Mini Pancakes Bahn Khot -- super fresh, fragrant and flavorful. I love the basil and mint that came with the roll. Every mouthful had a nice hint of buttery flavor from the pancake and then a hint of freshness from the veggies. Spicy Shaken Beef Pho -- flavorful beef broth, perfect amount of saltiness, lots of fresh beef slices. Super filling and warm! The food was delicious and fresh! Would come back and try their other dishes, their standard pho was yummy and flavorful! read more

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We were in the area figuring out where to eat when a lady eating Bánh Khọt in the her freakin' car came up on my feed. Eating anything with nước chấm in the car is diabolical. With my luck, my car would smell like hello kitty for weeks. Anyhow, I found Mẹ Và Con on yelp, a mother-daughter owned resto that opened in 2024. They serve bánh khọt and have outdoor seating so we headed over. Thankfully, we arrived before the Sunday dinner rush (~5:45 pm) and before the parking lot was filled. Rezzies are accepted (via phone). M E N U Viet Cuisine with some elevated, modern twists (no specific regional specialty). Smaller menu than your typical hole-in-the-wall with 25-30 items including AZN fusion items like shrimp ceviche, kimchi pasta and tom yum pasta. Beer, wine, and soju cocktails available. F O O D * Bò Tái Chanh: Beef Carpaccio w/ Thai basil, fried shallot, house tangerine sauce ($18): https://tinyurl.com/nhcn9kxw - Served at dinner only Fresh, tender slices of beef carpaccio with a sweetness from the tangerine sauce and white onions. I appreciate their twist (tangerine sauce instead of nước chấm) but it was too one note for me...IMO, it needed acid and herbs. Plus, I miss the texture of peanuts. * Bánh Khọt: Viet Mini Pancakes w/ shrimp, coconut milk batter, herbs, pickles ($24): https://tinyurl.com/34nx7sat - Served at dinner only Fav dish of the night, the savory bánh khọt was delicately crispy and slightly custardy in the center with a snappy shrimp drizzled with fragrant scallion oil. It came with romaine, mint, and perilla leaves neatly layered for easy wrapping. The lettuce was a bit soft and soggy tho, and I think they forgot the pickled veggies. Served with a tiny portion of tangy sweet nước chấm. * Bò Lúc Lắc: Shaking Beef w/ soy, garlic, onion, cherry tomato, arugula ($26): https://tinyurl.com/3rkpukct Meltingly tender cubes of filet mignon but light on the seasoning and aromatics so it was bland. Also, was hoping for more smoky wok hei flavor. * Thịt Kho Tàu: Braised Pork Belly w/ hard boiled eggs, rice ($21): https://tinyurl.com/mr2evryw - Includes bowl of rice A traditional dish served during Lunar New Year, it symbolizes prosperity, warmth, and stability. Chunks of pork belly are caramelized in sugar and braised in coconut soda and fish sauce - rich, savory with a good ratio of lean meat to fat (4 pieces). Wish they used more braising liquid when warming up, as some pieces were a bit dry. S E R V I C E Warm, friendly hospitality. Food does take awhile tho...our first dish took about 30 minutes to arrive. A M B I A N C E Casual, no-frills indoor area with about 10-12 tables. Cute covered patio in the parking lot with 5 tables and fairy lights. Overall, Mẹ Và Con is a great place to introduce people that are new to Viet cuisine and/or you're looking for Viet dishes with different twist. read more

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$20 beef Pho was: truly excellent. The broth had a slightly different taste to it compared to other pho I've eaten. Despite the rain, Sunday lunch was popping off. read more

Me Va Con Vietnamese Kitchen - Beef Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

I was craving and needing a Vietnamese egg coffee. I came shortly after they opened. A lot of parking! The staff was nice and i didn't y long since they just opened . Coffee was good. I def want to come back and try the food. I really like how presentable everything is. You can tell they are professional. read more

Me Va Con Vietnamese Kitchen - Vietnamese egg coffee - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

Went here for dinner just to check it out. The menu was not overwhelming like some restaurants leaving you confused on what to order. We were set with the standard fresh spring rolls and chicken wings. For my entree, I had no doubts about braised pork belly. When it arrived, it was reminiscent of Filipino adobo with a hint of Star anise. Not a fan, but I ate it anyway. Ate very little at a time because I needed to ratio out the fat to meat and there was so much fat in the pork belly swimming in the oily sauce. I needed something to break up the oiliness like a vinegary daikon. Presentation and customer service a 10! Would I return, for sure! read more

