Lebuh Melaka. Little Saigon is approximately 100 meters down the road on the left. Street parking is available along Halaman Melaka.