Subject:

Vietnamese Food and Cooking

  • Food

    May 16, 2013

    Pho Quyen: Absolutely Sweet Little Saigon

    [Hole In the Wall] This Westminster spot makes good pho, but go for the to-go specials

  • Blogs

    May 8, 2013

    Sriracha-Flavored Lay's Loses To Cheesy-Garlic Bread Flavor in Potato Chip Contest

    In an upset victory, Cheesy Garlic Bread has triumphed over Sriracha in Lay's Potato Chips "Do Us A Flavor" contest. Short of saying that this might indicate that the Sriracha craze has finally ebbed, we actually never got to taste any of the three finalists...so Cheesy Garlic Bread might have actua ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 30, 2013

    Mama Hong's, New Vietnamese Restaurant, Opens in Costa Mesa

    I've lost track of how many iterations of pho joint has occupied the space at 3013 Harbor Blvd. in Costa Mesa. A few years ago I ate at one called Pho 99, which at the time was part of a larger chain. That restaurant has since become a blip in the timeline, replaced by another pho restaurant. But w ... More >>

  • Food

    April 25, 2013

    Hue Oi: Boiling Down to the Basics

    This Hue-style joint is one of Little Saigon's best places for bánh bèo and bún bò hue

  • Blogs

    April 22, 2013

    Trader Joe's Now Has Its Own Sriracha

    See Also: *Five Signs You May Have A Sriracha Problem *Introducing Sriracha Lip Balm *INFOGRAPHIC: 10 Things You Should Know About Sriracha Trader Joe's has tried its hand at packaged Asian cuisine with varying levels of success. Its Punjab choley? Tasty. Its beef pho? Why?!But its ballsiest creati ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 18, 2013

    Long Beach Lunch: Number Nine

    Sorry to all the animal-lovers out there, but "vegetarian pho" is definitely an oxymoron, so much so that the very association of it with Long Beach's Number Nine has left many avoiding the place despite its convenient location on Fourth Street's Retro Row. But a recent lunch with a vegetarian broug ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 26, 2013

    Banh Mi Che Cali Opens Gigantic Restaurant in Fullerton Next To Lee's Sandwiches; Let The Banh Mi Battle Begin!

    A banh mi turf war is brewing in Fullerton. Banh Mi Che Cali, which we've written about here on these blogs and featured on our Best Of lists, Favorite Dishes lists, and lists of other lists, has opened what has to be their biggest, most gigantic store yet...and this one also serves pho in an a ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 25, 2013

    Eleven46, New Vietnamese Restaurant in Foothill Ranch, Offers Beignets!

    A new Vietnamese restaurant in isn't news, especially in South County, the new pho frontier. But a Vietnamese restaurant that serves beignets in South County? You don't see that everyday.

  • Food

    February 14, 2013

    Thanh Ha's Crepe Expectations

    The Vietnamese crepes at this Westminster restaurant are a worthy challenger to those at the venerable Van's Restaurant

  • Blogs

    January 25, 2013

    10 Things You Must Eat in Little Saigon

    In creating this list, I asked myself this question: Where would I take out-of-town visitors to explore the wonders of our Little Saigon? And what would I have them eat? In all honesty, I came up with more than you see below. My notepad is filled with at least a dozen more tasty bits I didn't have r ... More >>

  • Food

    January 24, 2013

    Pho Song Hai's Drip In Time

    [Hole In the Wall] This Westminster pho shop sells a unique type of the legendary chicken soup

  • Food

    November 29, 2012

    Phuong Restaurant's Viet Funk

    [Hole In the Wall] This Garden Grove classic serves messy, wonderful bowls of soup and noodles

  • Food

    August 23, 2012

    The Mein Event: OC's Best Noodles

    Noodles, noodles everywhere, from pho to pad Thai and everything else

  • Food

    August 9, 2012

    Van's Restaurant Is Off the Wall

    [Hole In the Wall] This Little Saigon classic makes the best bánh xeo around—just prepare to get messy

