So what do you do in Downtown Belleville on a Sunday morning? The answer is, a lot of walking…read morearound until 11:30, when this restaurant opened.
I was greeted warmly when I first got in, and was given my choice of tables by the windows. I sat down and was given the menu and left to order.
The menu is a mix of Vietnamese (pho) amd Thai (pad thai). They had a lot of pho choices, but I went with shrimp fried rice, because I wanted a soupless lunch. I also got two spring rolls with ground chicken, pork, and shrimp.
The spring rolls were amazing. Crispy without being greasy, and a sweet umami flavor. I don't like ground pork when it has that bonus ammonia flavor, but this ground pork was just sweet and tasty. The dipping sauce was maybe a bit of vinegar, a bit of fish sauce, but its slight tanginess complemented the spring rolls wonderfully.
The fried rice came very quickly after the spring rolls were served. Yes, they used frozen vegetables. No, I don't care, because the rice and shrimp were cooked perfectly. Smoky wok hay and a hint of spice, and no clumped rice. There was basil on top which I tore up and mixed in, but there was already some basil there as part of the fry. So some basil notes in most of my bites.
The place was super clean and bright, with a nice peaceful vibe augmented by the soft music playing. I would definitely return here at any time if I'm in Belleville, not just at 11:30 a.m.