Hidden away in the food court of Rosemeads Square Supermarket lies Hien Khanh, a Little Saigon import that makes the very best Vietnamese desserts in town. Theres a lot going here, but these are the kind of flavors thatll punch you in the face and still leave you asking for more. The duck itself is tender and slightly sweet, and the crispy skin provides the ideal amount of crunch. Its cash only and theres no printed menu to speak of, but youre going to want one of their ch beverages (a coconut milk-based dessert drink filled with everything from boba to pom seed jelly to mung bean). For a family-style feast for two to four, order the dac biet cho ("special order") for a build-your-own summer roll affair that includes lettuce, three kinds of meat and ultra-thin shrimp egg rolls, plus a green mountain of herbs. You can put a variety of different meats into the soup (the oxtail is their signature), but at the end of the day, its about the broth. When it comes to b by mn, diners are served seven different beef preparations including spiced ground beef wrapped in betel leaves and beef porridge. Our Favorite Dishes: Newport Special Lobster. Dive bars, breweries, Tiki spots, speakeasies, and morethese are the best places to grab a drink in Long Beach. A post shared by Anne Ng (@annie_ngj) on Jul 24, 2018 at 6:56pm PDT. is solidly delicious. Saigon Bay Vietnamese Restaurant. 8 Essential Vietnamese Restaurants In New Orleans' Little Saigon (And Beyond) From a Viet-Cajun pub to New Orleans' first Vietnamese bakery, here are the best Vietnamese restaurants in New Orleans' Little Saigon (and beyond). Both locations also offer hard-to-find regional specialties like banh beo (savory cakes made of rice and tapioca flour) and combination plates served with banh hoi (molded squares of rice vermicelli) in lieu of rice or noodles. Note: When the food is this incredible, there will never be a consensus. Le Croissant Dor is a French/Vietnamese bakery right on Bolsa, and while you can come here to pick up their excellent fruit tarts and chocolate croissants, the move is to take a seat and order a plate of bo kho. Favs. It is a truth universally acknowledged that L.A.'s Vietnamese food scene has nothing on the culinary diversity of Orange County, but that doesn't mean you necessarily need to drive all the way to Westminster's Little Saigon for an amazing bowl of pho or a great bowl of bun (rice vermicelli). While the house-special banh cuon is rightfully famous, its the fish sauce wings that surprise and dazzle. A post shared by Connie (@occomestibles) on Apr 12, 2019 at 2:45pm PDT. Banh it ram is one of Vietnamese cuisines great pleasures little rice dough dumplings stuffed with shrimp and pork sit on top of an airy, crunchy fried rice dough base. Khoi Hungs rendition is a departure from the more black pepper-forward shaken beef dishes at institutions like Tan Cang Newport Seafood. Find more Vietnamese . Outdoor seating Delivery Takeout 3. This spot is close to home for me, which has little options to choose from for Vietnamese restaurants as it is, so I will for sure be a regular customer. You won't find pho or summer rolls on the dinner menu atSu Can Tho, a Rosemead eatery with an amazing baked catfish (ca dut lo hau giang). Our Favorite Dishes: Cha Ca Thang Long (Sizzling Catfish), Escargot, Bo Kho (beef stew). But perhaps the best thing about a meal at Com Tam is the fact youll have leftovers tomorrow. and a few more creative dishes at the newest location in Alhambra, both Downtown and South Bay locations offer impeccably made broth simmered for 16 hours, as well as a bountiful cold-cut banh mi served with a side of the same delicious pho for dipping. Saucers of delicate rice cakes sprinkled with ground shrimp, pork rinds, scallions and fish sauce vinaigrette this far from the San Gabriel Valley (or Orange County, for the matter) are not to be overlooked. Removed: 7$ Oc, Oc & Lau, Trieu Chau, Garlic & Chives, Added: Ba Le, Chao Ca Cho Cu, Pho Akaushi, Khoi Hung. Just make sure you add a fried egg on top. . Jeffy Mai/Eater Chicago Danang Kitchen A relative newcomer to. Its a steaming bowl of duck, shrimp, fish balls, and wontons all floating in a clear, umami-filled broth that we think about often during terrible work meetings. 