  • Blogs

    July 31, 2012

    Three New Vietnamese Restaurants Open

    They always seems to come in bunches don't they: Vietnamese restaurants. In the past couple of weeks I've observed not one, not two but three new Vietnamese restaurants opening in our fair county. And those are just the ones I know about. Who knows what brand spanking, new businesses have sproute ... More >>

  • Blogs

    June 6, 2012

    Five Signs You May Have a Sriracha Problem

    When it comes to Sriracha love, almost anything goes. Sriracha lollipops, Sriracha keychains, Sriracha spray bottles--all accepted and applauded. But beware, cock sauce fiends--there is a line. Crossing it may lead to disastrous consequences (usually in the bathroom).  We're here to help. Here ... More >>

  • Food

    May 17, 2012

    Pho Bo Vang, Ann's Pho & Teriyaki and Maison de Pho and the Closing of the Pho Frontier

    A pho proliferation in South OC bodes well for the assimilation of Vietnamese food

  • Food

    March 8, 2012

    Pho Binh Sells Vietnamese Taquitos?

    [Hole In the Wall] This Santa Ana restaurant sells pho, bun and other Vietnamese faves to a Latino clientele

  • Blogs

    February 24, 2012

    Ten Great Vietnamese Restaurants in Orange County

    ​Pity the other publications in the stable o' stallions that is Village Voice Media, because they have to come up with a list like this, too--and they don't have Little Saigon sitting smack dab in the middle of their publication area. How do we choose from the hundreds--yes, multiple hundreds--of ... More >>

  • Food

    February 17, 2012

    Huong Giang Is Hue Great

    [Hole In the Wall] This Little Saigon standard excels with the dishes of Central Vietnam

  • Food

    January 26, 2012

    Hoa Sen Serves Cheatin' Chicken

    [Hole In the Wall] The Garden Grove Vietnamese dive sells fake meats even a Midwesterner could love

  • Blogs

    January 23, 2012

    Irvine Loses One Vietnamese Restaurant; Gains Another

    Edwin Goei​The latter half of last year saw three new Vietnamese restaurants opening in Irvine, with Pho So 1, La Pho, and Pho Saigon Pearl vying for the wallets and mouths of the rice noodle-slurping public. It continues this year as The Irvine Company revealed that at least one more Vietnamese r ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 20, 2011

    Report (and Photos) From Last Night's Dos Lime Pop-Up

    Meg Strouse/OC WeeklyCrispy-skin salmon with orange couscous, watermelon, mango and tomatillo sauce.​See Meg Strouse's slideshow of last night's Dos Lime dinner here!We've never understood what led Jason Quinn and Hop Phan to open food trucks, other than lower startup costs, but whatever the motiv ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 16, 2011

    Diamond Jamboree To Get a Pho Restaurant

    Edwin Goei​Well that was quick. Greek Islands Cuisine has only been closed less than a month and already Diamond Jamboree has another tenant lined up to take its place--a pho joint. Pho Saigon Pearl will be the first and, so far, the only Vietnamese restaurant to make its mark in the predomin ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 9, 2011

    No. 25: Happy Hour Pho at Pho Thanh Lich

    ​Welcome to the Weekly's list of our 100 Favorite Dishes for 2011. Tune in every day until we get to número uno! Now, on to the latest entry.Dave, Edwin, Shuji and I are still pretty pho'ed out from our epic Final Pho tournament earlier this year; otherwise, the winning Pho Thanh Lich would've pr ... More >>

  • Food

    June 2, 2011

    Banh Mi So Is a Big Buffet in Little Saigon

    [Hole In the Wall] This Vietnamese buffet in Westminster changes its dozens of offerings by the hour

  • Blogs

    May 12, 2011

    World's Most Expensive Bowl of Pho Goes for $5,000

    Edwin Goei/OC WeeklyAnQi's basic $9 pho. Pretty good, but will $4,991 in gourmet ingredients (and some cash for charity) make it better? We would hope. ​The pho experience is anything but fancy, and that's just fine for all of us at SAFII. Tarnished napkin holders, murky ice water, tattered booths ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 4, 2011

    The Banh Mi Burger at Pee Wee's Famous Hot Dogs

    ​I've been talking to a lot of people lately about the Vietnamese influence on Orange County's food. Everything from the fusion French-Vietnamese bistros that only seem to exist in Little Saigon to luxe loncheras like Dos Chinos who fuse Vietnamese and Mexican flavors together.Usually, the discuss ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 25, 2011

    Banh Mi Cho Cu Goes "Mua 2 Tang 1"

    ​The sign above--taken under poor lighting conditions as we headed up Magnolia last night--announces news of great import for lovers of the Vietnamese sandwich: Banh Mi Cho Cu is now offering the same "buy 2, get 1 free" special for which its chief rival, Banh Mi Che Cali, is known.

