Sunny Pho continues the streak of Asian-cuisine restaurants located at the corner of Park Street and Emerald Street but isn’t an improvement over its predecessors. (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘Vietnamese’
Sunny Pho
Sunday, February 16th, 2020Food carts: Saigon Sandwich, Zam Zam
Sunday, August 14th, 2016
Saigon Sandwich serves only one thing, and that’s banh mi sandwiches ($4.75). You may choose the type of bread, meat (e.g. chicken, veggie tofu, etc.) and toppings.
My white bread-BBQ pork-pate-sweet carrots-cilantro-cucumbers-jalapenos banh mi really hit the spot. It had a good ratio of baguette-to-fillings, and everything was fresh tasting.
My only complaint is that the line can get quite long because it’s one person taking orders and making the sandwiches. You can usually find the cart at University Research Park or at the intersection of Johnson St. and Charter St.
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You don’t get to have Afghani cuisine every day, so I took advantage at Zam Zam. You’ll find lots of vegetarian-friendly options at this cart, which also offers catering.
The entrees are higher in price than you would find at other carts. For example, the least expensive item is the gulpi (stewed cauliflower), which costs $9. The quality is worth it, though. I enjoyed the array of seasonings in the beef meatballs of the kofta ($12), which is served in a little pool of its own curry sauce along with basmati rice.
Sandwiches, including a kebab burger and a meatball sub, also are available. The photo of the aziz banjan (eggplant sandwich, $5) on the menu shows the eggplant in slices, but it’s actually more of a mash. Regardless, it’s flavorful and very tender, held together with firm, thick naan and a little yogurt sauce. A delicious sandwich to be sure, even if you prefer to eat meat (as I do).
In the summer, the cart is usually found in University Research Park. The owner told me that once classes resume at UW-Madison, she’ll be back at her Dayton Street location, near the Geology building.
Viet Bistro
Saturday, December 21st, 2013
Kim’s Noodle in Monona was reborn as Viet Bistro in Downtown Madison, in the space once home to a Blockbuster. You’re going to find the same menu (it says “Kim’s Noodle” on it) and essentially the same interior, which is why I’m surprised to hear people say the new version is worse than the former–folks, it’s the SAME restaurant!
I ordered a cross section of items that represent the various components of the huge menu. From the appetizer section, the shrimp and pork salad caught my attention. The vegetables were fresh and crunchy, and the Vietnamese dressing was a creamy delight. The shrimp ($7.50) was halved lengthwise, making it appear that there was more shrimp than there really was. This is a good appetizer to share among 2-3 people.
I’m a big fan of pho, and I did enjoy the one served with brisket and flank ($8.75 regular size, $11.75 large), despite several things. First, the brisket was missing. Second, the accompaniments were essentially just a pile of onions and scallions–no basil, bean sprouts, lime or jalapeno. Still, the broth (strong in chicken flavor) and the flank (tender) saved the dish.
Among the 11 stir fried noodles options, I settled on the beef chow mein ($9.95). I appreciated the ample, flavorful beef, but the noodles were slightly undercooked (meaning, a bit tough). I think next time I’ll order either chow fun (thick rice noodle) or pad thai (rick stick noodle).
The menu continues on, and thus does this review. The pork brochettes sandwich ($5.25) is a tasty variation of a banh mi, with chopped pork instead of sliced pork and no jalapenos. I would definitely order this again.
Finally, just for the heck of it, I got the chicken fried rice ($7.75, $9.75). I admit I had low expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised. This dish had a great fried flavor without being too greasy. Also, I liked that the rice wasn’t drowning in scallions, like how other restaurants make it.
Viet Bistro is open every day for lunch, dinner and carryout.
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