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549 Bloor St. W. The walls are tastefully decked with images of fish and Vietnamese art. It's a long space, with a plush couch occupying one wall and tables spread throughout the rest of the room. Lighting is subdued and gentle, giving the packed area a bit of intimacy. The large window opening on the street provides fresh air. The menu arrives with the congenial owner, who always takes time to speak personally to each group. The list is unadventurous. There's an emphasis on simple rice and vermicelli, mostly fried, and surprisingly little barbecue for Vietnamese. Vegetarians have lots of choices. The spring rolls ($3.00) are lightly crisped on the outside but filled with vegetable juiciness. They're not too oily, but are perhaps smaller than they should be. Mixed vegetable appetizers ($6.00) come with an assortment of roots, greens and goodies underneath a tangy, slightly spicy Vietnamese vinegar sauce, interspersed with crisp fennel. The fresh mango salad ($6.50) sharply contrasts sweet fruit with tart vinaigrette, but the dish lacks a certain zing for the price. The noodle soup ($6.00) is a great buy. Free of saltiness, the multilayered lemongrass broth bathes tender tofu and vegetables cooked just long enough to release their flavour while remaining firm and lively. Cubed carrots burst with moist earthiness in the yang chow fried rice ($7.00), and the quality rice is mercifully free of greasy residues. It's simple but carries a meal easily. The equally non-greasy and uncomplicated ginger chicken special ($9.50) has succulent, non-fatty, carefully prepared meat. The sliced ginger is strong but not overpowering, and scours away the birdy aftertaste usually associated with Vietnamese chicken. Be sure to have a fresh fruit shake ($4.00). They're creamy and cool on warm evening. You'll probably want seconds. The dessert menu is dull, but Bloor West has no end of dessert cafes for after-dinner sweets. |