Huynh's Vietnamese Cuisine

We tried a new Vietnamese place last week called Huynh's. Located in the West End of Richmond at 5905 W. Broad, the storefront is unassuming. We were glad they had an "Open" sign to let us know they were, indeed, open.

The interior was neatly laid out with a few decorative touches.

The menu contained some of the usual Vietnamese offerings for this area, but also carried a few different items. So, we took our time perusing the menu before ordering.

To start we had Fried Chicken Potstickers

and Jicama Root Shrimp Rolls.

The potstickers left a lot to be desired. The dough was thick and the chicken rather bland. The Jicama Root Shrimp Rolls were outstanding! I liked the use of the jicama. I would definitely order these again.

For entrees hubby had the Pineapple Chicken Stir-Fry (pineapples, celery, carrot, onion and bell pepper in a tangy sweet and sour sauce).

This dish was a lot lighter than a traditional sweet and sour chicken. The sauce was more subtle and the dish more fresh-tasting.

I ordered the House-Grill Vermicelli - pork, shrimp, chicken, and spring roll served with iceberg lettuce, basil, cucumber, bean sprouts, marinated carrots, crushed peanuts, and fish sauce.

Since I detest bean sprouts and cucumbers do not agree with me, the kitchen kindly left these off of my dish. No matter the restaurant, I love this noodle salad. At Huynh's the appeal was the variety of the meat ingredients. I liked having both grilled chicken and pork and shrimp. The spring roll was a bonus. Very satisfying.

Lovely experience for our tastebuds and we plan to return. The only suggestion I would have is to consider a delivery service.

Old Friends and a New Acquaintance

My husband and I visited some old friends recently and introduced ourselves to a new acquaintance that is sure to become an old friend.

On a Tuesday we headed to Tarrant’s Café to once again take our medicine. I ordered the same thing that I did the first time – Grilled Cheese (with ham and bacon) on Texas toast with the out-of-this-world potato salad. And as always, the garlic bread knots were extremely scrumptious. My husband tried the Manicotti special and enjoyed the thick, gooey cheese as well as the drizzling of pesto. I adored our waiter – he of the tall bearded sort with a very pleasant deep voice. And on this weeknight, custom was slow. If you want an inexpensive, very delicious meal – go to Tarrant’s Café on a weeknight and order a sandwich. And I promised myself that the next time I go, I’ll order the Talapia with Lobster Cream Sauce…

On the opposite end from Tarrant’s Café lies Texas de Brazil. My husband had a birthday coupon – buy a meal, get a free meal. The last time we had been there the service was sub-par (the newness was wearing off and our waitress was not hitting on much). This time we probably had the best service we had ever experienced at the place. Used plates were promptly whisked away and the waitress continued to be attentive in refilling our wine glasses and refolding our napkins when we headed for the salad bar. And a new wine was added to the wine list – 2002 Oberon Merlot Napa Valley for $36. A great pairing with the filet and the flank steak. If you go to Texas de Brazil, sign up for email alerts on their web site. The coupons make this high price place a little more affordable. You can also make reservations via Open Table.

The last place was an old friend, indeed. Mekong has been enjoyed by us for years. And its transformation into a specialty beer and ale hub as well as possessing a decent wine list makes dining there all the better. On this night we perused the red wine list a little more thoroughly and discovered a rare gem – 2000 Neyers Syrah Hudson Vineyards Napa Valley. The $45 price tag was very reasonable. The 2005 version is selling for $48 at the winery. And the wine was silky smooth, bursting with cassis, accompanied by black cherry undertones. I ordered Banh Hoi Thit Nuong - Grilled pork with steamed rice vermicelli – one of the house grill platters. My husband had the beef sautéed in a light brown garlicky sauce with green beans and onions. When we go back we might take a gander at the Chateau Gloria…

Despite a wealth of old friends, new acquaintances can also be fun. And the new Italian ice cream place at Gayton Crossing Shopping Center – DeLuca Gelato was delightful. They carried a variety of gelato and sorbetto and encouraged tasting before deciding (which is good since the flavors are listed in Italian). The chocolate hazelnut was yummy, yummy and jam-packed with flavor. And if you are really craving the stuff, try a Frappel – a gelato milkshake.

Mekong Musings

Mekong, the Vietnamese restaurant on Broad Street, has been around for quite a while. It’s still my favorite Vietnamese place. Over the years, they have expanded capacity and established a killer beer and ale list along with a very nice wine list. I’m particularly fond of the Ace Pear Cider ($6.95 for 500 ml bottle) that is a great accompaniment to any dish served with nuoc cham (the slightly spicy, slightly sweet, vinegary fish sauce).

With any favorite place come favorite dishes. At Mekong I have one. The reason I only have one favorite is a bit embarrassing. Except for one occasion, I have only ordered one dish – Rice Noodle Salad with either the grilled pork or grilled beef and chicken. I know it’s insane, but I adore and even crave this dish at times. One day I’ll break out of my rut. I know Mekong prepares other fabulous entrees as well, but, I stuck to tradition last night…

Bun Bo Cha Nuong – Grilled beef and chicken rice noodle salad. Served with chopped lettuce, cucumber, bean sprout, pickled carrot, scallion, room temperature rice noodles, topped with crushed peanuts and served with nuoc cham on the side. I ordered mine minus the cucumber and bean sprout. The fish sauce (which I can’t rave about enough) last night was a tad spicier than usual, which both my husband and I appreciated. I liked the amalgamation of tastes and textures – fresh, grilled, sweet, sour, hot. And all for $6.95.

Other menu items are listed on Mekong’s website – www.Mekong-Restaurant.com. Check it out to find a dish you can rave about.