September 2004 Best of Silver Spring

Vietnamese menus tend to be long, and the one at this family-run eatery is no exception. There are stir fries and casseroles, rice dishes and stews and soups, including a worthy rendition of the beef soup known as pho. A hefty vegetarian roster adds to the mix. Start with grilled skewers of sweet salty pork, beef, or chicken done with lemon leaves, followed by a round of crisp spring rolls or soft summer rolls. Vietnamese crepe, a mega half-moon crammed with crunchy and savory sprouts, pork, and shrimp, works as a starter or a main course.

Egg noodles are your next stop. Though these tangled, whisper-thin strands aren't made on the premises, they're fresh rather than dried, and distinctive. Have them with fish, fowl, or just vegetables. Also a must is salt-baked shrimp, a dish found on many Chinese and Vietnamese menus but truly memorable here. Shell-on shrimp are deep fried with coarse salt and pepper, then heaped with spring onions, crunchy shallots, and thin-sliced hot chilies. You don't have to bite into a chili to get the rush. Oils from the peppers give every morsel of shrimp a bit of sweet heat.