New Orleans influenced Vietnamese/ Vietnamese Influenced New Orleans?

[gumbolox]

New Orleans cuisine having always been a melting pot, I was wondering if there are any good examples of that phenomena involving Vietnamese food: local ingredients and tastes used well at a Vietnamese restaurant or Vietnamese influence found in other local cuisines?

I've seen mixed reviews for Cafe Minh. Any thoughts?

I am visiting from the SF Bay Area, where there are many good Vietnamese options, so I'm hoping for something I wouldn't find here.

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Cafe Minh
4139 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70119

[gumbolox]

Thanks, y'all.
We'll definitely put Cafe Minh on the list, and the shrimp, tomato and okra soup (Vietnamese gumbo?) at Ba Mien sounds enticing. Plenty of Bahn mi out here, and I am looking forward to reliving high school po-boy memories at Domilise's, childhood memories with an oyster loaf at Casamento's, trying a Dirty Boy at Charlie's and maybe that chicken liver thing at Mahoney's, Add a couple of days at the first weekend of Jazz Fest, and I think we've got the sandwich thing covered. We're in town for 9 days, already scheduled at Cochon, Coquette, Patois and Ralph's on the Park, so I thought Vietnamese would be a change of pace and perhaps distinctive.
Slanted Door is certainly a high mark, but not really something I'm looking for in New Orleans (especially the prices).
Hope to get to the Saturday Market if we can get up that early!

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Cochon
930 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA 70130

Casamento's Restaurant
4330 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Cafe Minh
4139 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Ba Mien Restaurant
13235 Chef Menteur Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70129

[Suzy Wong]

I wanted to add, take it as a new and different experience and for what it is, as opposed to comapring or rating it to other places. With the exception of Cafe Minh the clientele in the places I mentioned is about 90% or more asian.

[Hungry Celeste]

For a while, Boucherie had a bahn-mi-like pork sandwich on the menu....IIRC, it was pork garnished with pickled carrots, cilantro, and spiced pecans (don't quote me, this was quite some time ago).

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Boucherie
8115 Jeannette St, New Orleans, LA 70118

[runCP3]

If you're from SF and coming here, you might be disappointed in the asian food. Top U.S. cities for asian food in my opinion are the OC/L.A., Houston, San Fran area, and New York. You might get fresher seafood in the certain dishes here, but that's about it. Take it from an asian person.

[nomadchowwoman]

Cafe Minh's food doesn't reflect New Orleans influences so much as it does classic French influences. I eat there a lot, like it a whole lot, and usually recommend it enthusiastically. But it's not The Slanted Door, if that's a benchmark for you. (TSD is phenomenol, imo; I'd rather eat there than almost anywhere in SF).

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Cafe Minh
4139 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70119

[Liz Gober]

Had been meaning to go to Dong Phuong bakery for some time and finally went a few weeks ago....I had heard about the wonderful french bread that they make but nothing prepared me for the delicious meat pies that I got there. They are made with puff pastry filled with a variety of fillings. They were putting fresh hot pies on the display rack while I was in the store and I bought a couple of different kinds. I tore into one as soon as I got into my car and was blown away by the wonderful flavor of the filling. It consisted of beef and green onions in a flavorful brown sauce. The pie was just a little underdone as the pastry was slightly gummy in the center. I took the rest home and stored them in the refrigerator. The next day my daughter heated them up in the toaster oven with a cover as to not burn the crust and finished them by removing the cover to crisp up the pastry. To our amazement the pastry cooked up completely and the filling was delectable. We must make a trek out there again soon to enjoy these delectable meat pies. I highly recommend a trek (that's what it is) out to Dong Phuong when you have the time. They happened to be out of coconut macaroons, but they are wonderful too!!

[runCP3]

Those meat pies are called pate chaud and it's a common vietnamese pastry. There is nothing new orleans about it.

[Suzy Wong]

I have only had excellent experiences at Cafe Minh, I think it's a must visit. Menu:
http://www.zagat.com/Verticals/Menu.a...

If you're able try visiting the vietnamese communities on the West Bank of New Orleans, or in Eastern New Orleans where there are restaurants, bakeries and groceries that may have the essence of what you're seeking....There is also an early Saturday morning Vietnamese Farmers type market in Eastern N.O. Info:

Vietnamese Farmers Market
Saturdays, 6am - 9am
14401 Alcee Fortier Blvd, New Orleans East
Each Saturday, over 20 vendors set up shop on blankets spread with produce: chili, okra, lemon grass, snow peas, as well as bananas, papaya and figs. Beyond the courtyards are shops selling Vietnamese bakeries and imported groceries.

Dong Phuong has a restaurant on one side, bakery on the other with a wide selection (14? choices) of Bánh mì (Vietnamese po boys) at ultra low prices. Bread made on the premises and fresh ingredients.

Ba Mien Restaurant certainly uses local seafood and vegetables. A couple of note: catfish cooked in a dark spicy sauce, and (a very spicy shrimp, tomato and okra soup). A pretty full, multiple choices menu.

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Dong Phuong Oriental Bakery
14207 Chef Menteur Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70129

Cafe Minh
4139 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Ba Mien Restaurant
13235 Chef Menteur Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70129

[midcity]

If the original poster has never had banh mi [Vietnamese po-boys], I'd say that's the way to go, either from Dong Phuong in the East or from Pho Tau Bay on the Westbank.

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Pho Tau Bay Restaurant
113 Westbank Expy, Gretna, LA 70053