When I lived in Nashville, any given weeknight could easily turn into an exciting one — where drinks abound and live music played way into the wee hours.
More often than not, my friends and I would meet up the next day to cure our hangovers and chat about the previous night’s events. And most of the times, the choice was Miss Saigon — a locally owned Asian market/restaurant on the west side of Nashville that always seemed to have a cure for what ailed us. My go-to order was usually a bowl of pork vermicelli.
A few weeks ago, I woke up with quite a need for that familiar cure.
Even after almost three years of living in Baton Rouge, I hadn’t checked out any Vietnamese restaurants, so I dragged my fiancé out to the first place I could find online. Immediately after dinner, I decided we should seek out more places and start a quest to find our favorites. And so, we did. This is the beginning of a delicious journey.
Barbecue pork vermicelli bowl from Pho 97
Although out of our way and on the opposite side of town, Pho 97 has a moody ambiance with a trendy flair — a sweet spot for a dinner date.
I ordered the eggroll and BBQ pork vermicelli bowl. As soon as our server set it down in front of me, I felt like I traveled back in time. It was exactly what I was craving: a giant bowl with fresh herbs and veggies, peanuts, loads of rice noodles, big chunks of deliciously tender barbecue pork and a perfectly golden eggroll.
I recommend pairing the dish with a freshly squeezed lemonade and shrimp spring rolls.
Pho 97, 15540 George Oneal Road, Baton Rouge. (225) 444-5060. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
Grilled pork vermicelli bowl from Bao Vietnamese Kitchen
Grilled pork vermicelli bowl from Bao Vietnamese Kitchen.
A hidden gem! Well, for me, at least. Conveniently located off Perkins, Bao has a modern and upscale, yet approachable vibe. The menu had so many options — I’ve read rave reviews about the wings — but I was a woman on a mission.
I ordered the grilled pork vermicelli bowl, and it was perfect. Crispy veggies, peanuts and oodles of noodles topped with grilled pork that was still sizzling, whispering sweet nothings to me as it arrived at our table. Honestly, the dish was so good that I forgot to take a photo before I started eating. I goofed and forgot to add an eggroll to my bowl, but that’s just another reason for me to go back.
Bonus points: My fiancé raved about the rare steak pho here. He was very happy they offered a side of bread to soak in the broth as well.
Bao Vietnamese Kitchen, 8342 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge. (225) 960-1293. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Shrimp vermicelli bowl from Phở Café
Shrimp vermicelli bowl from Pho Cafe.
Located off South Sherwood Forest, Phở Café is the most casual of the three places scouted. The weather was perfect, so we took advantage of the outdoor seating for our late lunch.
I was influenced by a spread I saw in a local magazine earlier that day and decided to switch it up and order the shrimp vermicelli bowl with an eggroll. Paired with a pink lemonade, the shrimp vermicelli was just the right choice for lunch. The dish was filled to the brim with crunchy fresh veggies, herbs, noodles and topped with perfectly seasoned grilled shrimp.
It felt like a lighter meal despite it still being a giant bowl. I thoroughly enjoyed the fast-casual vibe, it’s a great choice for a quick satisfying bite.
Phở Café, 3851 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd., Baton Rouge. (225) 295-9947. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Next on the list of places to visit, in no particular order, include:
- Ava Street Café, 5207 Essen Lane
- Viet Garden, 11990 Florida Blvd.
- Dang’s, 12385 Florida Blvd.
- Pho Viet Noodle House, 503 La. 30, Gonzales
If you’ve got suggestions, send them my way at tramirez@theadvocate.com.
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