Cuisine: Beautiful, boldly flavored dishes from North and South Vietnam. The kitchen is consistent, confident, and masterful with the fryer.
Mood: Glass cubes and a whole lot of mauve make this quiet dining room look very 1980s. But the space is graced with Champagne-colored tablecloths and lacquered chairs.
Best for: A casual, not-too-expensive celebration (some tables seat ten); low-key dates and family dinners.
Best dishes: The appetizer sampler brings together two favorites, the spring roll and the sweet-potato-bound shrimp cake; green papaya salad with just enough lime and heat; vermicelli bun with pork, both northern and southern styles; crepe stuffed with bean sprouts, shrimp, and pork; lemongrass-marinated short ribs.
Insider tips: Your buck goes far here—portions are family style. Instead of dessert, look to the Vietnamese coffee, strong and thick with sweet milk.
Service: ••
Open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner. Inexpensive.
See all of 2009's 100 Best Restaurant
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
