The best grilled pork banh mi in Des Moines, in competition with the best I've ever had across D.C,…read moreSF, San Francisco...and dare I say it, Vietnam. If you like crunch, heat, unami, tartness, pate...don't miss out! =)

After a long work week in Ames and having good, but mostly American/Western food, we needed an…read moreethnic fix. Enter my comfort zone, Pho from my motherland. I knew we were in the right place when we walked I. And half of the restaurant were Vietnamese peeps. Was a warming experiencing hearing patrons throw a few traditional Lunar New Year greetings at each other and the owners. It's a small mom and pop shop, so much so, pop was the sole soldier working the entire front of the house. As such, don't expect super fast service, but good service nonetheless. We started with the fresh spring rolls, which were good, and their fried egg rolls, which I probably won't order again. The egg rolls were pretty much veggies, loosely filled, and served with a sweet and sour type dipping sauce. It was more of an Americanized Chinese style egg roll, not a Vietnamese cha gio with nouc cham. I ordered the pho dac biet and it was VERY good. The large is HUGE. Most places back home have suffered from shrink-flation and large bowls are tiny now. Not this place, I struggled to finish the bowl. My friends got the seafood pho, and another got the pho ga (chicken). I of course did not slide my chopsticks in theirs and swipe a bite, but they said they enjoyed theirs. I would definitely come back here again and maybe try some of their other dishes.

The food is EXCELLENT here; dirty wings are nice and crisp on the outside, tender and juicy on the…read moreinside. The Pho is a heavenly light broth with mild or spicy flavor as one chooses, while filled with noodles and generous helpings of meat or vegetables of your choice. Other choices of dishes from Thai or Chinese regions are well made with a wonderful scent, zing to the sauces and visual appeal that makes everyone at the table envious or hoping for a sample that might be shared. Service and price are exquisite, too! A great spot to get the right food when you want something a little different, this is my new go-to spot.

It's been about two years since i've updated my review and it says a lot about the restaurant that…read moreit's been there as long as it has. It's conveniently located in the strip mall with plenty of parking..it's the same mall off of University with Campbell's health foods, Hy-Vee pharmacy, Frederich's coffee. This restaurant still has that old time mom and pop Asian family feel it's a definite classic type vibe with Auntie snd the neices up front taking orders and the rest of the family in the back cooking and putting to go orders together. I always like to support a locally owned business. It's also about expectations, everyone is under staffed, so I always appreciate the service staff who are working. Having said that the service was fast and efficient . It's also about being realistic about the food. This is not a mall based chain restaurant or a high end bistro somewhere. The food was well prepared hot and delicious. This is a Vietnamese/Chinese restaurant. So there's lots of variety in the menu. I have had the build your own Pho, Korean style Kalbi ribs. They also have Hunan Chinese style dishes, i have tried Mongolian beef, combination fried rice and potstickers. I also have tried the pork fried egg rolls. I usually go for a late lunch early dinner. I talked to the owner and asked her how they made their soup and she said they boiled bones and added their own spices which is the traditional way to do things, I think they have a good soup base, all soup comes with sprouts and fresh Thai basil, I usually add bok choy, brisket and steak. They have plenty of other Vietnamese dishes too. I have enjoyed their pork vermicelli which is a cool salad type dish which is nice on a hot day. Some of my friends really enjoy their chicken wings. So there's still a good option with lots of choices, good staff and reasonable prices.

First time I've been here. Services was quick. It was over lunch hour and the place was pretty busy…read morewith people dining in. I got half of my order to go. Menu was easy enough to read. Seating was plenty and clean. Staff were kind. Hot & sour soup: definitely temperature hot and had pretty good flavor. I enjoyed it. Drinks: fountain beverage machine - they have Dr Pepper, that's all that mayters General Tso Chicken: I wasn't asked a spice level. It came out quite mild in my opinion. Sauce has good flavor though & chicken was a good texture. Chinese Festival: I ate this one later on at home. There were only 3 pieces of small shrimp in the whole dish. I did enjoy the veggies and there was a decent amount of chicken and beef. Fried rice was visually plain & tasted about the same. Egg roll was more of a spring roll. Standard spring roll with decent flavor. Rangoon: almost chewy like wrapper. Very little filling, which was a little chalky as far as texture goes and had okay flavor.

We had high hopes for this restaurant. It was pretty busy, which is usually a good sign…read more Unfortunately, our experience was not positive. We ordered two appetizers--egg rolls and pot stickers, which were good. The egg drop soup was decent as well, so we were excited to get our entrees--broccoli beef and vegetable lo mein. The dishes LOOKED amazing and fresh, but they smelled like a dirty ashtray. I dont know if the wok was dirty or if something had been burnt, but it tasted terrible. We left both meals on the table after one bite. I'd like to think this was a one-off, but given how bad the food was, we won't be giving Lucky Bamboo another chance.