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Arrived to the comforting smells of Vietnamese cooking on an exceptionally warm Friday evening. Inside and outside seating were full of Berkeleyites, but surprisingly there weren't the long lines that usually come with this part of the East Bay. We waited about 10 minutes before being seated. The space had that warm, neighborhood-restaurant vibe you hope for. Let me start by saying I genuinely wanted to like this place. It's local, it's Vietnamese, and it even has dedicated parking -- which in Berkeley feels like winning the lottery. Here's where things fell apart: Water service: No water at the table. Not a dealbreaker for me, but every other table had water -- even ones without guests. It was a small detail that set the tone. Pacing: Drinks came out in about 10 minutes. We ordered everything at the same time, but my date's entrée arrived nearly 20 minutes before mine. The appetizer showed up somewhere in between both mains. I was close to asking for mine to be boxed up. It felt like the kitchen was overwhelmed with takeout orders. I get that restaurants get slammed -- especially on warm Friday nights -- but a little acknowledgment from the server would've gone a long way. Food: After living more than 20 years less than a mile from Little Saigon in San Jose, I feel like I have a decent sense of what Vietnamese food should taste like. This wasn't it. It wasn't bad -- just not distinctly Vietnamese. The noodles resembled Italian spaghetti (and didn't taste fresh), and nearly every dish leaned heavily sweet. It just missed the balance and brightness I'm used to. Payment: It wasn't clear how to pay. We saw one couple walk up to the counter, while another paid at the table. A little direction would help avoid that awkward "do we sit here or wander up front?" moment. I really did want this to be a new local go-to. Maybe it was an off night, but based on this visit, it didn't quite come together. P.S. Due to the responsiveness of the owner I'm adding another STAR. BB read more

Me Va Con Vietnamese Kitchen - Broken Rice dish?? - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

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Went on a Saturday around 5pm, got busier around 6-7pm. Place has plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Also has a mini parking lot which is nice. Service was quick and nice, didn't check in though. Bahn khot was flavorful, great with the veggies to wrap. Beef carpaccio was greatly prepared and tasted good. Chicken pho was simple, love that it came out temperature hot with hoisin, sriracha, and chili oil sauce. Carmelized ginger chicken came with rice, tasted ok. Chicken bbq plate was ok, had better. Braised pork belly also came with rice, taste was comforting. read more

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Me Va Con Vietnamese Kitchen opened a year ago where OB Town once was. Name refers to the mother & Daughter involved. Same small parking lot. Interior is small, probably like before. Outdoor dining area attached to entrance. Upon entering, it looked busy with people standing inside entrance wait in for a table. Minutes later, was acknowledged & assigned a seat. The small wooden chair had edgy sides which agitated my body parts. Not comfy. Offerings (Vietnamese): lunch specials, mama's platters, entrees & signature dishes, sandwich & more, drinks.. ordered soon after. 10 min. Food arrived. Slurps: Vietnamese dry noodle (17) with chicken & chicken broth on side. -chicken broth very sweet & savory, toppings on side had lettuce leaves, lime squeeze, bean sprouts, jalepenos & basil. Used lettuce to wrap various ingredients & ate it like a sandwich. -pork belly, onions, shallot & ground pork too small to notice. Chicken shreds plentiful but dry due to being cooked for broth. Shrimp & squid crunchy, tasty as was quail eggs. Rice noodles, herbs & bean sprouts added substance. Hoisin sauce & sriracha type condiments available. Didn't use. Interesting dish not wowed. Maybe mama's platter would have been better choice. 4.5 stars semi-worthy: ymmv. Qualtity: fresh ingredients. Quantity: plentiful. Reasonable $. read more

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I want to say this is one of the best Vietnamese food places I've had. I'm visiting with my family and we were starving and stopped in. The coconut cloud matcha was soooo good. The coconut water and chunks were FRESH. Omg I'm so sad I don't live near here. The bun thit nuong was delicious and the pork was so tender and thinly sliced! Need this like every day. read more

Me Va Con Vietnamese Kitchen - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

First thing I noticed (other than the dedicated parking lot!) were the fresh sunflowers on each table..the people here are trying! Got a seat in the little outdoor patio, though they also have a fair amount of indoor seating. Staff were all super kind and welcoming. All the food coming out smelled amazing but I was getting a little nervous cause my food wasn't coming. Learned my lesson - good food takes time! Once my bun came out, it was well worth the wait. Every part of my meal was fresh and delicious. Fair pricing as well. Recommend. read more

