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(From June 2012)

Something about the turquoise, rose, and white color scheme and the way sunlight floods the small rooms is so charming that we can hardly stay away from this contemporary Vietnamese cafe. Breakfast is a good time to go, for brioche à sucre and homemade kumquat marmalade or for eggs, crisp vermicelli cakes, and pungent ginger sausage. Pho is served all day; we like the pork belly and meatballs with a soft-boiled egg, augmented, of course, with a heap of fresh bean sprouts, Thai basil, and cilantro. We could
wolf down two servings of the buttery escargots seasoned with yellow curry paste, a reminder that Vietnam was once a French colony (the crusty baguette that comes with them is also great, mais oui). Beer & wine.

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(From January 2011) Open just a year, this north central neighborhood spot provides delightful, fresh-flavored, and beautiful Southeast Asian dishes. The chef shops the local farmers’ markets when possible, and the results show in such dishes as the nem tah dear, a rice-and-ground-chicken-filled (or tofu-filled) lettuce wrap with fresh veggies, and in the red snapper “tacos” dressed with a cilantro and mango salsa (unex-pected but excellent). We also liked Manola’s curry, an interesting blend of green curry, avocado, and peanut sauce. And if you’re a fan of those tapioca-pearl-embellished drinks, you’ll find an expansive selection. Beer & wine.

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(From February 2011) Vietnamese dishes get a contemporary spin at this stylish yellow cottage. Our splendid lunch included Pagoda Rolls—pan-fried crepes stuffed with pork and shrimp, wrapped in green-leaf lettuce, and then wrapped again in rice paper—and pan-seared, chicken-stuffed dumplings with a kicky ginger soy sauce. Classic pho—tender chicken soup with vermicelli noodles simmered with cilantro and red onion—was simply delicious. Ditto our sweet and sour soup spiked with okra, tomato, pineapple, shrimp, and catfish in a spicy tamarind broth. Bar.

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(From November 2011)

At this modest storefront cafe, the owner’s earnest attention adds to the appeal of generous fresh soups and classic Vietnamese noodle bowls. We like to pile crunchy bean sprouts and fragrant mint into our chicken pho, while our companions lather their pork and rice noodles with fish sauce. 

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(From March 2012)

This noodle shop does a commendable job with Chinese dishes, but we keep returning for the Vietnamese classics. Well-seasoned beef with vermicelli rewarded us with tender meat, crunchy vegetables, and a subtly complex fish sauce.

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(From February 2012)

Nothing takes the chill off a cool day like a steaming bowl of pho, here a savory broth filled with vermicelli and your choice of beef, pork, or seafood. For starters we like to share the spring rolls stuffed with glass noodles and shrimp and enlivened by sprigs of fresh mint. This friendly, family-owned place boasts a full menu of Vietnamese favorites, and we have yet to find one we don’t like. BYOB.

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(From April 2011) It’s a family affair all the way at this tiny Vietnamese cafe. Regulars bring gifts to the sisters who operate the place, and their husbands have been known to don aprons over their dress pants and help bus tables. Detouring from our usual favorite bun or pho bowls, we started with jícama rolls with tiny slices of Chinese sausage, then fol-lowed with a poor-boy-like banh mi (filled with crunchy strips of fried squid dressed in garlic and butter). A plate of steamed rice topped with ribbons of grilled pork, shredded pork, tripe, and fried tofu skin was an exciting tour of myriad textures; on top sat a fried egg, its yolk helping to unify the elements. Though the industrial park setting has little charm, the interest-ing, authentic food and the graciousness of the sisters are winning. BYOB.

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(From January 2012)

Tony Lam and his team make this downtown landmark hard to beat for fine dining in South Texas. Two menu standbys came off tasty and well-prepared: the ca ri ga, a mild chicken curry with a medly of crunchy vegetables, and the Chapman Special (made to order, and named for a loyal patron), a blend of sauteed spinach, broccoli, tofu, Japanese eggplant, tomatoes, bean sprouts, and ginger. Even more noteworthy was a daily special of fresh flounder, pan-seared and served over a bed of bell peppers, eggplant, and too-hot-to-touch red chiles in a subtle tamarind sauce. Bar.

Sunday, April 29th, 2012, 1:36 pm
Patrick says:
Admittedly this is one of our favorite restaurants in Corpus Christi. The Napoleon Beef is incredible and please try their Soft Shell Crabs in a light black pepper batter. It is expensive, but service has always been good and the food delicious. The desserts are small but incredibly rich...difficult to finish on on your own...share.

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(From January 2011) Tranquil scenes of rice paddies and lagoons are part of the unpretentious atmosphere here. We liked the small bowl of hot broth loaded with pork meatballs, zucchini, onions, and bok choy. Another starter, chicken spring rolls in rice paper, were translucent little jewels of delicate flavor. To tell the truth, we found the char-broiled pork chops to be a bit like beef jerky—chewy but addictive. Spicy potatoes, green beans flecked with red-pepper flakes, and stir-fried rice noodles with vegetable slivers were all pleasant accompaniments. Children will love the Vietnamese fruit cocktail, a mix of passionfruit, papaya, and pineapple with squiggles of green coconut Jell-O thrown in for good measure. Bar.

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