19 Showstopping Breakfast Burritos in Los Angeles, 22 Essential Cookie Destinations in Los Angeles. The undisputed pho king of the greater San Fernando Valley (with a stray location in the South Bay), this neighborhood Vietnamese restaurant offers the 818's best beef noodle soup and a plethora of other solid menu items, including hard-to-find rice porridge and traditional sweet iced drinks. We also enjoyed the nem lui: Thai satay-like pork skewers paired with a rich peanut sauce, pickled veggies, cucumbers and a mess of herbs. Location: (28.0536384, -82.4323043) You can barely taste the difference, aside from some textural shifts, in Vinh Lois selection, including delicious "shrimp" and lemongrass grilled "duck" rolls. With a whole section dedicated to various bubbling broths, plus venison and goat dishes,Su Can Tho offers a rare glimpse of Vietnamese cuisine that isn't centered around the country's national dish. More info: Facebook page . Lien Hoa BBQ Deli 9311 Bolsa Ave, Westminster, CA 92683 (714) 894-1085. Beyond chicken, Tran also offers a mix of regional specialties and familiar standbys, including the best banh cuon in L.A. Molded squares of tiny vermicelli eaten alongside veggies and charbroiled lemongrass meat instead of white rice or bun. Tricked out with herbs, lime and raw onion, the lemongrass-heavy broth here tastes flavorful and brightnot exactly an easy task in a dish incorporating oxtail, pork hocks and pork blood. Named after the central Vietnamese city of Hue, this dense, rich soup is made from simmering beef bones and shrimp paste for several hours, then topping it with chili oil, sliced brisket, crab balls, and congealed pigs blood. If you want to break up the meat parade a bit, throw in their excellent baked catfish as well. Served alongside are a host of fresh vegetables, herbs, and rice papers for wrapping. Add in Los Angeles County and the Vietnamese population swells to 271,234. The fish sauce accompaniment takes the whole parcel to the next level. A post shared by Jeff LA Food & Travel (@foodmento) on Mar 30, 2020 at 6:55pm PDT. You can barely taste the difference, aside from some textural shifts, in Vinh Lois selection, including delicious "shrimp" and lemongrass grilled "duck" rolls. A post shared by Jeff LA Food Guide (@foodmento). Thnh Ms noodle dishes are undeniable, but the bun stand out. On this list are egg coffee at Nep Caf (both fresh and salted eggs), yogurt coffee at Thanh Thi Bakery, coconut milk coffee at DaVien Caf and matcha coffee at BLK Dot Coffee and at a nearby Kee Nguyen. The 1954 Partition of Vietnam sent over a million migrants from North Vietnam to South Vietnam, transforming Saigon's local cuisine. This pho shop with locations in Little Tokyo, Gardena and Alhambra offers a deceptively simple menu that packs flavor into excellent versions of Vietnams greatest culinary hits. Dj vu! Plain and simple, Com Tam Thuan Kieus broken rice platter is the best value in Little Saigon. Husband-and-wife duo Chinh Pham and Son Do opened this Lakeview restaurant in 2021 to introduce locals to the flavors of Ho Chi Minh . From broken rice with all the fixings to noodle soups from every region, here now are the 21 essential Vietnamese restaurants in OCs Little Saigon, ordered geographically from north to south. We searched far and wide among Koreatown's many strip mall pho joints for the areas best Vietnamese noodle soup, but none came close to Khanh and Helen Tan's pho shop hidden along a busy commercial stretch of Western Avenue. Those who love funky, lemongrass-heavy bun bo hue would do good to visit as wellwhile by no means our all-around favorite, Pho Hue Oi's version is a cut above the usual version offered alongside pho on restaurant menus. Tan Cang Newport Seafood 4411 W 1st St, Santa Ana, CA 92703 (714) 531-5146. The key to excellent Vietnamese vegetarian fare is a killer mock nuoc cham (fish sauce vinaigrette), and nobody makes it better than the folks at Thien Tam. .css-gdccrc{font-family:var(--chakra-fonts-condensed);font-weight:700;font-size:1rem;line-height:0.9;letter-spacing:0.08em;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-0);margin-left:var(--chakra-space-0);margin-right:var(--chakra-space-0);margin-bottom:var(--chakra-space-0);text-transform:uppercase;}@media screen and (min-width: 20rem){.css-gdccrc{line-height:0.9;}}@media screen and (min-width: 23.4375rem){.css-gdccrc{line-height:0.9;}}@media screen and (min-width: 37.5rem){.css-gdccrc{line-height:1;}}Brant Cox.css-1a7ccww{font-family:var(--chakra-fonts-body);font-weight:400;margin:var(--chakra-space-0);padding:var(--chakra-space-0);font-size:0.6875rem;letter-spacing:0.1em;line-height:1;text-transform:uppercase;}@media screen and (min-width: 