Me Va Con Vietnamese Kitchen - bun bowl with pork - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

Possibly the best place to eat Vietnamese food in Berkeley. They have rich flavors and good food that tastes fresh! They have stars on the menu next to items they recommend, which is quite a few. Their appetizers of Bahn Khot (mini pancakes) are well done, but you also can't go wrong with the pho or the vermicelli bowls. Note that it is a lot of food so be prepared to take food home. The staff are really friendly and offer melon hard candies as a treat to-go. They have a rather spacious dining room and an outdoor patio. There is a parking lot, but during peak times, it is quite full. read more

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Came here on Saturday at around noon and it was relatively empty. There's also an outdoor seating area I think but today it was raining so that wouldn't have worked out. Inside, the ambiance was very nice, even with a rotating Christmas tree in the corner for a like holiday vibe. The group ordered a sticky rice with chicken, sticky rice with beef, and 2 clay pot cooked dishes (ginger chicken and braised pork). The sticky rice came within maybe 20 minutes and the clay pot dishes did take a significantly more time. I would say, that I wished they timed these dishes better because it's typical for parties to not start eating until everyone's food is there. As for flavor, all 4 dishes had it! I ordered the braised pork, and with a little hint of spice, the pork was so tender and the fat was flavored super nicely, would highly recommend if you want to enjoy a nice pork dish. The other dishes were also really great and I would highly recommend them as well. 4/5 stars just because of the wait time for the dishes but besides that I had no complaints at all! read more

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It has a parking lot! I ordered the beef pho and my sister ordered the miso udon and a pot of pandan tea. All of it was delicious. The service was fine, ambiance was cute. The place was clean and you can hear the cooks speaking Vietnamese in the kitchen, always a good sign. read more

Me Va Con Vietnamese Kitchen - Beef pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

This place got so many things right: plenty of parking, great service, great food, good value. I normally dont order anything other than pho at a Vietnamese restaurant coz pho is like the main dish and everything else just kinda feels meh, plus pho has everything you need (noodle, meat, vegie). This place is an exception. We ordered, besides chicken and beef pho, coconut prawn, crispy roll, and sizzling brisket. We loved the prawn and the crispy roll, they are amazing, especially when paired with the sauce. The brisket was a bit confusing, theres little meat and lots of rice, i dont really get what i am paying for in that dish. Both phos are really good. Chicken and beef are tender. The only thing I can fault is probably the amount of meat. Maybe I am too used to the XXXL meat around south bay. Anyway, I am willing to give this place a five star for the two appetizers alone, in spite of the brisket. There're flies in the establishment, so dont expect fine dining experience. But the table and dishes are clean. read more

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The servers were really friendly and the restaurant is very cozy. The food was so good and made me miss Vietnam so much! We had a pho which was a southern style and the broth was very good and they gave us nice Thai basil and bean sprouts. The spring rolls were really good with the peanut sauce. The bun thit nuong was also so good! Everything was delicious and very comforting. There's only a few Vietnamese restaurants I'd recommend and this is definitely one of them!! Definitely will have to come back to try other things :) we also got some strawberry lemonade and it was great too!! read more

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The food here is AMAZING!!!! My husband and I love pho, and we think this place has the best soup. So clean and so full of flavor! Their other dishes are also so good. Their staff is so hardworking, and even when there's a long line of people (this place is popular), they get you seated and your food served quickly! read more

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I was pleasantly surprised by this location and the quality Vietnamese food. Arrived early for a weeknight dinner, and it was not that crowded, but the crowd came around 7:30 PM or 8 PM. Very fast service and nice ambience inside with a parking lot! I ordered the sizzling beef plate with rice (a chef special) and liked it more than Sizzling Lunch. Same concept, but higher quality and tastier in my opinion. We also got the braised pork belly and the shrimp appetizers which come with lettuce wrap, and a delicious sauce. I would definitely come back to try the pho, but definitely enjoyed the fusion dishes! read more

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I usually stick to my pho orders at Viet restaurants, but I really enjoyed the variety of dishes I had at Me Va Con! We got: * beef carpaccio (which was nice and tangy, no weird raw meat taste) * bon koht (almost like savory egg tarts with shrimp inside -- this was my favorite thing of the night! it was so buttery and crispy) * broken rice plate with pork chop (well marinated and grilled meat; and the salad was refreshing combo) It was pretty busy and hard to find parking on the weekend, but would be interested in coming back in the future. All the things we got were on the slightly sweeter side which I don't usually prefer, but I thought they did it well here. read more

