Why go: For the vast catalog of dishes from North and South Vietnam executed with authenticity and sophistication in a serene, white-tablecloth setting.
What to get: A sometime special of shredded banana leaves, crisped shallots, and briny clams; yam-and-shrimp cakes; crispy rice crepes filled with pork and shrimp; sizzling catfish with dill and mint; caramelized pork in a clay-pot casserole; grilled pork vermicelli that tastes like great barbecue.
Best for: Diners both familiar with and new to Vietnamese cuisine—most servers are fluent in English and adept at describing dishes.
Insider tip: Forgo the Thai-style mango with sticky rice for the far superior Vietnamese version, which is nutty black sticky rice in a pool of sweet coconut cream.
Open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner.
See all Cheap Eats 2008 restaurants
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.
