By Cheryl Chan
Chinatown is full of Vietnamese restaurants, but few are more authentic than Xe Lua. The restaurant is known for its pho chin nam, rice noodles with well-cooked beef, a Saigon favorite. The traditional brothy soup is served in a large bowl topped with spring onions. Accompanying garnishes include sprigs of basil, green chilies, bean sprouts, lime, and nog gai, or saw leaf herbs. The long slender leaves have a coriander-like taste and are not offered by many other Vietnamese establishments in the area.
Com Ga Nurong (barbecue chicken over rice)
The com dia, or cooked rice, dishes at Xe Lua are as note worthy as its pho. They use jasmine rice imported from Vietnam, which is infused with coconut juice and ginger, giving it a subtle pandan flavor. The com ga nurong, barbeque chicken, is the perfect dish to complement the rice.
A traditional Vietnamese appetizer is the spring roll. Of the dozen varieties offered at Xe Lua, the goi cuon – shrimp, vermicelli noodles, mint and lettuce wrapped with rice paper – is the best. Whip up a dipping sauce by mixing hoisin and sriracha, regular condiments at every Vietnamese meal.
End the meal on a sweet note with a cup of strong Vietnamese coffee. A throwback to Vietnam’s French colonial influence, the dark French roast is brewed at your table. It drips through a small metal filter into an inviting dollop of sweetened condensed milk. The creamy liquid can be consumed hot or poured over ice.
Xe Lua Vietnamese Restaurant
86 Mulberry Street
212-577-8887
http://xeluanewyork.com/
