Cafe Hoang [and Pho Cafe] --quick notes

I've got a backlog of postings a mile long and no time on the horizon to get into the detail they deserve, but I did want to at least one in while it's fresh.

We tend to hit Nhu Hoa or Hai Yen out of habit when we do Argyle. Also, the boy knows them, and 6 year olds prize consistency. But after a quintessentially Norman Rockwell morning of throwing the junior-size football in the park amidst happy golden retrievers, chess players and joggers, we were in the mood for a hearty bowl of soup and a bit of adventure. So in we went to Cafe Hoang.

The place was about 80% full, exclusively populated with multi-generational asian families all eating enormous bowls of soup.

We got of to a slightly rocky start. Unacknowledged as we entered and paused by the door, we made our way between closely packed patrons to the counter at the back, where, standing and smiling gamely directly in front of three employees, we remained invisible. Finally I asked if any of the open tables were good for us to occupy and was pointed toward one of them.

From there things got better. Menus appeared, and food in reasonably good time thereafter, though our young waitress appeared to wish she were anywhere else in the universe but there on that Sat. afternoon.

The considerable upside of our visit was that everything was simply delicious. Generously portioned dishes, bright, fresh, clean flavors all around. Went for the simplest soup for the boy: chicken/rice noodle. About a half gallon of good rich broth, vigorously peppered, brimming over with noodles, large boneless hunks of chicken, and absolutely fresh bright green chives, cilantro, and scallion -- the latter assiduously avoided by the boy to whom "green flecks" are as kryptonite.

Two spring rolls were the standard noodle, pork slice, shrimp, green leaf version, but oh-so-fresh, well-proportioned and tightly, neatly wrapped.

I had the standard combo seafood, stirfried with fat rich noodles. Again, a very generous portion for $8.95. The noodles beautifully crunchy on the outside from pan frying, still chewy and sauce-absorbing within.

An empty mussel shell served as a make-shift ramekin to hold siriracha sauce for dipping.

Neither the menu, nor the style or execution was innovative, or different from any other storefront Vietnamese place, but it was like finding that great diner, where all the standards are done just a little bit better.

Cafe Hoang
1010 W. Argyle St
Chicago, IL
773-878-9943

Cafe Hoang has become our go-to place along Argyle. It's never been completely full the times I've been—generally Vietnamese families, and as mrbarolo mentioned, all eating big bowls of soup. I have noticed a heavy stream of carry-out'ers.

Getting seated always starts a littly unsteady with some confusion on where we should sit, etc. By the time the water arrives though it's smooth sailing and the 2 young guys there are very attentive and sweet.

I'm a huge fan of the spring rolls. A bigger fan on the Chinese Broccoli and Chicken. My partner loves the soft egg noodles stir fried with vegetables and tofu.

After seeing an old episode of Check Please where Cafe Hoang's Chinatown location was profiled, I have been craving some vietnamese food. I read the thread regarding the Goi-Ga they offer, and am just lookign for some other opinions on the food at Cafe Hoang, and how it compares to Tank Noodle.

I am probably going to the Chinatown location vs the Argyle location, and am interested in any feedback.

jimswside wrote:I am probably going to the Chinatown location vs the Argyle location, and am interested in any feedback.

Jim,

Never been to the Chinatown location of Cafe Hoang. Far as Cafe Hoang Argyle St, Goi Ga eclipses other dishes, but, with the exception of a miscue order of whole crispy tilapia, I've enjoyed pretty much everything I've had in numerous visits. For example, Spicy Duck Salad, same preparation as chicken, but left on the bone, Banh Xeo and spring rolls are in the range, with Bun Bo Hue one of the better examples I've had.

Nicely rounded menu including plate lunches, spicy tasty table condiments and, oddly, a page of Thai dishes on offer, which I have never tried.

My suggestion, for best results build your meal around Goi Ga.

Spicy Chicken Salad, (Goi Ga #009)



Enjoy,
Gary

Cafe Hoang
232 W Cermak Rd
Chicago, IL 60616
312-674-9610‎

Cafe Hoang
1010 W. Argyle St
Chicago, IL
773-878-9943

thanks gary,

I will take your advise, I also see a pork chop with sausage and egg, some spring rolls, and perhaps dungeness crab in my future.

jimswside wrote: I also see a pork chop with sausage and egg, some spring rolls, and perhaps dungeness crab in my future.

The pork-chop-and-chinese-sausage-over-rice plate is textbook. Good stuff.

chezbrad wrote:

jimswside wrote: I also see a pork chop with sausage and egg, some spring rolls, and perhaps dungeness crab in my future.

The pork-chop-and-chinese-sausage-over-rice plate is textbook. Good stuff.

if their porkchop offering is a good as Tank's I'll be happy.

