Ha Noi Avenue - Westminster

Next, we tried Bo Luc Lac, or Vietnamese Shaking Beef. The term 'luc lac' refers to the technique of shaking or tossing the beef in the wok after searing the sirloin quickly. This dish was served on a sizzling cast iron plate along with white onions, and the beef was cooked to perfection—tender and delicious. We also ordered Bun Cha Hanoi, which features Hanoi-style rice vermicelli noodles served with grilled pork patties. Each of us received a bowl filled with grilled pork, pickled carrots and onions, vermicelli noodles, and sweet nuoc mam cham (Vietnamese dipping fish sauce). We added fresh herbs like fish mint, perilla, and Vietnamese red perilla to our bowls. Trying fish mint for the first time was quite interesting; it had a unique scent reminiscent of fish. The dish had a wonderful smokiness from the charcoal-grilled pork. We also tasted Cha Ca Thang Long, which is grilled catfish marinated in turmeric and galangal, served on a sizzling plate with grilled onions and topped with fresh dill. Although I'm a fan of catfish, this dish was a bit tough, but it was packed with flavor. I just wished it hadn't been overcooked. One of the highlights was Ca Kho To, a Vietnamese braised fish dish cooked in a pot. The sauce was a lovely mix of sweet, spicy, and savory flavors, garnished with fresh jalapeños, cilantro, and green onions. I particularly enjoyed the rich, caramelized consistency of the sauce, though the fish could have benefited from a little more cooking time to better absorb the delicious sauce. We finished our meal with Banh Tom Co Ngu, which consisted of fried sweet potatoes and shrimp. The sweet potatoes were crispy and sweet, while the shrimp was tender. However, I found peeling the shrimp a bit challenging, as I am still getting accustomed to eating it with the skin on. Lastly, we tried Trung Duc, a baked egg omelet filled with crab and pork, which was cooked perfectly with flavorful crispy edges.