Why go: Vietnamese dishes here show a level of detail uncommon for such inexpensive fare, and the plating rivals that of a banquet meal. The dining room echoes the elegance of the cuisine.
What to get: A hash of minced clams, beef, and herbs in a sesame-studded shell; fried spring rolls of house-made rice-thread wrappers filled with shrimp and pork; bun with grilled pork, vermicelli rice noodles, and peanuts; fried bananas with coconut cream.
Best for: Fans of the cooking at the Eden Center’s humbler eateries who crave a romantic backdrop and a bit of pampering.
Insider tip: Servers are well versed about the menu and will demonstrate the best strategy for eating each dish. But they’re also inclined to steer you away from dishes they think you might not be up to.
Open daily for lunch and dinner.
>> See all 2009 Cheap Eats restaurants here
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.
