Vietnamese Spring Rolls

New debate: where to find the best Vietnamese Spring Rolls (fresh, not fried)? I was just in California and sampled some great fresh spring rolls. Rolled flawlessly tight, with very fresh (and well washed) vegetables and rice noodles. I've had them in Chicago at Pho 888 and Hai Yen, yet not in the running to those I had in San Francisco. My cravings are back.

Shoot, I was going to rec Pho 888. As the fresher ingrediants become more available and less traveled in this area, the taste changes. Try them from the smaller places rather than the pre-packaged at the markets and Ba Le. However, they are not that difficult to make from the ingrediants available at the markets on Argyle and a bit of your own backyard basil.

Quick soak of the rice wrapper, bean sprouts, herbs (basil, mint, cilantro) shrimp, pork, beef or pate', boom, sha-boom and Bob's your uncle!

pd

The Vietnamese spring roll, when made right, is nearly perfect & the ideal food for someone watching their weight. The freshness of the roll is great when mixed with their plum-whatever sauce.

Not too many Vietnamese places in suburbia, but I am partial to those at Annam Cafe in Evanston. But...I've ordered them as carry-out, carting them to the far northern suburbs, and by the time I get to eat them, they're decidedly not as tasty as when dining in. My theory is that the ricepaper wrapper dries out & gets tough at the edges while kind of mushy in the middle.

So...when doing a spring roll comparison, no carry-outs!


Annam Cafe
724 Clark St.
Evanston, IL
(847) 492-0631

IMO, it is the grilled beef spring roll, and not the shrimp (or shrimp/pork) spring roll, which Pho 888 does particularly well.

As someone who eats spring rolls on Arglye 2+ times a week, I will say that Tank is hard to beat when it comes to the basic shrimp (or shrimp/pork) spring roll.

Unfortunately, the nuoc leo (peanut dipping sauce) at Tank leaves a lot to be desired.

Pho 888
1137 W. Argyle
773.907.8838

Pho Xe Tang (a.k.a. Tank Noodle)
4955 N. Broadway
773.878.2253

E.M.

i really dig the spring rolls at Tank Noodle. and they're a fantastic value; i think you get two 7" rolls for about $2. if you eat both of them you're full before your pho even gets there!

jonjonjon wrote:i really dig the spring rolls at Tank Noodle. and they're a fantastic value; i think you get two 7" rolls for about $2. if you eat both of them you're full before your pho even gets there!

Actually, the spring rolls at Tank are $3.95, making them the most expensive spring rolls on the strip.

E.M.

Tank is one place whose spring rolls I haven't tried. Prices are better than those at Slanted Door (Ferry Building) in San Francisco, which I think were $7 for spring spring rolls. But they had delicious peanut sauce. I really could get used to dropping 30 bucks a week on those things.

The Vietnamese spring rolls at Fan Si Pan are probably larger than what you ate in California, but I think they are excellent, not to mention actually healthy. The beef and peanut ones are delicious but I like the shrimp ones as well. They've also added some new ones I have yet to try.

The construction on that section of Chicago Avenue is atrocious, but Fan Si Pan's honeydew limeade made Time Out Chicago's list of the 100 best things to eat.

Forego the sub-par sauce they give you and shell out the extra 50 cents for peanut sauce.

1618 W. Chicago Ave.
http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/dini ... 6407.venue

Across the street from Pho Xe Tang (a.k.a. Tank Noodle) is Ba Le French Bakery 5018 N Broadway. 773-561-4424 You can purchase 3 large spring rolls with sauce for 3 or 4.95. The rolls are made fresh daily and the drinks and other food are very fresh and tasty as well. Across the alley on the same side of the street is a great Thai grocery store that serves some tasty food as well. Sorry I am not sure of the name.

I recently got some take-out from Nhu Hoa on Argyle. It did not include spring rolls, but when I picked up my order, the unusually chatty hostess upbraided me: "Why you no get the spring rolls? They the best! Everyone love them. Next time! Next time! You get spring rolls."

I'm sure I've had their spring rolls before, but not in a while, so I can't vouch for them personally. But, apparently, they feel very strongly about them. Just FYI.

The name of the Thai grocery is Thai Grocery.

I am not sure I can lay claim to eating two or more times a week on Argyle anymore, but I think I have discovered why Erik and I sometimes disagree. I am a late night diner on Argyle...although, since I have been driving a great deal, I am not even a late night diner. Eric, generally, dines earlier.

