Pho & Grill - Olney, MD

I'm going to try EVERY single pho place in the DMV! Ok...just kidding. It may seem like I've written about so many already, but I'm Viet...can't help it =) My dad lives close to Olney, so he recommended we catch up on life over a delicious, quick lunch at Pho & Grill.
The restaurant is located in a huge shopping center in the heart of Olney, so there is plenty of free parking.

The interior is pretty, warm and modern. I love the dark wood, wall decor and extra lighting.

As the name suggests, they offer mainly pho and grilled items along with traditional appetizers and drinks. We shared an order of Spring Rolls/Cha Gio (deep fried rolls with pork, mushrooms, vermicelli, carrots and onions served with fish sauce) for $3.50. They were delicious and freshly fried!

My mom used to make these when I was a child. It's one of my favorite items that I don't see often at other Vietnamese restaurants. We ordered the Pork Roll/Nem Nuong (fresh rice paper wrapped with grilled pork, crunchy wheat roll, lettuce, mint, carrots and cucumber served with house special sauce) for $3.50. Amazing! Similar to a summer roll, but better because of the grilled pork, and they added a fried spring roll wrapper to give it a nice crunch. I admire great wrapping like this because I've tried it before and it's not as easy as it looks!

Onto the pho. I ordered a small bowl ($6.50) and my dad and bf ordered large bowls ($7.50). The pho was good, the tendon was very tender, and the broth had a strong anise flavor.

The service was the BEST I've ever had at a pho restaurant. Fast, friendly, attentive and helpful. They have another location in Gaithersburg, but if you're in Olney, I would recommend checking them out.

18153 Village Center Drive
Olney, MD 20832
301-260-7728
www.pho-grill.com

Pho Nom Nom - Rockville, MD

My heart sank a bit when I heard that Ba Le was closing. Where was I going to get my banh mi and fast Vietnamese dishes?!  My heart has risen again since Pho Nom Nom has arrived because they do it better.

Limited parking in the front and side, but I've seen people make their own spots when needed.

The place looks brighter, warmer, larger and more inviting. I've been three times in one week, and every time it has been busy.

The menu consists of pho, banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches), appetizers, rice/vermicelli, house specials, drinks and desserts.

We started off with an order of Gỏi Cuốn/Summer Roll (fresh garden roll with a choice of pork or chicken, shrimp, lettuce, cilantro, mint & vermicelli wrapped in rice paper, served with peanut sauce) for $3.50. I typically like a lot of mint in mine, but they tasted just fine.

The banh mi is not on their main menu, so you need to ask for it separately. They will give you a 'check-off' sheet where you can customize what you want in it. The bf loved that idea! We shared a Thit Heo Nuong/Grilled Pork banh  mi ($4.45) and it was amazing. The bread is softer, yet still crispy. Almost looks shorter, yet wider. We loved it!

We had zero expectation when ordering the pho because it's not easy to make memorable pho, especially if you have other items on your menu. We were blown away! Very good broth, though tasted cleaner and sweeter than Pho 75. They also give more meat than some other places we've been too. They have three different sizes: Small ($6.45),  Large ($7.95), Super Large ($9.95), the picture below is a small.

Such a minor detail, but it's ingenious. I hate when my spoon falls into the broth, and now I won't have to worry.

These pics were taken from the first time we tried the place. Since then, we've also ordered a vermicelli dish, egg rolls, coconut juice, Vietnamese iced coffee and Dac Biet banh mi. Overall, the place is solid. The pho is delicious. The service is good. Water is constantly refilled, they are friendly and food comes out pretty fast. Everything has been delicious, however I'm not a fan of their coffee because they pre-make it and it isn't sweet enough. The prices appear to be about $1 or so more than Ba Le was or surrounding Pho places. This is the bf's new favorite pho place because he is able to eat other dishes along with his pho. We will be going back quite often.

Pho Nom Nom

842 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 610-0232

www.phonomnom.net

Pho Real - Silver Spring, MD

Pho Real is many of my friends' favorite pho spot! I met up with my girl friends for a night of laughing and getting our fix of pho. Isn't the name so awesome? I grew up in Silver Spring, so it's great coming back (not like I live that far away, haha) but my friends don't live around the corner like before, so it's nice to meet up around our old stomping grounds once and a while.

It is located in a small shopping center, so parking can be limited. The closest metro station is Glenmont on the red line.

The interior has minimal amounts of decor, but still looks welcoming. There are a good amount of long tables for large groups or sharing during busy times.

Like many pho restaurants they offer a limited menu. They only have 2 appetizers and pho aside from drinks.

My friend ordered a Mango Bubble Tea, which was so fresh and delicious! A bunch of us, including myself ordered our Vietnamese Iced Coffee to-go, but it was so good that we finished them in the restaurant.

