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.

Dinner at Chez Foushee

Last Friday we were on the prowl for dinner. We had attended the ArtWorks 4th Friday. It was a bit late. We really wanted to go to Cafe Rustica, but they were packed. We jaunted up a bit further to check out Bistro 27. Closed for a private function (wow! on a Friday). We had recently dined at Tarrant's. As we trudged back to the car, we came across Chez Foushee. I knew this weekday lunch and catering establishment had begun opening for dinner on Friday and Saturday nights, but I had no real interest. We had eaten lunch here many years ago and was not enthused. The hype outranked the substance. But tonight, it was cold and we were ready to eat and they had a table available.

First up, a Cava Cocktail: Canton Bamboo - crystallized ginger and cognac ginger liqueur. The ginger added that subtle heat for a cold winter night. So far, so good.

We ordered Pork and Shrimp Pot Stickers with Tonkatsu Sauce to enjoy with our ginger-enhanced cocktail. Great pairing. More pork-like than shrimp-like. I really liked the sauce.

The wine list was short, but reasonable. Nothing over $30 and all of the wine selections were available by the glass. We selected a Ferraton Côtes du Rhône.

For dinner hubby had the Grilled Salmon Steak with potato gnocchi, oregano vinaigrette,  and beet root coulis. Pretty grilled presentation and quite tasty. The potato gnocchi was the absolute bomb.

I, of course, had to order Braised Duck Shank with winter fruit compote and potato gnocchi. Fall off the bone duck with a spiced fruit sauce. I love duck and this dish was perfect for a cold winter evening. If I had been at home I would have picked up the bones and scarfed up all of the delightful meaty morsels that still had the tenacity to cling.

On this night Chez Foushee did not disappoint. I like the dining area with the bi-level dining spaces. Being in a older building also lends charm and character to the experience. They also offer a $25 prix fixe on Friday and Saturday nights.