Restaurant: Nam Viet (http://namviet1.com)
Location: Cleveland Park
Total Rating: 3.5
Food: 3, Price: 4, Service: 4, Ambience: 4, Accessibility: 5
Summary: The exceptional cuisine of the Nam-Viet Restaurant was developed by applying family culinary secrets and experience in satisfying hosts of indigenous and foreign customers of every nationality in over three generations of service. French and Southern Mekong Delta flavors and exceptionally fine quality of ingredients are evident in their own "Can-Tho-nese" style cooking. Whether a light, nourishing mid-day luncheon or an evening of dining elegance, Nam Viet has satisfied a number of health conscious, repeat customers. Closest Metro is Cleveland Park.
It was a cold night, and we had planned to visit the Zoolights nearby so decided to fill our bellies up with some warm pho. Keith had tried the Nam Viet Restaurant in Arlington and heard good reviews of this location in Cleveland Park. The interior is a little nicer than other pho restaurants I've been to in the city. We were seated right way towards the back (away from the front door to avoid the cold air) with quite a number of other diners. I was surprised to not see a vegetarian pho dish on the menu, although they had several other vegetarian noodle soups and dishes. I could tell the food was made fresh to order and was impressed with how quickly it came out of the kitchen. Although a little bland and lacking in the traditional accoutrements I am used to (they only served bean sprouts and lime - no mint, no jalepenos, no notable sauces), my pho dish was filling. I prefer other pho restaurants that I have been to, and am still sad they closed the one near our house. Next time, I will most likely venture back to Falls Church to fulfill my pho craving.
What I ate:
Appetizer Combo Platter
A Vietnamese Sampler consisting of one crispy roll,
one shrimp garden roll, one shrimp toast, and lemongrass beef
Pho Ga
Pho soup with tender chunks of chicken served with thin
and flat rice noodles, and a flavorful broth, garnished with green
and white onions, cilantro, and parsley
Plus Keith ate:
Bun Bo Hue
Similar to our Pho soup, but this soup contains thicker rice noodles,
tender beef strips and a spicier broth
