A hip little Vietnamese eatery with some groovy evening add-ons…
I mentioned the opening of La Vietnamita a few weeks ago on this blog, but it’s taken me a while to get around to going. Fortunately I have scouts who live nearby who were sending back good reports. They were getting take-out at least a couple of times a week, and I was left feeling slightly peeved that I wasn’t living in Gràcia. There are plans to hook up with yesdelivery.com, though when I last checked it didn’t appear to be up and running. For now you’d best go in person.
La Vietnamita then is a fresh, bright and airy little place, simply done with clever details like miniature pails of herbs on pinewood, communal tables, and big bowls of lemons and limes adding structure and texture. The crockery is of the kind, as a good friend put it “that faces you.” I liked that. Meaning, it has a low lip and a high back so you can get a good look at your food. The menu is inspired by street food from all over Vietnam and likewise is cooked fast and on the spot. It also gives you the option of choosing not only how spicy you want it, but the chance to exclude any would-be evils like coriander or ginger. Regular readers will know that I’m not mad about the dumbing down of any kind of cuisine, but as solutions go this works.
I try a selection of things: salad rolls, chicken noodle salad, a bowl of pho - Vietnam’s fragrant noodle broth laced with fresh herbs and a small taste of curry served with small dishes of herbs and chillies. All of it fresh, lively and brimming with the aromas, rather than the heat, that has made Vietnamese so modish of late. Daily specials are chalked up on the board and a new nighttime initiative —La Vietnamita de Noche—will show films, host lectures, exhibitions and DJs all with a generally South-East Asian flavour.
For me though it works best as a quick in and out kind of a place where you can get fast, healthy food in pleasing surrounds. Having done my duty of trying lots of things, you’ll find true satisfaction lies in keeping it simple: a great big bowl of pho (€9.90) and a beer. Cheers.
Latest Comments
Wonderful
Posted by Jan May 02, 2012 11:03:45
I love this place!
Posted by Thomas March 06, 2012 15:45:30
It's on the up again!
Posted by Alicia & Steven January 15, 2012 19:20:26
apology
Posted by Nina November 28, 2011 19:27:46