One of my friends ordered Spring Rolls ($3.99), which looked really good! You only receive 2, so I thought it was a tad steep.

One of my friends took ALL of the raw bean sprouts and put them into her pho. I never ever eat those! I'm an extra lime and basil kind-of girl. 

I ordered a small bowl of #13 - Tai, Gan (slices of eye round steak and soft tendon) for $6.99. They have a clear yet flavorful broth and the best soft tendon around.

Based strictly on the broth, Pho 75 is still #1 in my book because it is extra fatty and full of flavor that you can see sink to the bottom of the bowl when you're done. Pho Real has high quality ingredients, bubble tea, spring/summer rolls and such a nice staff. Every time I come I never feel rushed, and they are just so friendly! Price wise, their bowls are $.50-$1 more expensive than my other usual spots. Either way, I enjoy my dinners and hangover Sundays there.

13876 Old Columbia Pike
Silver Spring, MD 20904
(301) 879-9700
www.yelp.com/biz/pho-real-silver-spring

Nuoc Mam Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is a twist on the classic Chocolate Chip cookie. The salt has been replaced with...Fish Sauce! Nuoc Mam means fish sauce in Vietnamese, and I found this recipe one year off Anh Oi (an awesome 'apparel line designed in the spirit of Vietnam' located in the DC area, woo hoo!)

This is a very simple recipe using many common baking ingredients you'd probably already have in your house, except for the fish sauce.

Fish sauce is liquid derived from fermented fish. Appetizing, huh? I know it sounds gross if you've never had it before but it's a staple ingredient in many Asian foods, so you get used to it after a while. It has a very pungent smell and salty taste.

You can use any kind of fish sauce you like. I bought Squid brand because that was the brand always in my house while growing up.

Nuoc Mam Chocolate Chip Cookies (adapted from Anh Oi)

Ingredients:
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 to 3 teaspoon nuoc mam (depends on your taste, I used 2)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (I used some PB chips too)
1 cup chopped nuts(optional, which I omitted)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F.

2. Stir together flour and baking soda.

3. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until creamy.

4. Add eggs and nuoc mam; beat well. This part gets stinky... you're gonna be like "why did I just add fish sauce to my cookies?!" but I promise it won't smell during or after baking.

5. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts, if desired. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

6. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. I baked different batches for different times, and found the cookies with a shorter baking time were still soft the next day.

They taste really good! Honestly, they don't taste any different from regular chocolate chip cookies. The BEST part of this is watching your friends and family's reaction when you tell them what they're eating. It's PRICELESS. I do plan on making these again with a higher amount of nuoc mam in it, just to test the flavor.
Try it out and enjoy!

Pho 95- Rockville, MD

Last night my friend Evil Ben was craving pho, so we hit up his favorite place, Pho 95 in Richie Center. That shopping center has India Grill and Jumbo Jumbo Bubble Express too. So there is a lot of free parking, and the closest metro stop is Rockville on the red line.

We arrived 30 minutes before they were closing, hence the lack of people in the shot, but there were some people that came in after I took this. The place was very clean and bright.

We both ordered a 'Vietnamese Ice Coffee with Condensed Milk' for $3.50. It was perfect! It was just as strong and sweet as I like it.

We both ordered small bowls of pho. I got the '#15- Slice of Eye-of-Round Steak' for $6.50. It was good, however not flavorful enough for me. Ben likes the clean tasting broth that allows for the noodles, meats and herbs to shine. The herbs were very fresh though.

I ordered a 'Rice w/ Grilled Pork' ($8.50) to-go for the bf, and he liked it a lot. I like how they serve other Vietnamese food other than just pho. Our server was SUPER nice and friendly, which left a good impression on me. I'm still a die-hard Pho 75 fan, but they don't offer any other food. I also liked Pho 95's relaxed environment.

785H Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
301-294-9391
Website

Sun-Thurs: 11am-8:30pm
Fri-Sat: 11am-9pm
Tues: Closed

Ba Le Vietnamese Food & Deli- Rockville, MD (CLOSED)

UPDATE (6/11/11): I don't know when or why, but there is a Closed sign in front. I can't tell if it's permanent, for relocation or renovations.

Last week I was CRAVING Vietnamese food. I don't know how to make it, and whenever I go back to visit my dad we go out to eat somewhere non-Viet. Ba Le has been my saving grace ever since I've moved out. Sometimes pho isn't going to do it, and I need some fish sauce over bowl of rice or noodles. Located across the street from Wintergreen Plaza on the Pike, there are only a few spaces around the restaurant, but more parking in the vicinity. The closest metro stop would be Rockville on the red line.