  • Blogs

    April 15, 2011

    Eat Here, Not There: High-End Bánh Mì

    ProfessorSalt.comVegetarian banh mi​Little Saigon has the best bánh mì shops in the nation, despite the absurd New York Times story we ridiculed here on this blog a couple months ago. Sure, the San Gabriel Valley has a few great shops, as do San Jose and a number of other Vietnamese enclaves acr ... More >>

  • Food

    April 14, 2011

    Pho Thanh Lich: The Undisputed Best Pho in OC

    [Hole In the Wall] Bow before your pho king-god and try the winner of our recent Final Pho tournament

  • Blogs

    March 31, 2011

    Final Pho, Semi-Final: Pho Thanh Lich vs. Pho Quang Trung

    Photo by the Elmo MonsterPho Than Lich's beautiful bowl​​Here we are: the semifinals; the Final Pho. Sixteen of Orange County's finest pho shops have been whittled down to four. The winner of today's matchup will face the winner of the Pho Thanh Lich vs. Pho Quang Trung match on Friday in the ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 29, 2011

    Final Pho, Semi-Final Round: Pho Nguyen Hue vs. Brodard Chateau

    Pho Nguyen Hue's chicken pho​​Here we are: the semifinals; the Final Pho. Sixteen of Orange County's finest pho shops have been whittled down to four. The winner of today's matchup will face the winner of the Pho Thanh Lich vs. Pho Quang Trung match on Friday in the championship to declare the f ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 25, 2011

    Final Pho, Round 2: Pho 86 vs. Pho Quang Trung

    Pho Quang Trung's "grab bag o' beef" pho​​Welcome to OC Weekly's Final Pho. Sixteen pho shops chosen from the more than 100 in the county; four critics who know what the pho makes a good bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup. The chosen 16 will face off in each of our brackets, two by two. Today, th ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 24, 2011

    Final Pho Round 2: Pho Thanh Lich vs. Quan Hop

    ProfessorSalt.comQuon Hop's rare filet mignon "onside" with its cup of cooking broth​​Welcome to OC Weekly's Final Pho. Sixteen pho shops chosen from the more than 100 in the county; four critics who know what the pho makes a good bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup. The chosen 16 will face off in ea ... More >>

  • Food

    March 24, 2011

    Saigon Bakery: OC's Banh Mi Champeen?

    [Hole In the Wall] This Westminster eatery specializes in the Vietnamese sandwich and other baked goodies.

  • Blogs

    March 23, 2011

    Final Pho Round 2: Benley vs. Brodard Chateau

    Edwin GoeiBrodard Chateau's Pho​​Welcome to OC Weekly's Final Pho. Sixteen pho shops chosen from the more than 100 in the county; four critics who know what the pho makes a good bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup. The chosen 16 will face off in each of our brackets, two by two. The next match-up in ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 22, 2011

    Final Pho Round 2: Pho Dakao vs. Pho Nguyen Hue

    Just like the marquee says!​​Here we go, folks: Round 2 of our epic Final Pho tournament, where Dave, Edwin, Shuji, and Gustavo each picked four pho restaurants in a 16-team fight to determine who is the pho king of Little Saigon--and therefore, the United States. Now comes the brutal matches, a ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 21, 2011

    Final Pho, Round 1: Pho 79 vs. Pho 86

    Pho 79's pho tai nam ve gan gau--rare and well-done beef, flank, brisket and tendons​​Welcome to OC Weekly's Final Pho. Sixteen pho shops chosen from the more than 100 in the county; four critics who know what the pho makes a good bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup. The chosen 16 will face off in ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 20, 2011