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Might be one of my new favorite Vietnamese spots in the Bay! Super homey spot in Oakland that serves up comforting classics. We got the banh khot, spicy shaking beef pho, and braised pork belly. Highly recommend the banh khot and spicy sharing beef pho - both hit the spot for our group. I think the braised pork belly could've been a tad bit more tender / braised over heat a little longer but the flavor was nice and had a good kick. Egg vietnamese coffee was also balanced and strong. Wait times can be a bit longer during weekend peak hours but it's well worth the wait. read more

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Really wanted to love this place to support small business owners. Unfortunately, the beef was really tough and chewy. We ended up spitting out the beef on the pho and sizzling rice. The sizzling rice was lack of flavor and came with a few pieces of chopped up brisket and corn kernels. Little pricey for the value you paid. Also, the garlic noodle had no garlic taste. On the other hand, I loved the crispy "pancake". The flavor was spot on and came out perfectly. Lastly, I had many cups of water after the meal. :( read more

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Me Va Con, meaning 'mother and child' in Vietnamese, offers traditional yet modern Viet Fusion cuisine. The building that it's in used to be home to one of my go-to Korean restaurants while I was in college so I was very eager to see what took its place. There is a small private parking lot attached to the building which is great! As you walk towards the entrance, you'll pass by their shaded large patio seating area. The indoor portion of the restaurant is bright, welcoming, and very clean. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was a big sign on the counter that reads: "We are not a fast food restaurant. Your food is made fresh every order. Please be patient." Not only did the sign catch my attention, but it made me even more excited because I knew I would be getting a hot 'home cooked' meal. The menu offers a fun variety of starters, viet street food, noodle soup, entrees, sides, & they have a dinner specials menu! I was very intrigued by the sound of the Tom Yum Pasta, but I was here on a mission-- to get a big bowl of pho. We ordered the Spicy Shaken Beef Pho at the spiciest level ($22), Banh Khot (Mini Crispy Shrimp Pancakes, dine-in only, $24), Xoi Man with Pork (Sticky Rice with house sauce & pork, sausage, + quail egg), and an Egg Coffee ($8). The food only took about 15 minutes to start coming out, the coffee came out within 5 minutes. The coffee was very dark, aromatic, and had a perfect amount of bitter to it. The egg foam was delicate, not too sweet, and has made it onto my 'East Bay Coffee Heads' collection. I will definitely be visiting regularly just to grab coffee. The sticky rice came out next. The presentation was fun & casual. The rice was laying on a pool of their sweet and savory house sauce & covered in a mountain of tender grilled pork. This dish could definitely have been a meal on its own. The spicy shaken beef pho came out and it was piping hot! It came with a more than generous serving of rice noodles and lots of thinly sliced beef. The broth itself was rich, deep in flavor, and not too fatty or greasy. At the spice level that I requested, I was hoping for more heat, but they do give you a container of their house made chili sauce that really packs a punch so I added a bit into my soup after tasting it. I can't wait to try their other noodle dishes. The Banh Khot, or mini pancakes with shrimp, were served in a very cute cast iron on top of a woven bamboo coaster/basket. It was also served with a platter layered with butter lettuce, mint, and purple shiso leaves, and of course, a small bowl of nuoc chaom (Viet dipping sauce). Each bite was so light, crispy, and refreshing! I really appreciated how the lettuce/shiso were presented. It made it much easier to prepare each wrap & it was so aesthetic. There was one hiccup that the staff fixed with grace. We had only ordered one bowl of the spicy shaken beef pho, but we were served two bowls. We let them know that we'd be okay with keeping/paying for the second bowl since it was already made. They still gave 20% off of our bill for the mistake. The staff is so kind & really wants to make sure you enjoy your meal. I cannot wait to dine here again soon! Definitely going to try the Ube Coffee next. read more

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Really cute aesthetic. I love how there is indoor and outside dining. We initially wanted to order the braised pork belly but they sold out. We came around 4:30 on Sunday. Service was superb. Servers came by multiple times to check up on us. The pork bahn mi was delicious. The baguette was crispy and flavorful. The vermicelli bowl with pork was delicious as well. Portion sizes were huge which left us satisfied and happy. The coconut match drink was amazing. A little pricey for the amount but still worth it. Will definitely be back soon! read more

