THANH VU
Let me tell you a story of a cursed restaurant. Set the "Way-Back" machine for nearly a quarter century ago when a restaurant called Binos opened a mere deer-spit away from the crossing of two highways. Sound perfect? It wasn't, and Binos failed, leaving the immense location vacant for years. Several restaurants would follow, each believing the location to be golden, only to fall to the same curse. One attempt, called Moose McGillicuddy's, was staffed by a friend that revealed the curse laid within the location's energy requirements. Isolated on the highway, two floors of open restaurant, and wall to wall glass resulted in considerable heating demands so unreasonable that there was no way for any restaurant to cover the expense. Access from the highway was a problem as well. Despite its location, it was still blocks away from any population. Other restaurants built nearby suffered the same problem (ah Bonanza). Thanh Vu, the latest occupant of the building, is blessed with new neighbors--a recent major hotel and apartment complex built within eyesight. It also helps that their food is good.
Vu is a Vietnamese restaurant not unlike U&Me, already reviewed. The Vu predates the U by several years and offers a more generic selection of cuisine over the specialized U&Me which is focused mostly on Pho. Vu only offers three different soups compared to the U's eight. Vu matches that with dozens of traditional entrees, literally dozens; the waitress couldn't recommend one single dish.
The location does look great, though unmodified. It still has the same general build of the old Binos. It's humorous that after all these years, many people, including myself, still refer to it as the "old Binos". Vu updates it by adding their logo on etched glass and painting various junks across a mural above the bar. I wasn't being critical of the painting; it really is of junks...the boats I mean...It's not like the painting was displaying a landfill or a line of male lower torsos.
One staple of any Asian cuisine is their roll. U&Me had a shrimp salad roll, which I see offered here as well. I select the pork spring roll, a popular and recommended choice. This quantum-packed singularity of pork is not light, coming down with thud on the table. There is not a single pocket of air anywhere in this roll. It's hot and crispy and offered with an orange sauce which cools each bite. These are must buy each time you come here.
I order the cashew beef as the main, delivered hot enough to melt uranium, separated by two dishes, beef and rice. At least here rice is included (looking at you Karahi King). What initially appears s small portion is actually enormous. I eventually pour the entire beef dish over the rice. This makes any decent portion with the chopsticks difficult. I have pride myself on my chopstick skills, but eating sauce saturated rice is frustrating. I see the fork. I know of the fork, but like all Asian cultures, I'm sticking with the sticks. That's perseverance. After this, I'm going to plow a farm with pool cues.
With only rice left, I'm forced to pick up the clean fork. It should be noted that when a Vietnamese menu warns something is spicy, take that warning, as every dish has some measure of heat. They warn you when atom-splitting is involved.
Thanh Vu's survival is a real triumph in this city, having lasted longer than any of the restaurants before it at this location. It can be mostly credited to the quality and value of its food as much as the increased access of potential patrons. At $17 dollars with the roll appetizer, Thanh Vu offers one of the best values to date. It's difficult to find flaw here. The presentation is borderline Denny's with just enough culture in its glass and paint to pull itself from such an offense. The food exceeds any preconceptions you might have walking through the door. I hope 20 years from now; we don't look at this location as the old Thanh Vu, as Vu is far too good to be delegated as another Bino's footnote.
Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Presentation: 3/5
Value: 5/5
Recommendation: 4/5
Thanh Vu
1778 Highway 97
Prince George, BC read more