When walking up to this place, you're first greeted by the wafting smell of deliciousness. If you…read moreweren't hungry before, you're starving now. You walk in and it's a typical mom and pop Asian restaurant. It's crowded with almost every table full at 1pm. The front is staffed with 2 workers going as fast as they can. I was amazed at the variety of Vietnamese dishes this place served. It went far beyond your bowl of pho and grilled pork on rice. They had hot pot and family style fried fish, caramelized catfish, and sweet and sour soup to go with a bowl of rice. The server was friendly and the food came out fast once we placed our order. We started with the spring rolls which had a good amount of shrimp and pork paired with a peanut sauce. Pretty satisfied with this appetizer. We then had the banh hoi or woven vermicelli with crispy pork belly. This was swerved with a plate of mint, cilantro, lettuce, and a couple of other greens that I don't know the names of. The pork was perfect and crisp. Noodles were warm and when wrapped with the pork veggies and dipped in nuoc Cham(dipping sauce), every bite had you going back for more. I love an interactive dish that takes some assembly. Next was the rice paper salad, which wasn't on the menu, but I showed them a picture from Yelp, and he said they had it! This was my first time trying this dish and it was a plateful of so many savory flavors. Every flavor meshed so well together as well as the textures. Highly recommend this one. Finally the banh uot was a classic that I can't seem to find at most places. Like the previous dishes, it did not disappoint. The pork was seasoned and grilled to perfection lined with sides of cucumber, pickled daikon and carrots, and lettuce. Nuoc Cham was perfectly mixed as well. Overall, one of the better Vietnamese places I've tried in the US. Probably the best in the Midwest. Would come here every day if I lived in the area. I was highly satisfied.

Một sao cho thái độ phục vị kém, thiếu thân thiện với khách. Tôi không bao giờ quay lại ủng hộ, và…read morekhông giới thiệu bất kỳ ai đến đó.

I saw that the brick and mortar location hours lessened but that doesn't stop the dedicated fans…read more I finally got a chance to try them. It was almost closing time on a Friday evening We were cutting it close to closing so we rushed over. Just a cute little place on the strip mall under the giant flag on 6th. There was not waiting in this cute little place. Its bright with a very kind and friendly young man at the counter. He was super sweet It smells great in here as we strolled up to the counter. I was craving a Spring Roll. I also ordered a small sampler which included 2 egg rolls and 2 Rangoon. My girlfriend and I ordered the last of the fried rice for the day. We got our order to go and took it back home. The spring roll was divine! The crab Rangoon and rolls were also good! The rice, was "end of day rice" . I would 100% go back and get more earlier in the evening. I highly recommend and will be back for more delicious spring rolls and try other thing. I hope to catch the truck out one of these days and dine that way as well.

My first trip to the Ankeny Farmer's Market involved stopping at The Eggroll Ladies' truck, and I'm…read moreglad I did! It was a delicious pork egg roll served hot after being cooked. They give you a pager to indicate when the food is done. I liked the pricing, and the staffer was a nice person who explained the process to this first-timer. You cannot beat the setting at the Farmer's Market, as there were many tables and areas to sit and enjoy the eggroll!

The Vietnamese Cafe has a long positive history and will not disappoint if you have an interest in…read moreauthentic Asian food. It is in a mall court but that does not mean it's not good. I love the entire concept of what is happening with this food court with some better small family-owned businesses having restaurants there. this eclectic mix has been good there's some good independent barbecue independent Vietnamese independent Mediterranean independent Italian and really the only chain is a Maid Right. You have really accessible parking right next to Kohl's and if you take a little later lunch you'll have no problem parking going in and either sitting in a safe distance at your own table or getting something to go. My friends and I usually go to lunch after 1:00 and each sit at their own table and wear masks and go for a little walk when we're done eating. The ceilings are very high on the air circulation is good so there is risk but it seems to be minimized. The staff and all the restaurants wear masks gloves in the mall has people sanitizing the tables in between each use and putting a table poster indicating that the table has been sanitized. The lady, who runs the place is very polite and accommodating and goes out of her way to make sure everything is clean, fresh, and flavorful. I had the Pork and Shrimp Noodle Soup (hu tieu), and it was outstanding it was a clear flavorful broth that just was so good. The noodles were not overdone and a medium was more than enough for me for lunch. They have some Sriracha there if you want to spice it up a little. it's a well-kept secret and a nice gem in Des Moines to get some multiple to-go orders from different businesses and satisfy everybody's taste cravings or to sit with social distance and have choices.