I think Tank has gone down hill. Erik disagrees. It may just be a function of the night cook. I will have to say the same about the spring rolls...although it has been a while. The last time I dined at Tank they were pre-made. Considering Tank's volume of bidniss, its understandable.

Pho 888 have always been fresh. Again, try them at home or look for a place that makes them to order. I don't think BaLe will fit the OP's bill for super fresh, but I often pick those up along with a lemongrass sausage Bahn Mi for a very filling, but not to heavy takeout meal.

pdaane wrote:I am not sure I can lay claim to eating two or more times a week on Argyle anymore, but I think I have discovered why Eric and I sometimes disagree. I am a late night diner on Argyle...although, since I have been driving a great deal, I am not even a late night diner. Eric, generally, dines earlier.

I think Tank has gone down hill. Eric disagrees. It may just be a function of the night cook. I will have to say the same about the spring rolls...although it has been a while. The last time I dined at Tank they were pre-made. Considering Tank's volume of bidniss, its understandable.

I would estimate that I have visited Tank a hundred times.*

And, I would estimate that only a handful of those visits were later than, say, 4pm.

I am not qualified to speak about the quality of cooking in the evenings.

That said, and with the exception of two or three dishes, I have found the quality of the food at Tank to be consistent for the entirety of its existence.

E. "with a frickin' k" M.

* Visits to both locations considered.

Erik M. wrote:
Unfortunately, the nuoc leo (peanut dipping sauce) at Tank leaves a lot to be desired.

Hey Erik,

I'd love to hear a quick rundown of which Argyle spots have your favorite dipping sauces, either peanut or fish sauce-based. (I'm sure you've addressed this before, but while we're on the topic...)

Thanks.

Erik M. wrote:

jonjonjon wrote:i really dig the spring rolls at Tank Noodle. and they're a fantastic value; i think you get two 7" rolls for about $2. if you eat both of them you're full before your pho even gets there!

Actually, the spring rolls at Tank are $3.95, making them the most expensive spring rolls on the strip.

E.M.

you got me there!

even so, $3.95 for two huge spring rolls is a deal in my book

Erik M. wrote:...I will say that Tank is hard to beat when it comes to the basic shrimp (or shrimp/pork) spring roll.

This thread awakened a long dormant taste for spring rolls in me. Petit pois and I shared an order of the basic spring roll at Tank, which were just delicious, in spite of the fact that I suspect they were made and held for a short period of time.

Followed up by a banh mi w/sardine, it made a great summer lunch.

Best,
Michael

eatchicago wrote:This thread awakened a long dormant taste for spring rolls in me. Petit pois and I shared an order of the basic spring roll at Tank, which were just delicious, in spite of the fact that I suspect they were made and held for a short period of time.

I don't generally care for the inclusion of pork in a spring roll, and so I most often order them without.

It guarantees their freshness, that is for sure.

Regards,
E.M.

Erik M. wrote:

eatchicago wrote:This thread awakened a long dormant taste for spring rolls in me. Petit pois and I shared an order of the basic spring roll at Tank, which were just delicious, in spite of the fact that I suspect they were made and held for a short period of time.

I don't generally care for the inclusion of pork in a spring roll, and so I most often order them without.

It guarantees their freshness, that is for sure.

Interesting tip petit pois wound up picking the pork out of hers, since she's not a fan of the strands of chewy pork fat. Next time, I can kill two birds with one stone and order without the pork.

Best,
Michael

I also order Tank's spring rolls without the pork. Their peanut sauce does leave a lot to be desired. Bashfully, I enjoy Big Bowl's peanut sauce.

A while ago, when I was in exile in north Oak Park I would frequent a Thai place that had some awesome spring rolls...

Thai's Oak Park Restaurant
6851 N North
Oak Park
708-386-6667

A pair of spring rolls and an order of rice was a good meal.

It has been years but I do believe they are under the same management.

(I just might stop back to check)

Hi,

I used to like the dipping sauce at Pho 777, but I found the dipping sauce at Cafe Nhu Hoa to be similar to what I used to get at Pho 777.

Erik M wrote:IMO, it is the grilled beef spring roll, and not the shrimp (or shrimp/pork) spring roll, which Pho 888 does particularly well.

This is the most interesting piece of information to come out of this thread for me. I like the Vietnamese grilled beef, so this type of spring rolls has to be exceptional!

Thanks!

Regards,

Panther in the Den wrote:It has been years but I do believe they are under the same management.

Oh, it most certainly is.

The Yingpraserts' son, Phai, is one of my closest friends.

E.M.