Austin

(From July 2008) The grand pooh-bah of Houston’s Vietnamese restaurants has come to River City. The main dining room, decked out with dark-wood booths, might be the toniest place in town to slurp pho. But we felt compelled to start with crispy anise-scented fried Cornish hen served with chewy disks of sticky rice. Immediately, we started to swoon. Our next dish was perfectly fine—delicate cha gio rolls with carrot-and-pepper-flecked nuoc mam—but it just didn’t compare. Weekend dim sum (part buffet, part cart service), makes a fun alternative to brunch. Bar.

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(From September 2008) One of the latest additions to Austin’s burgeoning population of mobile food trucks, little Lulu B’s is tucked under a gracious live oak, where the shiny white trailer turns out a short list of affordable Vietnamese dishes. For a light lunch, sink your teeth into a fresh, crusty baguette layered with lemongrass pork or chicken. Or, for something cool, order the veggie-packed summer rolls; the accompanying peanut sauce alone is worth a visit.

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(From July 2008) Have no reservations and channel your inner Tony Bourdain for a trek up North Lamar. Your destination is this tiny Vietnamese spot set between a halal shop and a Mexican cafe. The decor is strip-mall spare, but the effusive service compensates. Tuck into the banh mi, crispy rolls layered with your choice of grilled pork or creamy pâté. Jazzed up with jalapeño and pickled radish, they’re less than two bucks apiece. Noodle bowls are good, but the stellar goi cuon nem nuong (spring rolls with shrimp, pork, and fresh mint) and cha gio (tiny fried spring rolls) make us want to pinch ourselves. Are we still inside the city limits? BYOB.

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