588683 Sat Jan 17 14:52:43 -0800 2009 2 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 4335035 http://www.mapplr.com/2009/01/09/pagolac-vietnamese-restaurant-sf/ when a friend suggested Pagolac, I wasted no time in going there. It is located in the Tenderloin, an unpleasant area in San Francisco which is frequented by bums. Don’t let that deter you from going to the Tenderloin as there are good ethnic restaurants (Vietnamese, Pakistani and Indian) that serve delicious food for not a lot of money. What do I like about Pagolac? The noodle soups (pho) are excellent. The barbecued dishes - chicken, beef and pork — were also delicious. But my favorites were the rice paper rolls. Prices are very low so this is a recession favorite among foodies in San Francisco. * Vibe: ethnic dive, no trendy decor, very simple * Pros: delicious Vietnamese food, good portions (i.e. not huge), range of dishes from noodle soups to rice paper rolls and barbecued meats; walking distance from Union Square/downtown SF * Cons: Tenderloin location is dodgy, can be creepy to walk around at night Pagolac 655 Larkin Street San Francisco, CA 94109 +1 415 776 3234 Sat Jan 17 14:52:43 -0800 2009 230000 arnonk 1 4335358 i love pagolac too. next time try the seven ways of beef! Sat Jan 17 17:28:44 -0800 2009 4335035 12336 artemis 1 4335537 Are they regional, or just "Vietnamese food"? How does it compare to Bodega Bistro, also on Larkin, and Miss Saigon? Those are the two that I think set the standards for quality food, although Bodega is very much northern style and doesn't have certain dishes. Sat Jan 17 19:11:51 -0800 2009 4335035 248665 realspear