If it the weather wasnt going to be nice tomorrow, and I wasnt goingto be smoking some meat Id be going tomorrow. Maybe next weekend(or Easter SUnday if they are open).

Cafe Hoang is open today, and since I will be out and about(Geneva), a trip down to Chinatown seems in order.

We are probably going to order: #45 pork chop, sausage, and egg, #2 spring rolls, #5 Vietnamese pancake, and # 26 beef, shrimps, egg roll, vermicelli noodles & mix veggie .

we may switch out the pancake or the spring rolls for another entree)frog legs, mussels, or curry.

Anyone free for a late lunch 3:00 ish.?

jimswside wrote:Cafe Hoang is open today, and since I will be out and about(Geneva), a trip down to Chinatown seems in order.

We are probably going to order: #45 pork chop, sausage, and egg, #2 spring rolls, #5 Vietnamese pancake, and # 26 beef, shrimps, egg roll, vermicelli noodles & mix veggie .

No Spicy Chicken Salad/Goi Ga

G Wiv wrote:

jimswside wrote:Cafe Hoang is open today, and since I will be out and about(Geneva), a trip down to Chinatown seems in order.

We are probably going to order: #45 pork chop, sausage, and egg, #2 spring rolls, #5 Vietnamese pancake, and # 26 beef, shrimps, egg roll, vermicelli noodles & mix veggie .

No Spicy Chicken Salad/Goi Ga

I am trying to talk my dining companions into it. I showed them the picture from the other thread, I will keep trying.

jimswside wrote:I am trying to talk my dining companions into it. I showed them the picture from the other thread, I will keep trying.

It's the only dish that I order there every time. Don't miss it.

stevez wrote:

jimswside wrote:I am trying to talk my dining companions into it. I showed them the picture from the other thread, I will keep trying.

It's the only dish that I order there every time. Don't miss it.

just convinced the wife into letting me order this dish. I am glad, I didnt want to pass it up.

Cafe Hoang was packed from the time we arrived @ just past 4 until we left at almost 6. About a 10 minute wait for a table, not bad considering Check Please reaired this episode within the last week.

Love the BYOB, I brought along a stash of Miller High Life Light, and enjoyed our visit alot.

The great: # 9 the spicy chicken salad as previously reported. Spicy chicken, and a very nice dressing to balance it out. # 45 The pork chop, sausage, and fried eggs(although they left the sausage off the plate, and we didnt notice missing it until the ride home when we asked each other how the sausage was). Great pork chop, better flavor, and cut than I have had at Tank. 2 overeasy eggs, sliced cucumber, and a nice scoop of rice made this a great dish. # 2 the Spring rolls, excellent flavor, and dipping sauce, especially with some sriracha.

The very good: # 54, and # 24. Both grilled shrimp dishes, both served over nodles, # 24 with an egg roll. # 54 served with items to roll the grilled shrimp.

I want to try the Dungeness crab next visit for sure, as well as the whole red snapper. Overall a very good dinner.

# 2


# 9


# 45


# 54


# 24


Also we left China Town @ 5:55 p.m., and pulled in my driveway in Marseilles @ 6:55 p.m. I really dont live all that far from Chicago.

My wife and I tried Cafe Hoang last night in Chinatown. We arrived with no line, but all the tables were full, except one which would be ours as soon as it was cleared and our presence was acknowledged, which literally was a good 10 minutes. At one point my wife walked to the back to ask if the table could be cleared for us, which she was told it could be and it was about 5 minutes later. We sat ourselves and again waited for another 10 minutes before we could get the attention of someone to bring us menus and some hot tea and glasses of water.

We ordered some appetizers (crab rangoon and spring rolls) both of which appeared quickly and tasted great. Both were extremely fresh and well prepared. I ordered the pork chop and shrimp and my wife ordered a soup which I cannot remember the name or number. She asked the waitress if it could be prepared not spicy and she said she would ask the chef if that was possible. At that point we waited and waited and waited for what turned out to be about 30 minutes before our entrees arrived. During this time we witnessed another table simply get up and leave after not getting any attention from the staff, a line of people forming in the tiny doorway, as empty tables sat with dirty dishes, tables who have finished their meals tirelessly trying to get their bill so they can pay and leave and the couple next to us clearly disappointed in not understanding what they ordered and the waitress having little compassion or offering to replace the said dish.

# 45 The pork chop, sausage, and fried eggs(although they left the sausage off the plate, and we didnt notice missing it until the ride home.

