vietnamese food – ChefsGirl

Mr. Bubbles (Gretna, LA)

chefsgirlnola@gmail.com — Wed, 18 May 2016 03:14:38 +0000

As we’re approaching hump day/mid-week, I’d like to talk about a great lunch spot! Years ago, there was a bubble tea shop at this location that was easy to overlook and they’ve made quite a few improvements and serve Vietnamese sandwiches are there menu.

Banh Mi Dac Biet. Combination banh mi. Bubble Tea: Jasmine Iced Tea with Tapioca, Taro and Tapioca

From left to right: Jasmine Green Tea with Tapioca x 2, Mocha and Tapioca, Black Milk Tea with Tapioca.

My favorite is the Combination sandwich loaded with delicious Vietnamese cold cuts, pate, aioli and veggies. My go-to drink is the Jasmine Tea with Tapioca…it’s healthy and refreshing! There are more desserty flavors that aren’t as healthy but make a great treat such as the Taro or Cafe Sua Da. Another plus? There’s a loyalty card! With every 10 drinks, you get a free one. Easily done with summer approaching! There are only a few tables since it’s mostly take-out orders, but it’s quite spacious. The restaurant is located right outside of the Hong Kong Market so you if you happen to be in the area, Mr. Bubbles is a great treat!

Rating: 5/5 spoons

Pho Bang (Westbank Expressway, Harvey, LA)

chefsgirlnola@gmail.com — Tue, 10 May 2016 00:43:20 +0000

In New Orleans there’s a growing trend towards Vietnamese food. A ton of new “Vietnamese” and pho restaurants are opening in town, but there’s very few that can beat Pho Bang. When I was growing up Pho Bang was the place to go right after church on Sunday. It’s like Vietnamese brunch! Many years later, I am still going to Pho Bang and there are a few locations throughout the city. Two are located on the Westbank, one in the East on Chef Menteur Hwy, and one is located in Kenner on Veterans Memorial Blvd.

Pork Spring Roll.

Pho Chin Nam. Combination Rice Noodles in Beef Broth. Eye of Round Beef. Beef navel.

The beef broth is authentic and flavorful and the meat is fairly lean. You can customize your bowl with different cuts of meat, but my favorite is the Pho Chin Nam. It’s simple and it’s just what I always order. The BBQ pork spring roll is a great appetizer as well! There are combination rice and noodle dishes that are offered if you’re not craving a hot bowl of soup especially in this New Orleans weather. My favorite non-pho dish is the Com Bi Thit Heo Nuong (aka Marinated grilled BBQ Pork on top of rice dressed with Tomato, Vietnamese pickles, and Lettuce). If you’re looking for a legit and authentic bowl of pho and Vietnamese food, this is where it’s at!

What’s not good: Bun Bo Hue, smaller portions

Rating: 4/5 spoons

Beignets and More (Chalmette, LA)

chefsgirlnola@gmail.com — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 02:01:00 +0000

I recently started working in the Chalmette area and didn’t realize I’d find so many food choices over here! Beignets and More is a family-owned Vietnamese restaurant that serves authentic Vietnamese cuisine. They even offer a small menu of American dishes too. The restaurant is located in a strip on West Judge Perez Dr. During lunch time and dinner time, the restaurant is always pretty full but service is always very quick!

Crab Rangoon.

Pho Dac Biet. Pho with Round Steak, Well-done Brisket, and Round Meatball.

Bun Thit Nuong. Chargrilled Pork and Vermicelli Rice Noodle.

Com Bo Luc Lac. Pan Seared Cubed Beef and Rice.

Every dish I’ve ordered here is so delicious. Not a single one has disappointed me. The Crab Rangoons are perfect! They hold well for to-go orders or even as leftovers. The pho is authentic and maybe one of my favorite places for pho in the general New Orleans area. Other great dishes would be the Lemongrass Pork Spring Rolls, Com Bo Luc Lac (Pan Seared Cubed Beef and rice), and the Bun Thit Nuong (Chargrilled Pork and Vermicelli Noodles). They serve pretty authentic beignets, but I really like the mini beignets. They’re about half the size of a regular beignet and great to eat with the Vietnamese coffee.

I would seriously go out of my way to eat here. If you happen to be in the area, you have to try Beignets and More!

Rating: 5/5 spoons

Num Pang (Meatpacking District, New York, NY)

chefsgirlnola@gmail.com — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 03:14:45 +0000

Chelsea’s Market is filled with goodies! Not too far from the delicious Los Tacos No. 1 (click here for review) Num Pang is an Asian sandwich shop very much like the Vietnamese banh mi. What makes them unique is their smaller-sized breads…

Watermelon juice.

Five-Spice Glazed Pork Belly. Pickled Asian Pear.

Inside: Five-Spice Pork Belly. Pickled Asian Pear.

I’d never thought I’d say that I’d pay over $4 for a banh mi sandwich. If you’ve ever been to any Vietnamese banh mi shop, the most it’ll cost you is $3.50 a sandwich. This sandwich is $8.75 and to really blow your mind, it’s roughly 2/3 the size of a normal banh mi…but it is AMAZING. The bread is slightly buttery and lightly crisped. The 5-spice pork belly was so tender and flavorful. I usually scoff when I see a banh mi over $4, but Num Pang has proved me wrong!

If you happen to be strolling through Chelsea’s Market and can’t decide which delectable goodness you’d like to fill your tummy with, I highly suggest Num Pang’s Five-Spice Pork Belly as one of them. Add a Watermelon Juice to your order. It’s fresh, pure, and I love the chunky pulp.

Rating: 5/5 spoons

Ba Chi Canteen (Audubon, New Orleans, LA)

chefsgirl — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 04:13:44 +0000

Tan Dinh is an authentic Vietnamese restaurant located on the Westbank of New Orleans…it’s menu includes a wide variety of items ranging from pho, BBQ pork with vermicelli noodles, to one of my favorites, the Lemongrass Chicken with rice. With their growing popularity reaching out to those who live across the river, they’ve finally opened Ba Chi Canteen, however, their menu is a bit more eclectic and draws from Thai, Indian, Chinese, and Vietnamese influences. I’m not usually a fan of “fusion” or blending of cultural flavors but Ba Chi has got it right!

Bacos: Coconut Curry Chicken w/ Basil Aioli & Sweet Potato.

Curry Beef Stew w/ Roti Bread.

Roti Quesadillas. Pulled Pork. Kim Chi Guac. Thai Chili tomatilla.

Special: Lemongrass & Basil Pork Lettuce Wrap.

Garlic Butter Chicken Wings.

So the Chef and I love to order and create our own little tasting menus, but little did we know that the portion sizes were quite large. My favorite was the Roti Quesadillas, which was a special but should be a permanent item on the menu! What makes this different from a typical quesadilla is the buttery and flaky roti in place of the normally grilled tortilla. Buttery. Savory. Crispy! I’m drooling just thinking about it! My next favorite was the Curry Stew with Roti. Clearly, I have a thing for roti!

I was very surprised that Tan Dinh, an authentic Vietnamese restaurant, would consider branching off with a modernized asian fusion restaurant, but they did it and they did it well!

If you’re looking for great asian flavors and want to try something new, I definitely recommend Ba Chi Canteen.

Rating: 4/5 spoons