Restaurant: Viet Noodle Bar
Location: 3133 Glendale Blvd. (Atwater Village)
Type of restaurant: Vietnamese
We stipulated: It was a Saturday night, and neither of us felt like cooking. Neither of us also felt like spending a ton of money for dinner. Oh, and we couldn't just abandon our Blogger Preschooler. We could go to one of our staples, Indochine Vien in Atwater Village... or we could try something new. It was time to finally check out the rival Vietnamese joint across from Indochine, Viet Noodle Bar.
Springrolls
What we ordered: Appetizer: Bo Bia Chay (Fresh Springrolls: jicama, carrot, tofu, basil, shallots: $5). Fresh rice noodles: Bun Ca Thi La (White Fish Noodle: with dill, turmeric, white fish: $8) and Bun Chay (Vegetarian Soyskin noodle: Soyskin, shiitake: $8).
White Fish Noodle
High point: The White Fish Noodle was a nice surprise -- guess you can't go wrong with dill and curry. Delicious. I would have eaten it all myself, but we were sharing both dishes.
Low point: I'm sad to report that Viet Noodle Bar is cash only. I rarely carry much cash on me -- but thankfully our bill was small enough that I could cover it. Just remember to plan accordingly -- or you'll be facing ATM charges somewhere.
Vegetarian Soyskin Noodle
Overall impression: The Blogger Preschooler enjoys the noodles at Indochine Vien, but I gotta say, we're kind of leaning toward Viet now. The food's good, reasonably priced, and the restaurant has a cool, stark, minimalist/urban vibe. And my main issues with Viet -- small menu and the communal dining table -- have also been addressed now that the restaurant has expanded. According to Eating LA and the Daily Dish, the new menu includes banh mi -- hurray!
Chance we'll go back: We definitely have to check out the expanded space... and try a banh mi.
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