Finally however the food arrived. I received the pork chop minus the shrimp which I noticed right away but did not say anything as I figured I should be happy that I had something in front of me. The pork chops were excellent however covered with grilled green onions and served with a salad with a mild dressing and rice. My wife's soup arrived and after one spoonful she found it inedible due to the extreme spiciness. I tasted it as well and confirmed this was way up there on the spicy scale. We flagged down the waitress who at that point explained the chef could not make it less spicy, which would have been nice to know oh about 30 minutes ago. She apologized and did offer to bring my wife something else. She then chose the seafood combination soup and when it arrived it was very tasty and enough for a 2nd meal today.

In the end we spent 2 hours in this little storefront restaurant, which because we had no place to be, was not the worst thing, but it certainly was a bit frustrating at times that the service was so lacking. The food was great and we enjoyed it all, but not sure I would go back to this location unless I have a few hours to kill.

Service was a little slow in the beginning(getting menus, placing our order) now that I think about it, however I had plenty of cold beer to drink, and once the food started coming out the dishes came out one right after the other.

Forgot to mention upthread, those 5 dishes before tip were $45, not bad for 3 adults, and one hungry shrimp, rice, and noodle eating toddler.

butter674 wrote:We ordered some appetizers (crab rangoon and spring rolls) both of which appeared quickly and tasted great. Both were extremely fresh and well prepared. I ordered the pork chop and shrimp and my wife ordered a soup which I cannot remember the name or number. She asked the waitress if it could be prepared not spicy and she said she would ask the chef if that was possible.

butter674 wrote:My wife's soup arrived and after one spoonful she found it inedible due to the extreme spiciness. I tasted it as well and confirmed this was way up there on the spicy scale. We flagged down the waitress who at that point explained the chef could not make it less spicy, which would have been nice to know oh about 30 minutes ago. She apologized and did offer to bring my wife something else.

With all due respect, it sounds like you picked the wrong type of restaurant for your tastes in food. Going to a Vietnamese place and ordering Americanized-Chinese appetizers and then asking for a dish to be dumbed down in spice level is just they type of ordering that makes it tough for the rest of us to get authentically prepared and spiced food when we go to ethnic restaurants. I'd suggest next time going to a place like P.F. Changs, where I'm sure the food would be prepared much more to your tastes.

There is really only one reason my fiance and I go to Cafe Hoang, and that is for one of the best Bun Bo Hue you can find in a restaurant in the Chicagoland area. It is a dish they are known for, and what you see most Vietnamese ordering there. Give it a shot if you want an alternative from the usual Pho. Fair warning however, it is served with pigs feet and congealed pigs blood.

I have to say the food there is wonderful. I hardly go to eat anywhere else in Chinatown after I found this place. My favorite is #64 the catfish in claypot. It's so good I'm hungry whenever I think about it. Service is ok. It's chinatown and cheap food so I don't expect much.

I have to say that I completely agree with stevez. The food is spicy for a reason. It's the way it should be. If you can't handle spicy then order something that's not.

Highly recommended. Even though I haven't been there for a while because of that checkplease thing.

P/S to butter674: As a frequent customer, I don't think #45 comes with shrimps. And maybe you should come back in a few weeks when it's less busy.

I'm suffering from the beginnings of what may be a cold, and nothing sounded better for lunch than a bowl of pho. RAB was nice enough to fetch me from work and drive down to Chinatown for our first visit to Cafe Hoang.

Alas, our first visit will be our last.

We started with the chicken salad, #9. The dressing was good and the veggies were fresh. The problem was the chicken - - dry and chewy. Some of the chicken pieces were actually hard. After returning to the office, I checked a few online recipes to make sure this dish isn't supposed to be super-chewy and that I just don't like it. Nope, not supposed to be chewy.

While a fan of Bun Bo Hue, I was feeling the under the weather and thus interested in something a bit less challenging. So I went with the simplest pho, #12. When the bowl was placed in front of me, I was smacked in the face by the intense smell of cinnamon, clove, and star anise. Unfortunately, the taste of the soup was even stronger. No subtlety, no depth of flavor. You couldn't taste the beef or anything else in the soup - - just cinnamon, clove, and star anise.

RAB went with #45, the pork chop, egg, and sausage plate. The chewy theme continued here, with really chewy sausage and pork. The pork was only slightly aided by a dip in the nuoc mam. The sunnyside up egg had a runny middle, but was strangely fried. The edges of the egg were puffy, almost as if it had been fried in a bowl of oil. Hard to figure out.

We'd ordered egg rolls. Spring rolls arrived. We clarified we wanted egg rolls. Egg rolls never arrived. No biggee. We weren't charged for them. And, we were full.

Other than the egg roll problem, service was fine. Our order was taken promptly and food arrived quickly.

Too bad we didn't follow the temptation to go to Double Li a few doors down, with its numbered, signed LTH poster in the window. Next time.

