When we crave a thick, bloody steak, this is the place that leaps to mind. We prefer restaurateur Michael Landrum’s for its value, its warmth, and its scale. This is a steakhouse for the common man.
Salads, such as a platter of shredded green papaya, explode with limey tang and chili-fueled heat, while bowls of pho are eminently soothing. Nibbles from the fryer make excellent shares.
Try the sesame cakes (on weekend mornings, get them filled with scrambled egg), pork-filled wontons in a bowl of red-chili oil, and giant baton-shaped crullers.
While you don’t want to miss the grilled meats, other parts of the menu are worth exploring. Those include chul pan stocked with baby octopus and pork, as well as a scallion-studded seafood pancake.
The 149-item menu has many good entry points, but we like to start with the shrimp toast—airy baguette halves slathered in shrimp paste and deep-fried to a crisp —or a round of spring rolls.
Steaming bowls of pho, a hint of airborne fish sauce, the smell of burning joss … it's Falls Church, Virginia? – Anthony Bourdain, No Reservations
