 |
|
| this
site is best viewed with Flash |
| |
| |
| |
Bun cha gio to barbeue
Taken from Dana Craig's August 2006 review from the Richmond
Times Dispatch…
"Nothing says summer like a barbecue. Grab a hot grill, juicy cuts of meat, fresh veggies and plenty of rice paper, and you're set.
Yes, rice paper. I'm talking barbecue Vietnamese-style. If I have one more burger this summer, I'm gonna scream, so the only "bun" I'm interested in is the one in bun cha gio (rice noodles and crisp spring rolls, if you're going "huh?").
Vietnamese cuisine in general is the perfect summer food. It's light, simple and packed with enough bold flavors to distract your mouth from complaining about the oppressive humidity.
Richmond is blessed with a myriad of Vietnamese restaurants, ranging from simple noodle houses to long-time favorites, such as Mekong, that specialize in more complex entrees.
Make room near the top of the list for Da Lat, an independent offshoot of several former Mekong employees. It has been open since January.
Hidden amid West End retail, Da Lat doesn't look like much from the outside, or inside for that matter, but don't write it off. Its substantial menu includes 125 entrees, Belgian ales, wine ($15-$37) and specialty drinks. Try the Volcano ($8.95), a mammoth caldron of liquor and fruit juice with foot-long straws.
Past the entryway aquarium is a tidy dining room lined with casual booths and wood lacquered tables. The bar's mirror sends sparkles from glass chandeliers dancing across the open space.
The motley crowd of diners -- Vietnamese families, tattooed scenesters, NASCAR fans -- is equally accommodated by a legion of waiters ready to box up massive portions or tutor newcomers.
On a Friday night, a genuine perma-smile never left our server's face as he answered my endless questions:
"Do you recommend pho [$5.50-$6.50] or egg noodles [$9.95-$11.95]?
"What about stir-fries? Beef in lemongrass sauce [$10.95] or tofu in black pepper sauce [$9.95]?"
We settled on the appetizer sampler for two ($6.95). Vinegary chili sauce fired up rocket shrimp and a crisp pork spring roll. " …
"Shrimp toast -- ground shrimp, garlic and shallots sandwiched between thick, deep-fried bread -- was the highlight: greaseless, fluffy and rich enough to forgo sauce.
We bypassed common broken rice dishes for more provocative entrees -- a barbecue combo platter ($11.95) and soft-shell crabs ($14.95), a seasonal chef's special.
Now this was the kind of barbecue I'm talking about. Jumbo shrimp and thinly sliced beef, chicken and pork were caressed by the grill just enough to marry flavors of meat and marinade.
Thoughts of summer's soggy hamburger buns drifted away as delicate sheets of rice paper awaited, ready to cradle a kaleidoscope of fragrant herbs, crisp vegetables and springy rice noodles." …
"I constructed each roll to my liking with a final dunk in nuoc cham, a salty-sour-sweet blend of fish sauce, red chilies, vinegar and sugar. The flavors of ground peanuts, scallion, cucumber and basil swirled around my mouth, exhausting every taste bud.
Eric's soft shell crabs were subtly invigorating. The battered shells were so light it was like eating fried air. Two dipping sauces offered different adventures. Vinegar sauce brought out the delicacy of the crab, finishing with a sweet sting. Ginger scallion sauce was more robust, taking the crab into the realms of richness.
Summer calls for an ice cream ending, so I was disappointed to learn Da Lat wasn't serving its only desert, fried bananas ($4.95), because it was out of the sweet stuff. Maybe next time.
If you've worn the backyard barbecue thin or you're simply looking to resuscitate your taste buds with simple yet brazen flavors, Da Lat offers enough options to keep you going well past Labor Day."
| |
| | |
9125 W Broad St # L
Richmond,
VA 23294
(804) 762-9330
|
 |
| |