37.5rem){.css-1a7ccww{font-size:0.75rem;letter-spacing:0.12em;}}November 2, 2021. Pho Saigon Pearl is is a haven for dependable Vietnamese dishes including spring rolls, banh mi sandwiches, soups, and noodle bowls. Other standouts include the escargot and Vietnamese steak frites served with herb butter. Find great things to do. Simmered in oxtail for 12 hours and infused with star anise, its rich, cinnamon-y, and unlike any other pho youll find in California. By signing up, I agree to the .css-bwwgd3{transition-property:var(--chakra-transition-property-common);transition-duration:var(--chakra-transition-duration-fast);transition-timing-function:var(--chakra-transition-easing-ease-out);cursor:pointer;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;color:currentColor;font-size:inherit;line-height:160%;}.css-bwwgd3:hover,.css-bwwgd3[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-bwwgd3:focus,.css-bwwgd3[data-focus]{box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-outline);}Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Our Favorite Dishes: Grilled Pork Banh Mi. Saigon Noodle House. This is the kind of place you come to after a long day, sit in blissful silence, and eat an $13.50 platter of broken rice (fractured rice grains) topped with seven different items that range from grilled pork to egg rolls to tofu shrimp paste. Pho Dailys namesake nourishing broth delivers flavor with minimal grease and plenty of herbs, while the summer rolls with pork sausage arrive with a tasty, high-quality peanut sauce. And also only $4.50. The free range birds at this Little Saigon institution are available steamed on their own, but make sure to get it as part of their ph g the extra-fine grease bubbles in the broth are evident of a thorough skimming of schmaltz, resulting in a refreshing, clean broth thats good to the last drop. Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions. From the second you walk into the modern dining room, you can sense how different it is from the rest of Little Saigon. It only takes one look at the extra-fine grease bubbles and a taste of that clean-yet-robust broth to know that Pho Akaushi hasnt forgotten the attention to detail and labor-intensive hustle that got them here. 815 W Las Tunas Dr, San Gabriel, CA (626) 308-0803 Visit Website Southern-style Vietnamese fare at Golden Deli Vietnamese Restaurant. Note: This place fills up quickly on the weekends, so head here early or youll have to wait for a table. A turmeric-laden chicken coconut milk curry often served with a soft baguette. Bomb Vietnamese sandwiches and iced coffee out in HP area. The bun mang vit, noodle soup with duck and bamboo shoots, is stellar as well. The hospitality might be blunt and to the point here, but the namesake soup is second to none at this longtime pho specialist with outposts in South El Monte, This small old-school establishment inside Chinatowns Far East Plaza might only be open during the day, but the zippy, clean-tasting bowls of steaming hot pho, budget-friendly banh mi and other well-executed dishes all make a morning or afternoon visit here worth the time, planning and money. Located primarily in the town of Westminster, but also including the cities of Garden Grove, Fountain Valley, and Santa Ana, Orange Countys Little Saigon is the largest and oldest Vietnamese community in the country. Known for its excellent rendition of bun bo hue, a spicy pork hock and beef noodle soup from central Vietnam, this stalwart mom & pop shop in Southern California's Little Saigon regularly. Simmered for 72 hours (versus just 12 to 16 at other spots), Camp Phos namesake soup showcases the deeper, funkier but no less delicious side of Vietnams national dish. Dont skip out on the banh mi eitherthe unique ciabatta rolls and juicy, flavorful charbroiled meats make the version here truly stand out. newsletter, 12180 Brookhurst St, Garden Grove, CA 92840, 10051 Garden Grove Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92844, 7725 Garden Grove Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92841, 8415 Westminster Blvd, Westminster, CA 92683, 10548 Westminster Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92843, 9784 Westminster Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92844, 8550 Westminster Ave, Westminster, CA 92683, 14352 Brookhurst St, Garden Grove, CA 92843, 9941 W Hazard Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92844, 9741 Bolsa Ave #108, Westminster, CA 92683, A post shared by MICHELLE (@michellicious_blue), 10487 