I spent my first 17 years of life in VietNam, yet didn’t learn to appreciate vietnamese food until much later, as an expat in the US. Most Viet restaurants are specialized in certain dishes, so it’s hard to rank them by restaurants.

PHO – Everyone knows Pho. Pho, most of the times, refers to Pho Bo, or Beef Noodle Soup.

Minh Restaurant in Miplitas. Their Pho tastes just the way I make them at home. I guess that’s why my family loves Pho there. I try not to order Pho there on Monday or Tuesday (they close on Wed). I think the broth is old and saltier. Other than that, it’s pretty consistently good. There is no aftertaste of MSG. The raw beef is super-tender, and the noodle is made fresh. We eat Pho here probably every week. My husband lives on Pho.

Pho Gia-Chien on McKee. I like it allright here. It’s a joint hidden in a corner of Jackson and McKee. Especially on weekend mornings, it feels like home (VietNam) sitting on the sidewalk eating Pho, watching the men smoke and gamble in the side alley. Hung thinks it’s too sugary-sweet. The cook is from the South, and Southeners tend to add sugar to the foods.

BANH XEO
Pho 909 – Yes, it’s a Pho place, but their specialty is Banh Xeo, a crepe-like dish eaten with lettuce and mints.

BANH CUON
There’s no place I know of around here that serves good banh-cuon.