Thien Long has been one of those nostalgic restaurants for my wife and me. We've been coming here…read morefor years, and whenever we're craving Vietnamese food other than pho, this is one of our go-to places. It's local, the food has always been good to excellent, and there are some fond memories that keep bringing us back. We came here again on a Sunday evening around 8:15pm, just before closing. Here's my updated review.
Food (4 stars)
* Shaking Beef (4.5 stars) - This is our kids' usual order, and they love it! The beef was cooked perfectly medium rare with a nice char on the outside while remaining tender and juicy inside. The marinade has a subtle sweetness that really complements the beef. It comes with mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions. You can choose white rice or tomato rice, but my kids prefer white rice. The portion is generous enough for both kids to share, and there's even enough rice left for me!
* Half & Half Turmeric Fish and Grilled Pork (4 stars) - This is one of our longtime favorites. You get the best of both worlds with their signature turmeric fish and flavorful grilled pork. The fish is consistently good, served over a bed of onions and fresh green herbs. The pork is thinly sliced and can be a little dry from cooking, but it's well seasoned and flavorful. Once you wrap everything together with the vermicelli, herbs, and vegetables in rice paper, the dryness becomes almost unnoticeable. They give you plenty of rice paper and vermicelli noodles, so you won't leave hungry. I just wish they were a little more generous with the fresh vegetables on the side. That's more of a personal preference than a complaint.
* Fried Flour Cake with Egg (3.5 stars) - We ordered this as our appetizer. It's good, but not the best version I've had. The flour cake is surrounded by quite a bit of egg, making it feel more like a flour cake omelet than the traditional dish I'm used to. The accompanying dipping sauce has a nice sweet and tangy flavor that brings everything together. It's enjoyable, just not particularly memorable compared to some of the better versions I've tried elsewhere.
Service/Ambiance (4 stars)
* We arrived fairly close to closing time. There were only a handful of customers left, and eventually we were the last table. The staff started cleaning up around us, but we never felt rushed. I really appreciate restaurants that allow their customers to finish their meals comfortably, even when it's almost time to close.
* One thing I'll never forget about this restaurant happened during the pandemic. My wife came here to pick up food, but at the time they were a cash-only business, and she didn't have any cash. Instead of turning her away, they simply told her to take the food and pay them the next time she came back! My wife went straight to the bank and returned with the money. What an incredible gesture of kindness and trust! It's those little things that make you remember an establishment for years. They now accept credit cards, by the way.
~ The ambiance is pretty typical of a casual Vietnamese restaurant. Nothing fancy, but comfortable enough for a family meal. You'll often see plenty of Vietnamese customers dining here, which adds to the authentic neighborhood restaurant feel.