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We came here for a quick bite. Everything we ordered was delicious. Service was good. This is not a fancy place but a very casual restaurant with its own parking lot. I would definitely come back and try and try some of their items on the menu. read more

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Got this to go- very friendly service. Small but decent parking lot. Outdoor seating too available that is covered. Found this cute little space that offered braised pork belly. It was sooo good- perfectly soft and so flavored. The shaking beef was very good as well too- great spices and texture. I really liked it over salad with a lime! We will definitely be back to try their pho :) read more

Me Va Con Vietnamese Kitchen - Braised Pork Belly - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

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Loved the pandan green tea! Veg noodle - tasty and i appreciated all the different mushrooms in it (especially the fried one), but it did run pretty salty Beef pho - my sister said it's the best one she's had in the bay! Portions are generous. Service is mostly attentive, a little sporadic. We didn't get little guava candies at the end like other tables did, and had to ask for a bigger (proper) spoon for the pho. Biggest gripe was the teapot had a terrible design and will spill all over the table top. The bathroom was filled with funny Christmas decor that was an unexpected surprise. There's a parking lot too! Overall, very authentic and I will be returning. read more

Yum yum yum! Saw the photos and thought this place looked good, so decided to come on a Saturday afternoon. The food did not disappoint! When we got to the restaurant it was busy! They are a mom and daughter restaurant so family owned; everything is made to order so don't expect quick service especially if it's busy! We ordered the Banh Khot as an appetizer and it was so yummy. Crispy yet soft, hot, and full of flavor, it's accompanied with lettuce and mint. I ordered the spicy pork belly and yes it's very spicy but full of flavor. The portion had 5-6 large pieces of pork with 2 eggs as well, and with a side of rice. This place is lowkey on the outside but inside is clean, tables are well spaced out, and they play light music so you don't have to yell at each other. Would definitely come back here again! read more

Me Va Con Vietnamese Kitchen - Braised Pork Belly - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

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Me Va Con has a modern take on Vietnamese food. The staff are friendly, the interior is clean, and the menu has classic and newer options. I started with a crispy roll, it was very flavorful, but didn't think there was enough given the price point, quality wise it was excellent. Then for the main I got the braised pork, it was super spicy and if you like hot foods this will be a perfect fit. Lastly I had a Vietnamese coffee too, this was on point as well. What I also saw was some cream type tom yum noodle dish on the dinner menu. I really want to try that too. read more

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I absolutely loved my first visit to Me Va Con. The dining area is simple, modern, and comfortable for informal dining. Staff are friendly and extremely helpful. They have a large parking lot for customer right on Telegraph ave. I ordered: Shankin Beef Spicy Pho: broth was savory, spicy, and unbelievably delicious. The noodles were plentiful. Beef was tender and flavorful. The perfect non-traditional pho. So good I want to eat it tomorrow. Tom Yum Pasta: it was sweet, sour, creamy, seafood-y, ever so light spice level. A very comforting dish. I really enjoyed my meal here and cannot wait to go back. read more

Me Va Con Vietnamese Kitchen - Shaking Spicy Shaken Beef Pho & Tom-Yum Pasta - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

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Me Va Con is solid! I'm so glad a friend booked reservations for Sunday dinner because even though it was 5:30 PM it was already full! Our group got a variety to try. The staff was helpful and accommodating and the food was delicious. They got some traditional dishes but their signature dishes are very outside the box, like Spicy Shaken Beef pho, Tom-Yum pasta and creamy kimchi pasta. Recommend: Mini pancakes (banh khot) Beef pho Shaken beef pho (it's very spicy even mild) read more

The food came out hot and tasted really good. Everything was served nicely in a bowl, which made it even better. I'd definitely recommend checking this place out. Overall, the restaurant has a nice, cozy vibe inside. read more

Me Va Con Vietnamese Kitchen - Vermicelli Bowl Vietnamese coffee - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

Me Va Con Vietnamese Kitchen is one of the best in Oakland and they have a parking lot. We stopped for lunch and it was busy! We sat outside and ordered strawberry lemonade and tea. We ordered Bánh Xèo Bites as an appetizer which was fresh, hot and delicious with a sweet dipping sauce. When then asked our server what was the most popular and she described the pork belly with egg. This dish was a little spicy but we couldn't stop eating it. I have had a sweeter version of this dish but this definitely will have me come back to try other items on the menu. read more

