Phong Phu Restaurant

Yay!! A new Vietnamese restaurant recently opened near my work. I started back at work three weeks ago and that's when I noticed the big "Now Open" sign on the Phong Phu Restaurant. I was so stoked. So, last week I took Alina there for her birthday. The food and service were excellent. When we sat down, our waitress asked us if we'd like complimentary soda. Of course we said yes. She then brought us the free soda and she brought us free egg drop soup. Later on she also brought us free scones. The food was so great that I got take out from there again tonight. While I was waiting for my order, the hostess brought me another free drink. This will definitely become a once a week place to visit.

The menu has both traditional Chinese food items and Vietnamese items. I haven't ordered any of the Chinese items, but the Vietnamese items are delicious. If you've never had Vietnamese food, now is the time to do it!! The restaurant is located at 7640 S. State Street. It looks like a dive, but the food makes up for it. My recommendations:

• B7: Pho Tai (steak noddle soup) - this is my standard order whenever I eat at a Vietnamese restaurant.
• D6: Bun Chai Gio (egg roll vermicelli) - this is another standard, although the sauce can be a bit spicey.
• J6: Mi Ga (chicken egg noodle soup) - this is the free soup they gave us. Delicious twist on the standard egg drop soup.
• A1: Goi Cuon (fresh spring rolls) - this is a great appetizer. I've had better at other restaurants, but they're not bad. They were made with a lot of mint so if you're not a mint fan, you'll want to pass.

Be brave!! Visit this restaurant soon. I don't want to see it go out of business just to be replaced by another Applebees. If you need someone to go with you to walk you through the Vietnamese dining experience, give me a call. I could always use a good bowl of pho.