Vietnamese restaurants in California
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A
Tamarine
Palo Alto's most beautiful restaurant is this contemporary Vietnamese place. The dishes have a slight seafood bias and are finely prepared in the style of California cuisine. Most mains are suitable for sharing, and this is one of the Bay Area's best destinations for exotic cocktails.
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B
Golden Star
Elementary school cafeterias could outclass the Golden Star for atmosphere – but if you know pho, you know this is the place to go. Five-spice chicken pho is the house specialty that warms the bones on a foggy day, but on a hot day, branch out and get the bun (rice vermicelli) topped with thinly sliced grilled beef, imperial rolls, mint and ground peanuts. Except in understandable cases of extreme noodle gluttony, your bill will be under $8.
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C
Pagolac
Right in the hard heart of the Tenderloin is this inviting nook that’s all warm wood and candlelight. The seven courses of beef may be overkill for anyone who’s not a famished gaucho from the pampas, but the sugarcane shrimp and barbecued chicken are sublime. Pagolac also does a good pho with meatballs and bo tai chanh, lemon-marinated rare steak slices as extravagantly beefy as a Polk St men’s bar.
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D
Gingergrass
Lemongrass chicken, noodle bowls and vegetarian pho – fresh, light, and prepared with gently flavored care at this always bustling local’s haven. Best of all? It’s an easy drive down Riverside from Griffith Park.
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E
Saigon Sandwich Shop
Join the line for Vietnamese banh mi, baguettes piled with roast meat, pâté, meatballs and/or tofu with pickled carrots, jalapeno, onion, and cilantro. Order two now, and spare yourself a return trip.
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F
Tu Lan
Sidewalks don’t get skankier than the one you’ll be waiting on, but try complaining after your heap of velvety Vietnamese chicken curry or tangy tomato-onion prawns. One dish under $10 easily fills two starving artists.
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G
Saigon on Fifth
This Vietnamese place tries hard and succeeds, with dishes such as fresh spring rolls, fish of Hue (with garlic, ginger and lemongrass) and rockin' 'spicy noodles.' Elegant but not overbearing.
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H
Number Nine
An enthusiastic, artsy couple of owners serves Vietnamese noodles in maximalist portions in minimalist surrounds on Retro Row. Try the five-spice chicken with egg roll.
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I
Thai House
Situated behind Safeway, the Thai House serves a variety of pretty good Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, with a few Chinese dishes thrown in for good measure.
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Sengthongs
Among Dunsmuir's gourmet eateries is Thai restaurant Sengthongs. It also hosts live music in an adjoining room.
reviewed
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J
Slanted Door
Cal-Vietnamese Dungeness crab over cellophane noodles at Charles Phan's family-run Slanted Door.
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K
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L
Dragonfly
You’d think this place was high-end from the sunken dining room, garlic noodles with lavish heapings of Dungeness crab, and shaking beef that threatens to steal the crown from Slanted Door’s version – but prices and service are plenty friendly. Desserts and starter pâté aren’t standouts, so load up on mains served family-style.
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