Nom Nom, the traveling banh-mi enterprise, is almost road-ready with a new truck and ongoing experiments to bring cafe sua da and other Vietnamese treats to the streets. We have high hopes that Nom Nom knows what they’re doing, but since it will be another two weeks or so before anyone actually eats the food, we wondered what SoCal spots are influencing their recipes. While we stand outside hoping to see them pass by on a test-drive, enjoy our area’s top Vietnamese recommendations as related by Nom Nom’s Misa, Jenn, and David:
Favorite traditional sit-down:
Nhu Y Ca 8 Mon 10830 Warner Ave. Fountain Valley, CA 92708
“This place is famous for their ‘8 courses of fish’ and ordering it is an absolute must for first-timers.”
Pho:
Noodle Planet 1118 Westwood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90024
“Staying true to our UCLA roots, Noodle Planet is conveniently located in Westwood and is surpisingly good for a ‘non-Pho’ restaurant. That is, it’s not only Vietnamese food, they have a large variety of Asian cuisines on their menu. However, their pho is the best on the Westside!”
Banh mi:
Uyen Thy Bistro 9039 Bolsa Ave. Westminster, CA 92683
“Great bread, tasty fillings, perfectly sized…Uyen Thy was one of the first banh mi spots we went for inspiration in the early stages of development for Nom Nom Truck. Their Thit Nuong (grilled pork) banh mi is superb!”
Spring/Summer Rolls:
Brodard 9892 Westminster Ave. Garden Grove, CA. 92844
“Anyone who knows anything about So. Cal Vietnamese food has probably heard of Brodard. They’re most famous for their pork spring roll, or nem nuong cuon), and ‘special sauce.’ Brodard definitely lives up to the hype. While the rest of their menu has a lot of great dishes, their spring rolls are the best in the business.
