Las Vegas Vietnamese Restaurant in Cicero

I haven't seen anything posted on Las Vegas Vietnamese in Cicero on LTH yet, so I thought I give them a little attention. I learned of this place from a guy who stopped in on a lark after driving by it on 35th st. near Austin. He said the pho was quite good and priced reasonably ($8 or $9 for a good quantity). Based on his comments, I checked it out at lunchtime.

This tiny restaurant can't seat much more than 15 at a time, and has an extremely modest vibe about it. I don't know the story behind the unusual naming of the restaurant - didn't see any showgirls or Celine Dion. It has a bit of a homey feel - like some of the furniture was not designed with food service in mind.

I knew I had to get banh mi rather than pho. I'll come back for that when it's cold outside. I decided to try a couple - the traditional one (headcheese, pork pate etc) and the grilled pork. Both had good bread with a thin slightly crispy exterior. The herbs and veggies which make these sandwiches so great were there in the right proportions and gave them a nice crunch, brightness and zing. The meats were tasty in both dishes, but I think the grilled pork was a little more complex in flavor. Still, I'd order either of them again.

A couple at the table near mine were raving about their beverages - the lemonade and the coffee with condensed milk. They also seemed to be enjoying their meals, though I couldn't quite tell what they ordered.

In summary - this seems like the prototypical LTH neighborhood restaurant. It's small, serves tasty and authentic food, doesn't charge a lot and hasn't been hit by the Check Please crowd yet. Give it a shot.

Here are the usual details:

Las Vegas Vietnamese Restaurant
5932 W 35th St., Cicero, IL 60804
708.298.9776
http://www.lasvegasrest.com/

Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun: 10-10
Wed: closed

I wish them much luck. That's not exactly a great area for Vietnamese. The food is good and the owners very gracious.