Awesome Vietnamese in International District (or downtown vicinity)

[smithclay]

I was told by a friend that of the many ethnic food options in Seattle, Vietnamese is one area where it shines in comparison to San Francisco.

With that in mind, what's a good option for Vietnamese in the International District (or generally "nearby"/10-15 minute cab ride) from downtown?

For what it's worth, I'm more interested in non-pho options.

[shaolinLFE]

hue ky mi gia is a vietnamese/chinese non-pho noodle shop.

the braised duck noodle soup and the fried chicken wings are standouts.

[HungWeiLo]

Huong Binh, Lemongrass, maybe Ben Thanh (south of ID).

Green Leaf and Tamarind Tree are fine, as they're a more refined "restaurant experience", but the food is a tad sugared up for the non-Vietnamese clientele. Long Provincial (not in ID but in downtown) is, I believe, the sister restaurant of Tamarind Tree.

[Charles]

Greenleaf or Tamarind Tree both discussed extensively here.

[smithclay]

Thanks, Greenleaf looks great. Has anyone tried the "beef tasting course"?

[terrier]

That's bò bay món (7 courses of beef,) a staple of Viet festive occasions. (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%B2_...)

It's good, but you can order any of the dishes in it a la carte as well. I'm deeply partial to Green Leaf's bò lá lốt, which I generally like to get in addition to a passel of other dishes over a leisurely lunch or dinner - ordering courses serially until you're full is a good way to go.

If you really want bò 7 món, though, Tamarind Tree's is better in my experience.

[equinoise]

Less discussed here, but hardly undiscovered, is Huong Binh, a simple eatery that features soups but has numerous other items. It does not have the extensive menus offered by Green Leaf or TT. Catering more to a Vietnamese clientele, it has a great flavor that I highly recommend.

[smithclay]

Generally speaking, do Green Leaf/Huong Binh have BYOB/corkage policies?