When I came to this part of town, I was actually hoping to try out another Vietnamese restaurant nearby because of all the positive reviews I've seen of that particular place. Unfortunately, I went during the lunch rush hour, so it was crowded there and I was unable to get a seat, much less any lunch. So, as I was walking around the area, not wanting to go away empty-handed, I happened to have found this place on the Burggasse, on my way back to the U2/U3 Volkstheater metro station. I went in, and walked back out because I saw there were no tables available except one. However, I was really hungry so I decided to go back in a couple of minutes later, just to try the food and see how it was.
There are only 4 tables inside. Though I have never been to Vietnam before, this reminded me of that episode of Bizarre Foods or No Reservations during their episodes, when they showed these various restaurants in Hanoi that doubled as a kitchen and even a residence, with just a couple of small tables and a some plastic chairs. Now, of course, this being in a city, they didn't have that, though I think the place was meant to be more of a take out joint than a sit-down restaurant, though it is possible to eat there if you are lucky enough to get a table, which I was.
The first thing I had were some fried spring rolls, filled with meat, and served with lettuce wraps, Thai basil (or mint leaves), and nuoc mam (Vietnamese fish sauce for dipping). They were quite OK. A little bit smaller than I expected, but still delicious.
I then had some of their pho (Vietnamese noodle soup). It came piping hot, the way I like it and how soup should be, with a side garnish of bean sprouts, mint leaves or Thai basil, lemon, and hot chili peppers. I think it was a little bit different pho than what I'm used to, because if I'm not mistaken, this was a Northern Vietnam/Hanoi-style preparation. The noodles were a little bit wider, and the broth was a little bit more clearer than what I've had at Vietnamese pho places in the US (of which many are of South Vietnam origin). Regardless, the soup was pretty good, though it would have been nice to have had a variety of meats found in pho, such as beef tendon, brisket, meatballs, and even tripe. The soup here only offered sliced beef or meatballs. But I also understand that they prepare it this way, not only because I imagine that certain cuts of meat are difficult to find here, but they also have to adapt to the local Austrian palate.
The service was great, and the people were friendly there. I see that they work very hard to run their business and to make sure that their customers are satisfied. I certainly was. read more