Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Asian "Hole-in-the-Wall" Delight


I never turn down an offer to visit a restaurant I have never been to.  And if it's an Asian restaurant with pho, then I'm there. My Vietnamese friend, Jimmy Le, texted me with an invitation to try one of his favorite Asian joints, Asian Palace, on 28th street in Wyoming. Korean friend and fellow blogger and photo enthusiast, Jai Yung, also joined us this Saturday afternoon for a leisurely lunch of mussels, goi cuon (summer rolls), pho and a plate of a typical Asian breakfast of pork, rice and eggs. 

Asian Palace is not going to be on the cover of Food and Wine anytime soon - with it's plastic banquettes, faded Chinese wallpaper mural and orange stacking banquet chairs. It's location in a small strip mall next to a tire store doesn't help either. However, it's all about the pho for me. After my first sip of the pho with the basil, lime, sprouts and beef stock, I was sold. Suddenly, the faded mural didn't matter and the plastic plates, cups and tablecloths complemented the hole-in-the-wall ambiance. Hey, I wasn't expecting chandeliers and tuxedo clad servers.

As Jai and I took our turns taking photos of the food (an annoying habit of photo bloggers), I noticed more and more people come in, a good sign for any restaurant. And it was 3:00 in the afternoon! 

I'll be back here soon. I know my kids will love the food. However, I'll make sure to ask for a to-go bag for my wife who isn't exactly a fan of Asian dives. Oh, well....


A wonderful bowl of beef pho
Pho accoutrements
Goi Coun
Typical Asian breakfast: pork, rice and fried egg
Jimmy and Jai digging in
Hole-in-the-wall delight

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