Recently featured in Esquire as one of the “100 Restaurants America Can’t Afford to Lose,” beloved Huynh, in East Downtown, serves up a massive menu of Vietnamese dishes in a modest setting. Order this to go: Few foods travel as well as Asian fare, and the vermicelli dishes are a highlight here, attractively presented even inside takeout containers. Smoky grilled shrimp came layered atop chilled vermicelli, chopped lettuce, sprouts, and cilantro (with fish sauce on the side). Similarly light was the signature shredded duck salad with a zippy ginger dressing. In the hu tieu xao bo, a delicious tangle of crispy fried “bird’s nest” noodles came packaged alongside a savory beef stir-fry with onions, peppers, and snow peas in oyster sauce. Less successful recently was the chicken stir-fried with chiles and lemongrass, which was sadly marred by overcooked poultry. Pro tip: If the online ordering system isn’t functioning (it happened to us), order delivery from a service or call the restaurant directly for curbside pickup.
Note: Review reflects COVID-19 protocols in place at the time of visit.