Ok, I won’t deny. I’ve actually only had pho and sandwiches. And I didn’t like pho till last year. Which is a huge shame as the Ave in the U-district has the best Vietnamese restaurant ever. I was introduced to Thanh Vi by one of my best friends last year after a day of being hungover, or maybe we were just sick? Either way, she was craving her post-frat party/bar Friday morning ritual from college. I figured I’d give pho another try (I had had it once my freshmen year in college and thought it was kind of lame) but that day, Crystal taught me the correct ritual to Vietnamese soupy goodness. As with all my other food, I love it spicy. Extra chili sauce and jalapenos (always gotta ask for more), hold the hoisin sauce. I always order the “pho chin” aka – well done beef brisket. It’s delicious. God’s gift to the Vietnamese, who were so kind to share it with the rest of the world.
When Crystal was back in town, we hiked up Snoqualmie Falls and were hungry, as well as slightly slightly slightly hungover.. So what else would make us feel better than some pho?!?! We headed to the Ave and entered Thanh Vi. If there’s one thing to know about this restaurant, its how nice to employees are. Whether it’s the elderly woman or the young guys, everyone is really nice and there’s always classical music playing. Though if you go to the website, don’t be fooled by the pictures, it’s really not that fancy or romantic, but it’s still damn worth it to take a date there!
We were craving a sandwich, so we ordered the beef sandwich:
Banh Mi
You would think this sandwich would be like any other, and you would be wrong. The meat is really juicy and sweet, while the bread is perfectly crispy and the veggies underneath the meat just accentuate the taste of this sandwich. Crystal and I split this, and then we moved on to soupy goodness…..
Pho Chin is Vietnamese for comforting deliciousness
If you’ve never had pho, it’s basically vermicelli noodles in broth with noodles, onions (both green and white/red), cilantro, and you can add in basil, soybean sprouts, jalapenos and sauces such as hoisin sauce or chili sauce. Top it off with some lime juice and you’re good to go!
Pho extras
If you’re ever in Seattle, make sure you take some time to head to the U-district and visit Thanh Vi on University Avenue!
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