Vietnamese restaurants
Does anybody know of any good Vietnamese restaurants in the Bklyn Hts, Cobble Hill or Carroll Gardens area (I refuse to use that stupid acronym describing downtown Bklyn)? There are plenty of good Thai & Japanese places and way too many mediocre Chinese take outs so one would think that a descent Vietnamese place could thrive. My significant other and I love Saigon Grill on the UWS. We also know of Vietnamese places in Gravesend (Ave. U area) and in Bay Ridge and theres probably some on 8th avenue that we havent tried, but we prefer something thats w/in walking distance and doesnt require much travel.
MShapiro
Jan 18, 2006 04:33PM
View »
Mai, a southeast Asian restaurant on Atlantic Ave. is in that vicinity and it's great! Had a terrific meal there this weekend.
Permalink | Reply
While I like Mai, I don't think that I would call it Vietnamese. It is southeast Asian fusion with a little French thrown in. A little more Thai than anything else. But I agree that is as close as you will get to both good and Vietnamese within walking distance of Brooklyn Heights.
Permalink | Reply
walk across the bridge to chinatown for your vietnamese fix. Or get on the train for the 8th Ave Sunset Park chinatown. tho I keep seeing posts talking about a supposed bahn mi place on Smith Street....
Permalink | Reply
there's a good vietnamese restaurant on avenue u right off of ocean avenue. almost at the next numbered street corner. sorry, not helpful at all but the place is pretty good and totally authentic.
Permalink | Reply
The place you're talking about is Pho Hoai 1906 Ave. U between Ocean Avenue & 19th street. Been there a few times and I agree that they have good food and they're not very expensive at all. Easy to get to by train - Q to Avenue U (NOT the B which is the express), 5 minute walk from the train. FYI, if you walk the opposite way from the train (street #s decreasing between say 16th street & Coney Island Avenue) you'll hit Brooklyn's other Chinatown. Not as big as 8th Ave., but theres still great food and authentic Asian shops. Great place to stop by on your way back from the beach
Permalink | Reply
thanks. yes, that's it. the soups are lovely as are the spring rolls yummm. we've liked most everything we've tried.
Permalink | Reply
the new banh mi is on bergen just east of smith
I am going to try it today
will report
ps a new ban mi also opened in Sunset park right off 8th around 58?
I will also try that
Permalink | Reply
I tried the new sunset park bahn mi on 57th near 8th Ave
Thanh Da
as promised, the pate component is better than Ba Xuyen
although I love the folks at Ba Xuyen, and followed them to their present location from the 61st St and 7th Ave hole in the wall. Wish we could lure them into a spot on Fifth Ave in the Slope....
Permalink | Reply
Thanks for the report. We eagerly wait your report on the Bergen/Smith Street place too!
Permalink | Reply
Check the reports on Hanco's (the new bahn mi spot) in their own thread. Also, to put in my $0.02 on Mai... I love it. True it is "Southeast Asian" cuisine, and could be considered fusiony, but they have a lot of great Malay, Thai, and Vietnamese dishes, and the staff is super nice. I say go in and chat them up about the menu if you get a chance and they'll steer you toward the stronger dishes. Also check out the desserts.
Permalink | Reply
The Smith/Bergen place opens this Friday. I picked up a menu yesterday--they have about 6 different sandwiches ($4.25), some salads, and a page worth of bubble teas ($3.00). If the place is good it'll be a great plus for the neighborhood.
Permalink | Reply
Mai isn't strictly a Vietnamese restaurant, but there are Vietnamese dishes on the menu, and, as you said, it's in the area she mentioned.
Permalink | Reply
Don't bother with the Vietnamese restaurant on Remsen Street in Brooklyn Heights! It's pretty awful.
If you're in Park Slope, MeKong is pretty good.
I realize that's not the area you asked about, but I thought I would throw it out there anyway, FWIW.
Permalink | Reply
...and the restaurant on Remsen Street shut down a couple of months ago anyway.
Permalink | Reply
The Remsen St. Vietnamese place was where I first tasted pho. I didn't bother with pho again till years later, when it became a weekly addiction at better places.
I've had a few good dinners at Park Slope's Mekong. The pho -- which the menu doesn't call pho -- is too salty for some, but that's fine with me. The spring rolls have a fine hint of white pepper. I remember a good, slightly vinegary shrimp salad, too.
Link: http://foody.org
Permalink | Reply
You need to go to Elmhurst (sorry, that's in Queens). More excellent Vietnamese restaurants (as well as other ethnics) than you can shake a stick at. No where in the city compares to that area for the sheer range of quality ethnic restaurants or the price.
Take the R/V and get off at Elmhurst stop. Walk down Broadway and you will be inundated with choices.
Permalink | Reply
You need to go to Elmhurst (sorry, that's in Queens). More excellent Vietnamese restaurants (as well as other ethnics) than you can shake a stick at. No where in the city compares to that area for the sheer range of quality ethnic restaurants or the price.
Take the R/V and get off at Elmhurst stop. Walk down Broadway and you will be inundated with choices.
Permalink | Reply
Do you know of other Elmhurst Vietnamese restaurants besides Pho Bang and Pho Bac? Neither of these have struck me as up the the level of the Brooklyn places.
Permalink | Reply
Gia Lam on 8th Avenue around 59th Street is top quality. Brooklyn Chinatown
Permalink | Reply