Bolsa Ave #6757, Westminster, CA 92683, A post shared by Qun Mii Restaurant (@quanmiirestaurant), A post shared by Dan Suttajit (@suttajit), A post shared by John Nguyen (@jvnguyen604), A post shared by Kevin | foodwithkevin (@foodwithkevin), A post shared by Eat with us (@jcfo0die), 19 Satisfying Soups to Keep You Cozy in Los Angeles, 11 Savory Spots to Find LAs Best Creole and Cajun Dishes, 13 Hot New Brunch Spots to Check Out in Los Angeles. Foursquare can help you find the best places to go to. We know we said that Top Baguette serves our favorite banh mi in Little Saigon, but we can have two favorites, right? Super delicious. West Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA. Ask 15 people what their favorite version of a certain dish is here, and youll get 25 different answers - plus someone across the room yelling to not believe any of them. Funny. A post shared by Qun Mii Restaurant (@quanmiirestaurant) on Jul 19, 2019 at 3:27pm PDT, The 38 Essential Orange County Restaurants. Transparent slices of onion, strips of beef brisket and glistening cubes of beef tendon mark Pho So 1's delicious, murky broth with notes of charred onion and cloves. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Its easy to get caught up in the flashier new restaurants and pop-ups in Chinatown, but this classic banh mi shop at Broadway and Ord offers one of the cheapest and best Vietnamese sandwiches in the city. Tet-a-Tet pops up at Silver Lakes All Day Baby from Wednesday through Saturday at dinnertime. From Business: Madame Vo is quintessential Vietnamese home cooking served in a modern, chic setting located in the heart of New York City's East Village. 2373 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33612, United States. little saigon vietnamese restaurant norco location . Really beef brisket in the pho Delivery & Pickup Options - 334 reviews of The Los Angeles Banh Mi Company "LA Banh Mi Co. Follow it up with the com hen a bowl of steamed rice, baby clams, sesame seeds, and fresh herbs served with a light clam broth. Here at this central Vietnamese restaurant, chef and owner Mai Tran prepares family recipes that she learned in her hometown of Thua Thien. Boulangerie Pierre & Patisserie is home to Little Saigons finest French-Vietnamese pastries, including airy baguettes and a pitch-perfect pt chaud a savory pastry filled with ground pork or chicken. Nong La Cafe 1502 Vietnamese Soup $$Sawtelle Closed until 7:00 AM Make sure to order a fried egg to top it all off. Banh hoi: Molded squares of tiny vermicelli eaten alongside veggies and charbroiled lemongrass meat instead of white rice or bun. A post shared by (@eatingwithmeow). If youre stopping in for a quick solo lunch, this is a must-order, but if youre with a big group, go for the family meals towards the back of the menu. 1. Literally translating to "sizzling cake," the namesake dish of Banh Xeo Quan is a crepe-like delicacy originally from southern Vietnam. Its incredibly refreshing, a textural jigsaw puzzle, and exactly what you want after a big meal. Tiny, saucer-sized central Vietnamese cakes made of rice and tapioca flour served with nuoc cham. This pho shop with locations in Little Tokyo, Gardena and Alhambra offers a deceptively simple menu that packs flavor into excellent versions of Vietnams greatest culinary hits. While researching this guide, we came across plenty of new-to-us delights, including several outstanding varieties of goi cuon (literally, "salad roll"), the freshly wrapped rice paper rolls that offer so much more than shrimp or tofu with a side of peanut sauce. This all-vegan restaurant in Reseda and Cerritos hits all of the high notes of Vietnamese cuisine, minus the need for animal products. "Little Saigon" is a spread-out community containing a mixture of Vietnamese and Chinese-Vietnamese businesses. Each course comes out separately, giving you a chance to compare, contrast, and fight over which is the best. Another one of Little Saigons most popular restaurants, Brodard features a massive menu full of solid Vietnamese dishes, but everyone is here for the nem nuong cuon. Chef and ownerUyn L takes great pride in every dish on the menu, but is particularly fond of the banh mi. On those arctic days when the thermometer dips below 65 degrees, you will find us here, hunched over a gigantic $9 bowl of delicious pho. Please enter a valid email and try again. best vietnamese restaurants in little saigon los angeles. A post shared by Chris Modisette (@tallguycm). Its hard to go wrong with the c kho (caramelized fish in a claypot) and the canh chua (sour soup), two tried and true Vietnamese staples. 