Philly Weekly comes up with a guide to one of our favorite bargain foods, the Banh Mi. Make your choice by what’s important to you:

• Under $4
• Baguette
• Hoagie Roll
• Serves Pho too
• Alcohol
• Corner Store

PW’s Guide to Banh Mi [Philadelphia Weekly]

Where does Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto like to take his kitchen staff out for beef-stuffed grape leaves? Well, it’s to the Vietnam Restaurant in Chinatown. That of course is the one on the east side of 11th street, not to be confused with Vietnam Palace on the west side.

Secret Restaurants of Celebrity Foodies [Budget Travel via VisitPhilly]

Since David Snyder brought Q.T. Vietnamese Sandwich to our attention back in February it has been on our to-do list.

Now that we’ve satiated our obsession with Paesano’s and made it back to Shank’s & Evelyn’s one last time, Q.T. is firmly in our sights. Recent reviews by Fries with that Shake and Mac & Cheese have only served to heighten out banh mi tizzy. We’ll see you Saturday Q.T.

Believe the hype – Q.T. Vietnamese Sandwich [fwts.net]
Q.T. Vietnamese Sandwich [Mac & Cheese]

David Snyder discovers a faithful version of the Vietnamese bánh mi at Q. T. Vietnamese Sandwich in Chinatown.

Bánh mi enjoys a mini-cult following based on two factors: bold flavors and ridiculously low prices. Q.T. delivers on both fronts. Each sandwich starts with the same base: A large hoagie roll that’s crispy on the outside, yet light and airy in. On the inside, fresh, crunchy cucumber slices lie alongside sweet and tangy pickled carrots, adding cool balance to the bite of jalapeños. But each sandwich truly owes its distinctive characteristics to a long sprig of fresh cilantro and a rich swath of påté. The primary filler (including a tofu option not listed on the menu) is up to you.

On the Q.T. [City Paper]

Philadelphia Weekly’s Field Guide feature provides the background of pho (say fuh) and lists its favorites and also runs in the city.

• Pho Cali Vietnamese Restaurant
• Pho 75
• Pho 488
• Pho Ha
• Nam Son
• Pho Xe Lua Viet Thai Restaurant

MenuPages gets in on the fun, listing its 5 most clicked on pho restaurants.

1. Pho Cafe Saigon
2. Nam Phuong
3. Pho Ha
4. Pho Cali
5. Pho 75

Fab Pho [Philadelphia Weekly]
High Five! Pho [MenuPages]

Elisa Ludwig visits Vietnam Cafe in West Philadelphia and finds a smaller, more intimate space and menu.

And among the greatest of Vietnam’s greatest hits is the pork chop served over broken rice. The meat, redolent with lemongrass and the smoke of the grill, is juicy and tender, while the couscous-like grains sop up its drippings along with the vinegar of pickled carrots. See also the charred grape-leaf-wrapped beef rolls, the addictive salt-and-pepper squid and the creamy crêpe with ground pork and shrimp.

Vieterans Day [City Paper]

Adam Erace makes it out to West Philadelphia and to Vietnam Cafe where he experiences authentic cuisine in attractive surroundings.

The barbecue platter is a fitting intro to the spicy, citrusy, mint-sprinkled cooking of Vietnam, a carousel of crisp, greaseless pork spring rolls, grilled chicken strips, wonderful nem nuong (spiced pork meatballs) dusted with crushed peanuts, bo nuong la (beef-stuffed grape leaves) and tangled rice vermicelli. Cups of iceberg lettuce and rice paper wrappers encourage the university crowd to get their ssam on, flavoring the bundles with piquant quick-pickled carrot and cucumber, fresh mint, fiery crimson nuoc cham and the “house special”: sweet-and-sour paste made with nuoc mam.

Vietnam Cafe [Philadelphia Weekly]

PhillyFoodGuys take an early look at Vietnam Cafe in West Philadelphia and it certainly sounds like they liked it.

Overall, our meal was really enjoyable. The food was very good, the service was excellent and the staff friendly. I wish we would have known that Vietnam Café is a BYOB in advance, because we would have brought along a bottle of wine… Regardless, you know now, so grab your favorite beer or wine and take a trip to Vietnam. Café, that is…

Vietnam Café: A Gracious Meal [PhillyFoodGuys]

Benny Lai, owner of Vietnam is opening Vietnam Cafe in West Philadelphia. But it won’t be a carbon copy of the popular Chinatown restaurant.

Unlike Vietnam, Lai’s new Cafe won’t serve cocktails like the “Flaming Volcano.”

On Baltimore Avenue, Lai is aiming for a calmer experience that brings his cuisine closer to some of his patrons.

Lai said he hopes to bring a low-key, highly tasty atmosphere to the new Vietnam Cafe. He says, “We don’t need fast food [here], we need family gourmet.”

More business on Baltimore Ave [Daily Pennsylvanian]

Chinatown’s Vietnam is branching out with a West Philadelphia location come January 21st. Vietnam Cafe is coming to 47th and Baltimore Ave.

Vietnam going West [Food & Drinq]