Me Va Con Vietnamese Kitchen - Braised Pork Belly - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

My niece n I wanted pho after I picked her up from her debate class and our usual spot was closed on Monday, so had to search for another spot to try. We happily found this place and will definitely go back. We first had the spring rolls which were really fresh. Then came our wings. Now these were a huge hit! Most Vietnamese places have amazing crispy fried wings but these have a sticky delicious marinade. A little sweet. A little savory. But way better than just fried! Then I got the shaken beef pho and my niece got the regular beef pho. I added sciracha and the jalapeno slices w the sprouts and made it hotter since I like a lot of heat. It was delicious!! My niece loved her pho too. We can't wait to go back and try more options. read more

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Finally stopped in to check out this place and know that it's a fusion Vietnamese cuisine so I don't expect it to be traditional and indeed they are somewhat fusion. Typically I am a bit more critical when it comes to Vietnamese food since I grew up with also know how cook it. Coming in it open mind to my a surprise how well they executed their version of the dishes. We ordered the beef capaccio and wow it was beautiful done, although could use a bit more sauce, maybe on a side for someone who wanted a bit more flavor. The bees melted in your mouth. Yum! We had Banh khot and was impressed with the detailsof how they preparedthe lettuces wrap for you. The Banh khot was a nice crunch but lacking fluffiness, or the coconut milk in it, I gave it 8/10 extra points for the beautiful lettuce plate. The spicy shaking beef Pho tasted like Pho Sate...hit the spot. And the BBQ pork roll would probablybe better pair with the fish sauce than peanut sauce but we enjoy it. Vibrant vibe with full Halloween decoration. Appreciatethe fresh flowers on the table. Friendly service, food came out coursing at the right pace. So for a fusion Vietnamese restaurant they deliver they mission well. I would come back to try other dishes. read more

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Great place to get a lot of dishes and share with friends! I loved the bahn khot and shaken beef. Friendly and fast service. Parking lot right outside, read more

Me Va Con Vietnamese Kitchen - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

Was craving pho and found this place on Yelp. With the name being "mother and child" in Vietnamese, I'm expecting it to be truly authentic! It's been tough finding a good pho place in Oakland as someone who is Vietnamese and is from SoCal where there's a plethora of pho restaurants. This place was pretty busy. I came with another friend for dinner on a Sunday evening. We got seated maybe within 10 minutes? The inside was cute and spacious. They had an outdoors place, too but since it was cold and not that crowded, it was closed off. The way they have their viet iced coffee prepped, definitely a Vietnamese spot. Their menu was pretty simple! Had the main pho broths and some good looking appetizers. We ordered pho and it came out fairly quick. The pho tai (rare steak pho) was pretty flavorful. There was a lot of broth compared to the food content. I had some broth left over so I took it home to enjoy it the next morning. Come to my surprise it wasn't solidified into a gelatin-like consistency, which is a good indicator that it wasnt cooked with real beef bones or it wasn't cooked properly to produce that nutrient-rich collagen from the bones or they used the powder mix. I'm guessing they must've ran out of the bone broth since it was the end of the night. I was a bit disappointed to find that out the next morning!! Hopefully that is and was the case, otherwise I wouldn't necessarily call this place authentically Vietnamese. There were other items on the menu that I haven't tried yet so maybe I'll have better luck with the other options. read more

I ordered the lunch special braised pork belly, garlic bokchoy and rice. The dish was really good. Hits the spot. I love food that come out piping hot, and this fit the bill. I also ordered the coconut coffee. This was very sweet for my liking, and didn't have enough of a coffee kick. I will skip this next time. I'm excited to try more dishes. But honestly, I loved the braised pork so much I don't know if I could. I would definitely come again. read more

Me Va Con Vietnamese Kitchen - Lunch special. Braised Pork Belly and Garlic Bokchoy. - Vietnamese Near Me - Oakland, California