11. Orange Countys Little Saigon was originally a one-and-a-half mile stretch of Bolsa Avenue in the city of Westminster. Ph 87s winding menu includes dozens of iterations of Vietnams iconic beef noodle soup, but the one to order is the pho dac biet that includes a bit of every beefy cut like brisket, tendon, flank, and tripe. 311, Garden Grove ; 714-591-5196. Across these less densely populated regions of Los Angeles, you'll come across hard-to-find delicacies that will transport you to the streets of Saigon, Hanoi and Hue, Central Vietnam's major culinary powerhouse. December 15, 2022 . Theres Top 40 playing over the loudspeaker, the dining room is packed with first dates and groups of college kids, and the menu is full of non-traditional dishes that pull influences from all over Asia. San Francisco, Vereinigte Staaten. Their address is 519 S Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036, United States. Go beyond pho, banh mi and spring rolls with our comprehensive guide to the city's best Vietnamese eateries. Our Favorite Dishes: Nem Nuong Cuon (Grilled Pork Spring Rolls). Pho Evers approachable take on bun bo hue, tasty combination plates and cafe sua da (condensed milk coffee) are also worth an orderif you can tear yourself away from their delicious, flavorful bowls of pho. If its your first time, itll take you a few tries to get the hang of it, but when the crepes are this big, youll get all the chances you need. Run by a pair of siblings, this mini pho empire stretches from Northeast L.A. all the way to the Westsideand there's a perfectly good reason for it: a crowd-pleasing, milder pho with springy noodles, high-quality beef and plenty of bean sprouts and herbs. That said, if youre on your way home from work and arent in the mood to cook tonight, picking up a half duck or soy sauce chicken for later is a move we fully endorse. Our Favorite Dishes: Pho Tai Filet Mignon. At peak hours, Chao Ca Cho Cu is home to the tantalizing scent of grilling onions, turmeric and fresh dill. ! Not every single one offers pho, but those that don't offer the country's national dish offer more unfamiliar, but no less delicious, items we'd recommend with zero reservation. Each one contains a thin, ultra-crispy egg roll, plus vegetables and your choice of protein, including the house signature nem nuong (Vietnamese pork roll) served with a thick bright orange dipping sauce. Something went wrong. Helmed by the sure hands. Not every single one offers pho, but those that don't offer the country's national dish offer more unfamiliar, but no less delicious, items we'd recommend with zero reservation. There are 18 different varieties of escargot on the menu, but for us, the oc len xao dua - escargot in coconut curry - is the winner. LAs historic Chinatown plays host to some of the citys finest Vietnamese cooking. Carefully tucked inside a rice paper wrapper is lettuce, a cucumber baton, fresh cilantro, pork sausage, and a tightly coiled deep-fried wonton. 9 Superb Places to Eat on the Drive From LA to San Diego. Lynda Sandwich is a tiny cafe located on the south side of Westminster with a festive interior that borders on the absurd. Though consistency and excellence aren't words wed necessarily apply to every dish, Tan's above-average pho stands out from the crowd with a beautiful, deeply aromatic broth and high-quality toppings. View contact details and 20 reviews for Saigon Noodle House at 1486 N Kraemer Blvd, Placentia, CA, or write a review. Telfono: +1 415-674-4146 . But if youre short on time and simply looking for the best, go to Pho 79. This humble storefront (that also sells lottery tickets dont ask) might have Korean dramas with Vietnamese subtitles blaring from the TV and a surly looking Vietnamese lady taking your order. 