    Final Pho Round 1: Pho Thang Long vs. Quan Hop

    ProfessorSalt.comQuan Hop's Pho Hop Tai Onside​​Welcome to OC Weekly's Final Pho. Sixteen pho shops chosen from the more than 100 in the county; four critics who know what the pho makes a good bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup. The chosen 16 will face off in each of our brackets, two by two. The ne ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 19, 2011

    Final Pho Round 1: Brodard Chateau vs. S Vietnamese Fine Dining

    Edwin GoeiBrodard Chateau's Pho​​Welcome to OC Weekly's Final Pho. Sixteen pho shops chosen from the more than 100 in the county; four critics who know what the pho makes a good bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup. The chosen 16 will face off in each of our brackets, two by two. The next match-up has ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 18, 2011

    Final Pho Round 1: Pho Hien Vuong vs. Pho Nguyen Hue

    Pho Hien Vuong: OC's OG pho?​​Welcome to OC Weekly's Final Pho. Sixteen pho shops chosen from the more than 100 in the county; four critics who know what the pho makes a good bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup. The chosen 16 will face off in each of our brackets, two by two. Now, Gustavo's final ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 17, 2011

    Final Pho, Round 1: Pho Kimmy vs. Pho Quang Trung

    Dave LiebermanPho Kimmy's pho dac biet​​Welcome to OC Weekly's Final Pho. Sixteen pho shops chosen from the more than 100 in the county; four critics who know what the pho makes a good bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup. The chosen 16 will face off in each of our brackets, two by two. Today's match ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 16, 2011

    Final Pho Round 1: Pho Thanh Lich vs. Pho Vinh Ky II

    ProfessorSalt.comPho Thanh Lich's Pho Dac Biet​​Four pho shops face off in each of our brackets, two by two. For today's bout, two of Little Saigon's old-school heavyweights square off and trade body blows until only one leaves the ring alive. In the red green corner--Pho Thanch Lich, last year' ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 15, 2011

    Final Pho Round 1: AnQi vs. Benley

    ​Second match in our 16-restaurant tournament to determine once and for all who sells the best pho in Orange County. Tune in tomorrow for Shuji 's showdown!In an earlier review of the place, I summarized Benley as a Vietnamese restaurant for the non-Vietnamese. I even went so far as to warn anyon ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 8, 2011

    Announcing OC Weekly's First-Ever Final Pho!

    Dave Lieberman​If you are a sports fan, you are looking forward to the coming NCAA Division I basketball tournament, famously known as March Madness and the Final Four. If you are a fan of Vietnamese food, you love pho, the legendary beef (sometimes chicken, sometimes turkey, sometimes fish, somet ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 3, 2011

    Dueling Dishes: Fish Pho

    ProfessorSalt.comTake the hint​When an ethnic restaurant specializes in a particular thing--say, a Cantonese barbecue restaurant--you'll know the specialty of the house because it's proudly displayed the moment you set food inside. In the example of that Cantonese-roasted-meats specialist, they'll ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 7, 2011

    New York Times Names the Best Bánh Mìs in America--and Not One is From Little Saigon

    Flickr user svensk​The New York Times' coverage of Vietnamese food has always been laughable--who can ever forget its decade-late feature on Sriracha or it declaring 2009 the "year of the bánh mì" (while neglecting to mention Little Saigon among the nation's Vietnamese enclaves) about seven year ... More >>

  • Food

    February 3, 2011

    Cafe Lotus Lives La Vie Vietnamese in Newport

    With great French and Vietnamese offerings, this place is better-suited for Little Saigon than the Hoag Hospital crowd

  • Blogs

    January 19, 2011

    Washington Post Thinks Higher-End Pho Is a Revelation--HAHAHAHA!

    Photo by Das Ubergeek​What is it about the national media that gets Vietnamese-food trends laughably late and wrong? If it's not The New York Times "discovering" Sriracha and bánh mì, it's the Washington Post devoting way too many words to some D.C.-area chefs who, as the headline puts it, "put ... More >>

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