Me and my bestie friend had to check this place out. I had been eagerly looking forward to trying them since they opened this location about 6 weeks ago. They are located in the Stesti Food Hall and Beer Garden! The parking lot is small but free. There was plenty of parking when we arrived but the spaces are petite, ideal for compact cars and not larger vehicles such as trucks or SUVs. It's a bit of a tight squeeze either way. If you're unable to find lot parking, they have paid parking and free street parking along the neighboring street from what I observed.
All of the staff throughout the hall will greet you as you walk past each of the perspective restaurants and bars on the inside. You will eventually make your way to Hup Noodle Bar! Such an earthy, vintage design with the decor. Plenty of areas to sit both inside and outside! Chef Cuong will greet you right away. His bright bubbly face with a huge smile will have you wanting to ask him all sorts of questions about his restaurant. He originally started with crepes and various French inspired desserts but had a passion for Vietnamese dishes!!
His pride and joy are his chicken curry, number 1 and pho broth at number 2. Those two tend to sell out each day during the lunch rush! I got lucky because today was a bit slow as it was Valentine's Day! We ordered both along with their shrimp egg rolls!
Pho with beef: Delicious and unbelievably comforting on a cold day like today! The basil leaves made it very aromatic! I could taste the star anise, cinnamon and ginger in this broth! It was slow cooked so as soon as the waitress sat it down, you got a huge whiff of all of the spices!! You took your first sip and it was so warm and tasty that, before you knew it, you were downing the entire bowl! Portion size is enough for 2.
Curry with chicken: fragrant curry soup with bone in chicken! Lots and lots of coconut milk, ginger, red curry paste, a little lime, basil, cilantro, chile oil made for a very flavorful curry!! Loved the addition of the carrots and potatoes to add a bit of complexity in texture as you're taking a bite and sipping the soup!!
Pro tip: Mixing the lime juice into the cup of salt and pepper levels up your dipping game when you go to dip the chicken in it! Use the bread to soak up the leftover soup if your goal is to leave no crumbs or leftovers! read more