Tried Va Con Vietnamese Kitchen for the first time with my friend and was pleasantly surprised by how good the food was. I ordered the beef pho, chicken wings, and a vermicelli bowl. At first the pho took super long to come out, so I was getting a little impatient. When it came out, the beef pho was solid--good quality beef, and the noodles were al dente and held up well in the broth. But the real standout was the broth. I've tried a bunch of pho spots across the Bay (Pho Hanoi, San Jose Pho, and a handful of others in SJ), and this one easily lands in my top 3. I prefer flavorful, full-bodied broths, and this was one of the most insanely tasty and satisfying ones I've had in a long time. I was freezing that day, so maybe that made it hit even harder, but regardless... the broth here is elite. The chicken wings were decent: crispy, seasoned fine, and enjoyable -- but nothing memorable enough to come back specifically for. I didn't try the vermicelli but my friend said it was okay. Overall, I'd return for the pho alone. If you're a broth-forward pho person, Va Con is absolutely worth a visit. read more

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Driving down Telegraph, we spotted bright the yellow, diner-like signage: ME VA CON. How quirky; loved it. Wonder if this property used to be an old-school diner. But most importantly -- the elevated Vietnamese cuisine was fantastic. FOOD Banh khot. Phenomenal little Vietnamese "pancakes." Crispy, fantastic flavor profile of savory and sweet, with a fantastic touch -- thoughtfully constructed lettuce herb-topped lettuce leaves to place the banh khot on. The nuoc cham (fish sauce for dipping) was authentic, garlickly, and tasty. Highly recommended -- a standout. Jungle Roll. Yum. Yet again, a masterful combination of flavors and textures. Richness and freshness. Soft and crispy. A successful spin on a spring roll. Recommended. Pork belly. Spicy kick! Rich, flavor filled. Some bits of the pork was a touch dry but mostly tender. Overall, nicely executed, and the juicy fatty pieces made up for any dry bits. Fantastic, filled aromatic Vietnamese spices. Recommended, and with some white rice. Shrimp cerviche. Really enjoyed this, with the rice cracker crisps. Vietnamese centric flavor profile, different from Peruvian style. Tasty and recommended. Garlic noodles. Well, we didn't need it, but we wanted it anyway and got a side of garlic noodles. Simple and perfectly executed, and a decent serving size. Just the way we like it. No need to overcomplicate this one. Garlic bok choy. Similarly -- simple and tasty. We needed hearty greens to round out the meal. This was nicely executed, though we could've used a touch more char or caramelization. Presentation. Everything was fantastic. It went a long way with this meal, and tied in with the simple, tasteful decor, fantastic food, and great service. DRINKS The cocktails are made with soju, as there's no hard liquor in the menu. We're assuming they opted against the expensive hard liquor license. So for drinks, we went with a wine (Chardonnay) and a beer (Allagash White). Both certainly fine options, but would've loved a tasty set of Vietnamese-inspired cocktails. Hopefully in the future! ENVIRONMENT AND SERVICE Really interesting they took the diner-like property and infused a really nice vibe on the interior. Light-filled. Simple and tasteful decor; elegant but not over the top, and casual enough. Great for a date night as well as casual. We saw a mix of both. We went for date night, but I'd happily dine here solo. Great staff, very professional, friendly, and prompt. Keep up the nice work! TIPS Reminder that there's no hard liquid in the cocktails (it's soju), but they also have a nice little selection of wine and beer. There's a parking lot! We weren't aware of that so we found (easy) street parking instead. read more

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Surprisingly the best Vietnamese food I've had. I don't often gravitate to Vietnamese but after coming here I'm surely going to return. The shrimp roll was better than I thought. The chicken salad served on a shrimp chip was mighty fine. I might be getting this wrong but there was a leafy wrap you put together with mint and a yellowish filling that I'm calling a mini pancake but I could be wrong but it was truly delightful! I've never had it before. The braised pork belly was delicious..... so tender. The sizzling beef you mix altogether and it was alright but the other dishes just didn't make it stand out. When I'm in the mood for Vietnamese I head right over. read more

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Cute little restaurant, where beloved Korean restaurants used to be! We tried three dishes- the pork belly, the beef pho, and the vermicelli bowl with pork. The vermicelli bowl was a good sized portion with a nice crispy egg roll, good amount of fresh veggies, and yummy grilled pork. In contrast, the beef pho was a small portion, and not much meat or noodles. It was very normal and nothing too exciting. And lastly I really wanted to love the pork belly! I asked the waiter if it was spicy since it had a pepper sign next to it on the menu, and he said no. He said only the peppers itself were spicy and not the dish itself. Well, it turned out really spicy throughout and I could hardly eat it, so that was a huge disappointment. Service was okay. Nice ambiance. Prices are okay, leaning towards the pricier side. Some dishes are fusion, which make the menu a bit interesting and there are pretty drinks as well. read more

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