We stopped here because the food looked like authentic Vietnamese food and not Americanized-at…read moreleast on social media. We got the pho, which needs to be correct according to Vietnamese standards. The broth was not made with long-simmered bones. Store-bought broth was used, at least to a greater degree. Fried onions should not be added to the broth. The basil should not be added ahead of serving, but at the table by the customer. All-in-all a disappointing stop, one that we had looked forward to on our trip from Texas.

Great place to find things you can't get in a regular supermarket far as different vegetables from…read moreother countries and food as well from different parts of the world

I love C Fresh Market and everything it has to offer!…read more Being back in Iowa after living in a big city for the last 25 years has been a bit of a shock to my system, but having spots like this definitely helps fill the food void I feel on a daily basis. Whether you're grabbing some hard-to-find Asian and Hispanic spices, groceries, and goodies, or hitting the delicious pho spot inside, you're gonna be leaving happy. It's clean, well-stocked, and gives me those big-city market vibes I'm always looking for. I'd also suggest grabbing a bánh mì, ready-made and good to go, on your way out the door. Enjoy!

Super sweet waitress & overall great service from the whole staff. Drinks are 12/10 - so yummy and…read morefun! Food is hitting the spot as well. Perfect casual spot for a solo dinner or bite with friends.

This past week we went to Zavy's for dinner for our wedding anniversary. Upon arrival we got…read moregreeted and sat right away but the table seemed a little sticky and messy. Like it wasn't fully cleaned. Even the hostess hesitated a little when she sat us down. They had a huge party in the middle so I don't know if that was the reason they could have been behind (thinking like a waitress because I've been there). We ordered right away because we had seen the menu prior so we already knew what we wanted. Started off with the cream cheese Rangoon's and they were tasty. The beef ribs pho was spectacular! That is what my husband had. I enjoyed the beef bulgogi which was just as delicious. Really enjoyed their kimchi too it had great flavor. We couldn't not come to Zavy's without getting one of their yummy matcha. I got the mango sticky rice matcha and my husband got the strawberry one so we could try a different one. We both agreed the mango sticky rice matcha was still our favorite. It's just so good! Service was a little slow because of that party I'm assuming but the hostess' could have helped a little too. My husband had to go up to the front so we could get the check. Still recommend for anyone to try and will be back to have that yummy pho!

One of my new favorite coffee shops! The vibe is so cute and definitely Instagram worthy. The…read morecoffee was so good and the staff was very helpful when I wanted to order something not directly off the menu. The Vietnamese coffee is my favorite and a must try. The best part of this place is the macaroons. They are absolutely delicious and some of my favorites that I have had in the US. The flavors rotate often so there is always something new to try! A new local spot I just adore.

This little cafe is adorable and fun addition The District in Ankeny! They have macarons of several…read moreflavors and fun unique beverages. The over all look of the shop is adorable with a cute seating area - the staff is always friendly each time we've been. Heads up they are closed on Mondays. Check their local hours before stopping by.

Hawker Kitchen brings authentic Malaysian street food flavors right into the heart of Des Moines,…read moreand it's a spot that feels both comforting and exciting if you're craving Southeast Asian dishes. Char Kueh Teow This dish stood out immediately which has a smoky wok hei flavor (the "breath of the wok") coated the flat rice noodles, giving them that deep caramelized edge that's hard to find outside of Malaysia. The prawns were plump and juicy, and the mix of soy, garlic, and chili gave just the right balance of savory and spicy. Fresh cucumbers and pickled vegetables on the side added a refreshing crunch, making each bite balanced and addictive. Laksa Rich, creamy, and fragrant, the laksa broth was a highlight. The curry coconut base carried layers of spice without being overwhelming, and every sip warmed you from the inside out. The noodles were cooked just right, with toppings that tied it together from seafood to herbs. It's the kind of bowl that makes you pause between spoonfuls just to savor the aroma. Satay The chicken satay had a lovely turmeric and lemongrass marinade, grilled to a slight char that locked in the smoky flavor. Tender on the inside with crispy edges, it paired perfectly with the bold, nutty, and slightly spicy peanut dipping sauce. The cucumber slices on the side helped cut through the richness, just like you'd get back at a hawker stall in Malaysia. Overall Hawker Kitchen is a gem for anyone looking for authentic Malaysian comfort food in Des Moines. Portions are generous, flavors are bold and true to their roots, and the variety on the menu makes it worth repeat visits. If you're new to Malaysian cuisine, start with the satay and char kueh teow; if you're a fan already, the laksa will feel like home.

The staff is always so friendly and smiling when we come in! We have been here so many times and…read moretried something new every time because there are so many good options on the menu! And plenty of good drinks options to go with it!