-Grubbing in Chicago
Five of a Kind: Vietnamese Favorites
Vietnamese food remains one of the world’s most underrated cuisines - it certainly has its fair share of fans but it’s not nearly as popular as Chinese, Japanese or Thai food. But I think you can make the case that a good bowl of pho is more readily available than alot of other things. It seems like you can find some good Vietnamese food in not just all the major cities but also in smaller cities and towns and such. The best Vietnamese food in the U.S. is found out west in Orange County but Chicago can hold its own when it comes to finding worthy options. Just like with Mexican restaurants or Chinese spots each place will typically have something they do better than most others around town. Today’s post will focus on five specific dishes that I enjoy when the taste for Vietnamese comes calling.
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Hai Yen (Uptown)
So I think one of the reasons Vietnamese food might not be as popular is bc it can be hard to pronounce the names of some of the dishes, which is pretty stupid but so are most people. For ex. one of my favorite dishes is BÒ CUỐN LÁ LỐT or beef wrapped in betel leaves. Little logs of spiced ground beef (Bo) are wrapped in betel leaves (lá lốt) and grilled. The end result are little flavor bombs with a distinct and delicious smoky fragrance. Bo La Lot comes served a variety of ways at Hai Yen Restaurant on Argyle, my favorite spot for the Southern Vietnamese dish. I like to order the platter which is customizable due to an assortment of fresh herbs and vegetables included with each order.
Bò nướng lá lốt at Hai Yen
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The Banh Mi Spot (Logan Square)
While it’s impossible to pick a favorite style of sandwich it’s a little easier to name the best warm weather sandwiches with Banh Mi being a serious contender. Banh Mi is a product of France’s occupation of Vietnam hence the crisp and crunchy French bread used to make them. The majority of Banh Mi contain pickled carrots, daikon, chiles, cucumber slices, cilantro, mayo, and a protein of your choice. The most popular combination of ingredients is the Banh Mi Dac Biet - a special combo of cold cut ham, head cheese, pork, chicken liver pate, and the typical toppings. It’s basically Vietnam’s version of a cold cut and I really like the version served at the recently opened Banh Mi Shop in Logan Square. It’s all about the bread when it comes to a bangin’ Banh Mi and Banh Mi Spot bakes batches with just the right texture in terms of crunch. It’s not quite as good the gold standard, Nhu Lan Bakery, but it’s good enough to be one of the best Banh Mi in the city - super fresh and full of flavor.
Bánh mì đặc biệt at The Banh Mi Spot
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Hoanh Long (Peterson Park)
Pho (Vietnamese beef noodle soup) might be Vietnams most famous dish but it’s not the only Vietnamese soup you should be seeking out. Hiu Tieu Sate isn’t nearly as common as Pho but if you ever see it on a menu you should try it. Hoanh Long Vietnamese near Lincoln and Devon is one such spot you can taste this spicy, peanut buttery soup. It too is a regional dish out of Southern Vietnam making it particularly popular in Ho Chi Minh City. Doing a bit of research I came to learn it’s a product of Chinese immigrants. Specifically those in in the Cholon District of Ho Chi Min City’s Chinatown neighborhood which is fitting as Hoanh Long is a Viet-Chinese restaurant. According to at least one story Sa Tế - a multipurpose sauce that is used as a marinade, condiment, and dressing - resulted in a nostalgia for home and today the sauce is used in all sorts of Vietnamese dishes (Note: pretty much all Asian food can be traced back to China). The difference in Pho and Hiu Tieu Sate can be pretty minimal in terms of the main ingredients (beef broth, noodles, toppings) but it’s how the broth is made that differentiates them. Hiu Tieu Sate starts with sautéing aromatics like onion, chilies, spices, peanut butter pepper sauce and beef bones with the meat. Water is slowly added and brought to long simmer resulting in a deeply flavorful and semi spicy broth that will warm you up right on a cold winter night.
Hiu Tieu Sate at Hoanh Long
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Pho 777 (Uptown)
Let’s head back to Argyle for our next stop - Pho 777. I’m not sure how long this place has been open but it’s one of the older spots on the block despite having just moved to a new location across the street. The first time I ever went here it was because I saw a pic in their window for Cha Ca Va Long which is a fried turmeric fish dish with dill popular in Hanoi. It’s actually my favorite Vietnamese dish but I’ve still never had it in Chicago bc every time I go here (or call) and ask about it they tell me they don’t have it today (or any day apparently). But they do make a pretty good Bun Cha aka Bun Cha Hanoi aka Bun Cha Obama. Bun Cha is a Hanoi specialty of charcoal grilled pork patties and noodles served with a ton of herbs and a nuoc chom dipping sauce (fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, water). This regional dish gained worldwide notoriety when then President Barack Obama joined Anthony Bourdain for a bowl on his ‘Parts Unknown’ show when both of them were in Hanoi at the same time.
Bun Cha Hanoi at Pho 777
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Ocean Grill & Bar (Chinatown)
Lastly we head to Chinatown where Ocean Bar and Grill is serving up some delicious Vietnamese seafood. Something about the heat makes me crave Southeast Asian food and seafood too and this place is great for both of them. So the story goes the owner comes from California where he has seafood supplier connections he uses for here. The stir fried clams in Tom Yum sauce taste like a dish you might find in Da Nang if not Orange County. One of my favorite dishes this year. I loved the spicy nose popping broth and the clams were plump and easily extracted from their shells. I’ve only been here once but plan on going back very soon specifically for those clams. We also tried an order of razor clams which had turned out to be two massive clams topped with fried garlic and some lip licking sauces with delicious Southeast Asian components. If not for the seafood an order the Bun Cha Hanoi would’ve been the meals big hit as it was excellent but it’s the seafood that really stands out. H/T to my colleague John Kessler
who wrote Ocean Bar and Grill in Chicago Magazine in May.
Clams in Tom Yum Sauce at Ocean Bar & Grill
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