Vietnam Georgetown

We have to admit: if we plunked Vietnam Georgetown next to some other Vietnamese places we’ve been to, it might not warrant too much praise. But in this neck of the woods, when we want pho (beef noodle soup), we come here. The lunch buffet is particularly good value, the setting and the staff are charming, if somewhat frazzled, and the garden out back is especially attractive on a summer evening. Part of the appeal of this place is the history; this was the first Vietnamese restaurant in the DC area. The owners were staff at the old South Vietnamese embassy, and this was a favorite spot for Reagan, Bush Sr and Clinton staffers during the ’80s and ’90s.