Viet Kitchen

December 6, 2011 Update: Viet Kitchen has closed. The space it occupied is now home to Asiana Sushi, which will be reviewed here in early 2012.

It’s an awfully long way -- over 700 miles -- from Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, to Saigon, the large metropolis in the southern portion of the country. While the distances within Phoenix don’t stretch into the hundreds of miles, it’s still quite a jaunt -- over 20 miles -- from Viet Kitchen’s original location along the 101 Freeway in north Phoenix to its new second restaurant in the heart of the city. Although a northern invasion was something U.S. armed forces fought during years of war, this migration from north of south should be welcomed by all who want more dining options in Phoenix’s urban core. While there have been Vietnamese restaurants in Central Phoenix for decades, it has been 20 years since we’ve enjoyed one actually located Downtown.

Viet Kitchen’s new urban quarters are in the ground floor of the Orpheum Lofts, one block from the Central / Washington (westbound) and First Avenue / Jefferson (eastbound) light rail stations. Viet Kitchen replaced a Mexican fast food restaurant and inherited its bare bones decor, including some “order here” signs. Initially, there was confusion about whether the restaurant was full service, but it’s now clear that orders are taken at the table. This is a rare Vietnamese restaurant with an open kitchen. It’s great to have a steaming bowl of pho at the table, but even better to see big pots of broth simmering on the stove. If there isn’t a lot of decoration on the walls, at least there are good views of pedestrians and trains outside on the street.

The menu is a sort of “greatest hits” of Vietnamese cuisine with representation of several different regions and specialties. Expect noodle soups like pho, dry noodle dishes like bun, banh mi sandwiches, and some interesting salads and stir fries along the way. The menu is not exactly the same as “up north.” Wisely, the Downtown restaurant emphasizes more vegetarian choices. Still, the authenticity seems to hold up well, without a lot of needless watering down of the food in the name of safe businesses lunches. It should be noted that the prices here are somewhat higher than at a lot of strip mall joints -- not outrageous, but expect a banh mi sandwich to cost closer to $5 than $3 here.

To start a meal at Viet Kitchen Downtown, opt for any of the egg, spring, or summer rolls -- most of them available in both small and large orders.The cha gio have a pleasant crunch on the outside with a seasoned ground pork interior. A generous plate of lettuce and herbs adds some greenery to the indulgent fried appetizer. Vegetarian spring rolls stuffed with tofu are the best meatless choices among the starters. There’s also a crepe on the menu, but it’s texture is a bit gummy compared to some other versions around town. The most interesting way to commence a meal, though, is the “beach bun,” a cleverly named rice cake steamed and topped with shrimp and vegetable and herb garnishes.

Viet Kitchen’s pho is distinctive. Expect a strong aroma of star anise to waft out of the bowl the moment it’s set at the table. The mix of flavors in the oily broth is stronger than at many other local noodle soup purveyors, but still nicely balanced. As expected, there are several different types of beef pho, along with chicken and meatless versions. Any pho can be supersized to an extra large version, although it’s hard to see the need with Viet Kitchen’s already generous portions. There’s even bun bo hue on the menu for anyone craving Central Vietnam’s spicy, meaty specialty. For noodles without soup, the numerous bun dishes top vermicelli with grilled meat or shrimp, lettuce, and herbs.

Reflecting a colonial influence from French rule, Viet Kitchen also offers an assortment of banh mi on fresh baguettes. The usual suspects in this category have fillings such as pate and grilled pork, but for something different, try the ca ry banh mi. This might be the ultimate open-faced sandwich combined with the concept of a French Dip. A sliced baguette is presented alongside a bowl of chicken curry. Dip each piece into the peppery, aromatic sauce based on coconut milk, scooping up pieces of poultry and vegetables along the way. One the sauce is soaked up, the remnants left in the bowl -- mainly chilis and lemongrass stalks -- show how the stew acquired its satisfying flavor.

In terms of food and service, Viet Kitchen’s new location is doing just fine. The challenge now is to draw business beyond the weekday lunch hour instead of succumbing to the “Downtown Disease” of limited hours of business. After starting with an ambitious schedule of weekend and evening hours all week long, the restaurant then scaled back to lunch only. Now, it's giving dinner a second try every day except Sunday, when the restaurant is closed. The physical distance from north Phoenix to Downtown is large, but the psychological distance can be even greater. Enjoy Viet Kitchen six days a week with the hope that enough support will sustain the expanded hours.

114 W. Adams St., Phoenix AZ 85003
(602) 262-5535
http://www.vietkitchenaz.com