This is pretty much the view of the whole place, with a table or two on the right cut out of the frame. The walls are painting bright green and orange, but its a really cozy place.

The front counter sells smaller items like egg rolls, summer rolls, steamed buns, desserts, etc.

Along the wall is their drink selection. There's sodas, coconut juice, teas, etc. I'm a huge fan of chrysanthemum tea and the basil seed drink. As a kid I used to pretend they were tadpole eggs.

They also have a small retail shelf where you can buy coffee, dried fruit, candy, hot sauce, etc. I have that exact brand of coffee at home.

Speaking of coffee, I always have to get a 'Vietnamese Iced Coffee' for $2.75 when eat Vietnamese food. They have the mixture already made, add ice and seal the top for you. I think this makes the process faster and more travel-ready, however I don't think its as strong.

The bf ordered a 'Banh Mi Xa Xui(Barbeque Pork Sandwich' for $3. He's not a fan of the traditional Banh Mi Thit that has pate, headcheese, and ham in it, but this one he liked a lot.

I ordered the 'Com Thit Nuong (Grilled Lemongrass Pork on Rice)' for $7. It was so good. The rice was fluffy, the meat very tender and had great flavor. Really satisfied my craving...I ate every single grain of rice.

The bottle of fish sauce on the table was huge, but I used a lot of it on my rice and pork. Vietnamese food doesn't taste complete without it, in my opinion. That's like having Korean food without kim chi or fries without ketchup.

Enjoying his sandwich with his carrot toothpick...

The place is very laid back. You order and pay up at the register. It is self-seating with utensils on a shelf near the window. Someone will bring your food out to you, and its usually very fast. The menu consists of rice, rice noodles, grilled meats, seafood, soups, sandwiches and rice crepes. Food is affordable because nothing costs over $9.75. Bring cash unless you plan on spending over $10.

842 Rockville Pike #A
Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 294-7808
Website

Mon-Sat: 9am-9pm
Sun: 9am-8pm

Big Saigon- Rockville, MD (CLOSED)

Edit: 5/19/10- I drove by and it's not there anymore!! Maybe it was in a bad location (close to Ba Le, Pho 75 and Pho 95), but times are hard now, and unfortunate to see a business go under in less than a year.

Hey Everyone! This will be one of 3 posts that have been shot by my Iphone due to my doggie destroying my camera. My new camera came in the mail this week, so I can't wait to test it out!

The other week the bf and my younger cousin were craving Vietnamese food and decided to try out a new place called Big Saigon. It's located on Rockville Pike across the street from Wintergreen Plaza . The closest metro stop is Rockville on the Red line, and there are some free parking spaces around the restaurant.

It is actually really nice and new on the inside. I remember seeing a sign for their grand opening around December 2008. There are a good number of individual tables with linens and place mats which makes it look classier.

There are large plants scattered around and the mirrors on the wall makes the place appear larger. There weren't many people in there at the time so it was really quiet but I'm assuming its because no one knows this place is there.

I ALWAYS order a Vietnamese Iced Coffee with Condensed Milk when I eat pho. The caffeine helps counter act the food coma =) I got this drink for $2.50. Usually a coffee dripper is brought to you so you can pour it over the ice yourself, however this place does all of that for you before it reaches your table.

I was in the mood for pho, so I ordered a large bowl of #A9, which is slices of raw meat for $6.99. Unfortunately they only offer one size, which is large. I was really full afterwards, but I was able to finish it. It was good pho, clean tasting broth...maybe too clean for my taste. I like a lot of flavor.

One time I ate 1/2 my bowl of pho without putting in the basil and lime and it was definitely missing the right flavor. These are essential ingredients to make your pho taste good!

Boys will be boys and order a lot of food. On top of their large bowls of pho they ordered the '#24- Rice Vermicelli with Charcoal Lemon Chicken' for $7.99. The chicken was very juicy, tender and flavorful. A little greasy for my taste, but the boys loved it.

The restaurant was average to me. I almost wished we all ordered something different to get a full range of their menu. It's difficult for a Vietnamese restaurant that serves more than just pho to make it taste right because that isn't their only focus.
What is nice is they have a very large menu with around 100 items all priced under $12.95. Beat that! They also offer pre-fixed menus for large groups, and a weekly lunch special. They are also opened 2 hrs later than all of the pho places I know in Rockville, so its helpful late at night when you want something quick.
It's a new space, and the server was SUPER nice, helpful and friendly. That is rare to see at the Vietnamese restaurants because it's usually all about speed.
Even though the place wasn't crowded, there were a good number of people that came in for carry out orders. It's located 2 stores down from a well established Vietnamese restaurant called Ba Le, so competition might be rough. I hope they do well.

838 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20850
301-251-0066

Open 7 days a week: 11am-10pm