Nha Trang

We are from Vegas and we go to LA to visit family quite often. And when we are there it often involves "W" gorging himself in an all-you-can-eat Asian experience of food. Let me just say there is no exaggeration when I say we go and squeeze in 6 meals a day. One general rule when hanging out with us: "W" MUST EAT RIGHT WHEN HE WAKES UP. To involve other activities would mean suicide for you and your guests when this raging bitch attacks.


Early morning and "W" hears the door creak open. Abruptly woken up to go eat breakfast at a place that has been gloated as the best place in the city for a big bowl of Vietnamese Noodle. Nha Trang is the name and Noodle is their game ... before 10am. They are infamous for Bun Rieu and Bun Bo Hue.


S:  I am a huge fan of Bun Rieu. Something about slippery thin rice noodles swimming happily in a bright red-orange broth with shrimp/crab paste makes me weak in the knees. Our uncle (who is probably the unofficial mayor of all the Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants in LA) is buddies with the owner. This tiny hole in the wall cannot even put a quarter of my husband's family in there and they are tiny little Asians, well majority of them.


W: When we got seated we ordered the Bun Bo Hue while "S" ordered Bun Rieu. The steamy broth arrived with delicate pieces of sliced beef and slippery noodles. The broth was perfection. One of the best I had ever tasted. I added the herbs and the bean sprouts. The heat of the broth slightly steamed the bean sprouts but  still kept its textual integrity to add an extra crisp, clean, crunch. All the spices and flavors enveloped my face as I peered into the bowl while slurping the broth. It’s practically indescribable. Not of pork nor of beef. A nice mix of porky and cowy flavors.


S:  Of course, I got the Bun Rieu, the flavors are infused with the savory crab tomalley, salty shrimp paste, tangy tomatoes and shallots all nicely simmered in pork knuckles and whole blue crabs.  It is by far one of the best broth I have endured. 


W: Luckily on that day they had the Siu Mai with bread. Weird right? I didn’t know that the Vietnamese was into folding dim sum like their Chinese counterparts. At first I thought I heard wrong and my uncle was speaking Vietnamese but as I was reminded … "Siu Mai" no matter how you say it in any language means the same thing. 


S: The Banh Mi Xie Ma is a fusion of Vietnamese/Italian infused marinara sauce over Chinese marinated pork meatballs. You eat it the lucious meat and sauce with fresh baked crunchy French baguette.  Dericious! (yes, I know how to spell delicious...it's my thing, ok?)  The pork was very silky and it was very appetizing.

W:  The siu mai was not what I expected at all. It was a delicate meat ball covered in a light and tangy tomato sauce with shards of cilantro sprinkled throughout. My uncle informed me that this is what siu mai was in Viet Nam and how he used to enjoy it and how it’s really hard to find in the states. I was informed to dip the crunchy French bread and slather some of the meat onto the bread. Reminiscent of an Italian meat ball sub but the lighter skinner sister version. If an Italian Meat Ball Sub had a sister it would be this skinny bitch. The younger, hotter, skinner and prettier one. 

S:  Great imagery, is there any part of the stereo typical gay you do not fit?  Overall, I will definitely come back.  This place will be to you as a temple, offering broth that enlightens the palate and leave you wanting more.   You actually think I am exaggerating...but you will see how irresistible this broth is when you show up pass 11:30am and watch the line forms and when some items are already SOLD OUT!  If you're a believer in the sanctity of broth, you must visit Nha Trang...before 10am.  

W:   The place was very cute. Small. Crowded. But cute. The food came out in a matter of minutes. My uncle’s friend was there, he wasn’t the owner nor was he employed there but was somehow became our personal waiter. He brought out our food and cleared and cleaned the table. He would talk to my gregarious uncle while he was seating customers. Who knows what type of relationship the gentleman and the owner has but who cares. The food was excellent, the service was awesome and the grey haired man provided amusement. 

Has anyone else tried the other items here? If so what were they and how did they compare to the Bun Rieu or Bun Bo Hue? We would love input so that next time we can try the other items ... but the predecessors are sooo addicting ... salivating as i'm writing this ....

NHA TRANG

311 E Valley Blvd
Ste 103
San Gabriel, CA 91776

(626) 572-7638