Ronna

REB wrote:RAB went with #45, the pork chop, egg, and sausage plate. The chewy theme continued here, with really chewy sausage and pork. The pork was only slightly aided by a dip in the nuoc mam. The sunnyside up egg had a runny middle, but was strangely fried. The edges of the egg were puffy, almost as if it had been fried in a bowl of oil. Hard to figure out.

Just to elaborate a bit, my #45 didn't look anything like that pictured in jimswside's post above. And our #9 spicy chicken salad didn't look much at all like that which GWiv posted above. Both were dry, sad, approximations. We are clearly dealing with a consistency issue here. Perhaps a change in the kitchen staff? A big difference between locations?

Anyway, with so much excellent Chinese food in the immediate vicinity, it would take a major craving to get me to return to this location of Cafe Hoang for mediocre Vietnamese.

--Rich

that sucks REB, and RAB.

I have been looking forward to a return trip to Cafe Hoang since my last visit(loved the spicy chicken salad on our visit), it is good to know that they may have a "B" team running the kitchen at times.

Any recent data points? Thanks!

Pucca wrote:Any recent data points? Thanks!

I've been to the Argyle location twice in the past two months. Here's some discussion of my first visit. The second was also quite good. I did not find the Goi Ga to be anything special, but the Bun Bo Hue continued to shine.

kl1191 wrote:

Pucca wrote:Any recent data points? Thanks!

I've been to the Argyle location twice in the past two months. Here's some discussion of my first visit. The second was also quite good. I did not find the Goi Ga to be anything special, but the Bun Bo Hue continued to shine.

That's strange. On my recent trip to Cafe Hoang the Goi Ga (with lots of the chilli sauce on the table) was by far the highlight of an otherwise disappointing meal. The Bun Bo Hue didn't even remotely resemble the pictures shown above. It had a strangely fishy flavor, with absolutely no beef flavor to speak of. The lemongrass chicken was acceptable but lacked some punch (and featured lots of baby corn) while the catfish stew was treacly sweet and dry.

The neighborhood has lots of Vietnamese options in close proximity to one another, yet most the restaurants were barely half full on a Friday night, with the exception of the always busy GNR-winner Tank Noodle. Not sure what's causing this, but meals like the one I had at Cafe Hoang might be part of the reason.

Maybe an off night? I've had their Bun Bo Hue recently, and its still as good and consistent as it gets for noodle soups in the Chicagoland area.

turkob wrote:

kl1191 wrote:

Pucca wrote:Any recent data points? Thanks!

I've been to the Argyle location twice in the past two months. Here's some discussion of my first visit. The second was also quite good. I did not find the Goi Ga to be anything special, but the Bun Bo Hue continued to shine.

That's strange. On my recent trip to Cafe Hoang the Goi Ga (with lots of the chilli sauce on the table) was by far the highlight of an otherwise disappointing meal. The Bun Bo Hue didn't even remotely resemble the pictures shown above. It had a strangely fishy flavor, with absolutely no beef flavor to speak of. The lemongrass chicken was acceptable but lacked some punch (and featured lots of baby corn) while the catfish stew was treacly sweet and dry.

The neighborhood has lots of Vietnamese options in close proximity to one another, yet most the restaurants were barely half full on a Friday night, with the exception of the always busy GNR-winner Tank Noodle. Not sure what's causing this, but meals like the one I had at Cafe Hoang might be part of the reason.

I never see any of the places east of the red line remotely full, i think the neighborhood is just too sketchy/dangerous for most, especially in the evenings. That said, I've found the Bun Bo Hue here hit and miss and find Pho 888's more consistent.

looking for blue crabs and doing some research on an old brewery in the area, lunch in Chinatown made sense, but Cafe Hoang for some of their grilled meats.

# 26: Vermicelli bowl topped with a skewer of grilled shrimp and a couple skewers of grilled beef. some crunchy veg, some chopped peanuts, an egg roll. Great on this day:



my favorite dish here, # 45. A grilled pork chop, some sausage, a couple fried eggs, a pile of filling rice, and the crispy veg to offset the salt and tary of the pork and dipping sauce. First time trying the hot sauce as well, Hit the spot:



really nice visit, kitchin was knocking out some tasty and good looking dishes.

Bun Bo Hue made for an excellent dinner on Saturday. Flavorful broth with a little spice, toothsome noodles, the usual sliced beef and pig knuckle plus a couple of mystery sausages, and fresh add-ons.

Nha Hang, a couple of doors down, seems to pull the early dinner crowd. I'm hoping that Cafe Hoang does better later at night, as I would like to see both places thrive.

Cafe Hoang, a Vietnamese restaurant with three locations, is closing its South Side spot at 232 W. Cermak Road.

https://chicago.eater.com/2018/1/2/1684 ... sures-2018

Chinatown Cafe Hoang was quite good IMO and I was really sad to hear it was closing. I am not sure where to get good Vietnamese in the south part of the city now.