26 Best Vietnamese Restaurants in Los Angeles for Pho and More Photograph: Courtesy Jesse HsuCamp Pho Venice The best Vietnamese restaurants in Los Angeles Go beyond pho, banh. Accepts Credit Cards. Among the migrants were L Minh Ngc and Nguyn Th Tnh, who opened a small bakery named Ha M in District 3. A post shared by SauCanTho Vietnamese Kitchen (@6cantho). Top Baguette makes our favorite banh mi in Little Saigon. But that also means when it comes to finding great food, your options are endless. All it takes is a drive down Bolsa Ave. or a walk around the Asian Garden Night Market to realize how truly ingrained restaurants are in the fabric of the community. Golden Deli Vietnamese 105 reviews Closed Now Asian, Vietnamese $ 7.8 mi San Gabriel "Vietnamese restaurant" "Always a line" 4. Industriously prepared toppings like a great ch gi (Vietnamese-style egg rolls) and large grilled shrimp are just a few of the things that dress the restaurants chewy, thicker rice noodles. See our, By submitting your email, you agree to our, 21 Incredible Vietnamese Restaurants to Try in Orange Countys Little Saigon, Sign up for the Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. By submitting your email, you agree to our, 19 Vibrant Vietnamese Restaurants to Try in Los Angeles, Sign up for the Another standout is the pomelo salad with shrimp, which is easily one of the best salads in Little Saigon. Located in a tiny storefront in a strip mall on the Bolsa Avenue Little Saigon stretch, Rice Paper offers a casual, yet nicer environment for great Vietnamese food. Chocolate . Let's learn some sim The original Tay Ho restaurant opened in Orange Countys Little Saigon back in 1986 and served banh cuon delicate rice flour crepes filled with ground pork and woodear mushrooms. Owner Phi Tran opened the restaurant to bring this southern Vietnamese specialty to the San Gabriel Valley. Veronica Kavass Source: Yen Tong for Vietcetera Linh Phuong Nguyen makes one of the citys best bowls of southern-style pho at this worn-in restaurant straddling the border between Rosemead and South El Monte. Served on the side are herbs and lettuce, pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber spears, vermicelli rice noodles, rice papers, and best of all, a tangy-sweet tamarind dipping sauce. Find Thien Huong Restaurant tucked into the ground floor of Far East Plaza in Chinatown. Ordering noodles underneath might seem like overkill, but its a good change of texture and the way the noodles soak up the sauce from the lobster is a borderline spiritual experience. Vietnamesisches Restaurant (San Francisco) Little Saigon Cafe. Theres something special about the bnh xo at Quan Mii. or a great bowl of bun (rice vermicelli). The expansive menu means that theres something for everyone. Fast-forward to 2022, and the eldest granddaughter of Tay Hos founder has modernized the brand and brought it to LA. Effie Kong/Eater Boston. With a deep, almost funkily beefy taste, Pho 87s delicious namesake has drawn hungover Angelenos from near and far on late weekend mornings, but even the stone-cold sober will appreciate the affordable, steaming hot bowls of noodle soup. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vinh Loi (@vinhloitofu) This all-vegan restaurant in Reseda and Cerritos hits all of the high notes of Vietnamese cuisine, minus the need for animal products. While those old standbys are still available at lunch, the dinner-only family-style meal sets for two, four or six offer a standout culinary tour of southern Vietnam; think dishes like mixed seafood hot pot, caramelized pork and stir-fried tamarind shrimp. A post shared by Ky Ky (@yummiekiwi) on Sep 18, 2018 at 6:28pm PDT. 17 Fantastic Salads Worth Ordering in Los Angeles, 18 Comforting Rice Porridges to Cozy Up With in Los Angeles. . Song Longs cha ca Thang Long takes turmeric and ginger marinated catfish fillets and serves them on sizzling plates that emit a fragrant steam of dill and onion. 3. Banh xeo, which literally means sizzling cake, earned its name from the sound the batter makes when it hits the scorching pan. A post shared by David H. Chiem (@davidthefoodie). Few in L.A. do it as well as this strip mall spot with outposts in El Monte, South El Monte and Riverside. Its part of the charm of Ba Le, but the magic in their banh mi is in the bread warm, crunchy with an ethereal airy crumb, its hands down one of the best values in food. among L.A.'s Vietnamese restaurants for those with plant-based diets. best vietnamese restaurants in little saigon los angeles. An order of the nem cua be, beautifully blistered crab and pork egg rolls, is an absolute must. Our Favorite Dishes: Bo 7 Mon (Seven-Course Beef), Baked Catfish. Our Favorite Dishes: Bun Tom Cha Gio Bo (Shrimp And Pork Vermicelli), Ca Kho To (Carmelized Catfish). Aside from noodle soup, skip over the steeply priced banh mi for nns wonderful chicken curry (ca ri ga) and cornstarch-battered imperial rolls. The meal is completed by a plate of garnishes that catches the light like an herbaceous still life, if you sit by the window at the right time of day.