News by TheVoice Staff Banh Xeo tops the restaurant's speciality list.

Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index Previous Reviews | Send mail to The Voice Pho Van offers taste of Vietnam Com Thit, grilled pork over rice, is a light eater's choice. -Stephen Gorham, photo Pho Van Vietnamese restaurant brings a unique atmosphere to the table along with a heaping plate of ethnic food. A combination of earth tones, plants, low, recessed lighting and Asian items create a cool, relaxed atmosphere. Framed black and white photographs hang from chocolate brown walls. A potted bamboo plant brushes the mustard-yellow ceiling. The waitstaff will allow you plenty of time to choose your entree. The waiters are prompt, but they don't rush customers. The menu lists entrees by category: beef and chicken noodle soups, specialty soups, noodle dishes, rice dishes and specialties. Tai Nam Gu, a wonderful beef soup entree, makes your taste buds dance. Its broth consists of anise, aromatic whole onion, ginger and other delightful Asian herbs. Every soup entree comes with an abundance of rice stick noodles, fresh bean sprouts, basil, jalapeno and wedges of lime. The Tai Nam Gu comes with round steak, flank steak and fatty brisket. The meat itself is bland and needs the broth for flavor. But the overall effect is not ruined with the combination. Bun Ga, char-grilled chicken marinated in honey and lemongrass presented over vermicelli noodles satisfies even the largest appetite. Small mounds of shredded carrots, bean sprouts, cucumbers and peanuts add texture, color and subtle flavor to the entree. A few spoonfuls from a bowl of Nuoc Mam, a clear liquid, add tangy sweetness to the noodles. Banh Xeo tops the restaurant's specialty list as a pan-fried rice flour crepe folded over tossed bean sprouts, mung beans, onion, shrimp and pork. A brown, crispy layer covers the soft, yellow crepe. It includes a bowl of Nuoc Mam. For the less adventurous, Com Thit is a good choice. Char-grilled pork modestly covers a plate of white rice and cilantro and green onions perk up the plate with a little color and spice. The pork, the dish's main star, puts on a savory performance. The supporting roles of the spicy cabbage and carrots are more of an acquired taste. The Com Thit, a light eater's choice, is not as large as the noodle dishes but still fills the average stomach. For those who feel that pork really isn't the "other white meat," Pho Van also offers this dish with chicken or shrimp. The Bun Rieu, a filling soup of vermicelli noodles in a light tomato meat broth with stewed tomatoes and obtrusive chunks of ground crab, has a wonderful balance of flavors that compensate for its lack of visual appeal. The crabmeat does not add to the overall taste of the dish. Pho Van offers teas, coffees, juices, sodas and Vietnamese specialty drinks. The jackfruit smoothy, a Vietnamese drink, looks like a tall glass of custard. Its cool flavor and smooth texture is light and refreshing. Many of the dishes can feed two women. But if dessert is still an option, try the Che Van, an exotic concoction of beans with coconut cream, tapioca, flour strips, chestnuts and shaved ice. The layers of color range from the flashy green of gelatinized grass at the bottom to the light brown and tan of the beans. This sweet dessert is a proper finale to the Pho Van experience. Pho Van, established in 1992, is run by the Van family (Pho means noodle; Van is the family name). Appetizers run from $3 to $4:75. Soups and other entrees range from $4.50 to $8. Hours: Open Daily 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Location: 1919 S.E. 82nd Ave., Portland. (From MBC, turn right onto Glisan; turn left on 82nd) Payment options: No Checks; cash, credit and debit cards accepted. Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index Previous Reviews | Top Of Page Send mail to The Voice| Journalism department website © 2001 The Voice. No part of this publication may be reproduced in written or electronic form without prior written consent from the journalism adviser of Multnomah Bible College. All rights reserved.