| Address | 1127 N. Hudson St., Arlington, VA 22201 |
|---|---|
| Hours | 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon-Thu & Sun; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri & Sat |
| Phone | (703) 522-7110 |
| Fax | (703) 243-4535 |
| Website | www.namviet1.com/ |
I went to dinner here with a large group of friends for a birthday dinner. The waitstaff was friendly, the drinks came out quickly, and they had no problem accommodating our large party. The only down side to dinner was the wait for our dinner items; since our party was so large (over twenty), our dishes came out piecemeal, something that probably isn't a problem with smaller parties. Once dinner came, everybody liked what they ordered (the tofu salad was a big hit, and so was anything served in a pot). I had ordered the seafood soup, which was a huge, pho-like bowl of soup with squid, scallops and shrimp. It more than filled me up, and was pretty good undoctored, but really good after I added my usual couple of teaspoons of chili sauce. As another reviewer has mentioned, the portion sizes for the add-ons (bean sprouts, lime) were a little skimpy (with no chilies in sight, sad to say), but otherwise it was very tasty. There was much talk about heading back again from the folks who came here for the first time. I'll probably return myself, but more likely I'll head to the DC location because it's closer to where I live.
This is a nice restaurant with pretty good Vietnamese food. Try the spring rolls and the quail. However, I went for the Pho and was extremely disappointed. Broth was not complex - it could have come out of a can. Ingredients were average. Size was fine. Add-ins (bean sprouts, basil, lime, peppers) were somewhat skimpy.
All and all, a decent restaurant that I would return to. Just don't order the Pho.
My wife loves this place but my feelings are mixed. The lemongrass chicken is really good, as are the clay pot dishes. But I had a seafood with vegetables last night that was indifferent at best. The scallops were fishy and rubbery, and the dish had huge chunks of unwanted green peppers. A while back I had an eggplant dish here that was simply inedible - and I can eat practically anything.
This tiny restaurant, being overtaken visually by the ongoing highrise development of Clarendon, is a fantastic place. The service is quick and they will refill your water every 3 minutes. For the best dishes, I recommend the Vietnamese crepe, the eggplant, or any of the fish dishes. Vegetarians will have a wealth of options too. Their special dessert is flan. The pho is delectable. And for added appeal, the owner has photos with many famous political figures.
