Tank Noodle Moving

LTH,

While I was parking to go to Thai Grocery today I noticed a banner on the recently empty Southeast Broadway/Argyle corner restaurant space announcing Tank Noodle (Pho Xe Tang) coming soon. I imagine Tank will be moving from it's present location, 1007 W Argyle, to the much larger space.

This is good news as Tank, which is deservedly popular, has a tendency to get crowded.

FYI Tank Noodle (Pho Xe Tang) is not affiliated with Tank Sushi on Lincoln Ave.

Enjoy,
Gary

Whoooo Hoooooo! I saw the space being rehabbed/redecorated on Thursday or Friday.

A move to that location also means that it will be on my way from the train station and I hope they keep the late hours, as many on the Western end of that stretch of Argyle seem to close by 7 or 8pm.

I am not sure if that is good news or bad news, but I will most certainly appreciate the convenience

As Eric M has posted on a number of occasions, Tank does the standards exceptionally well.

I particularly enjoy their version of papaya salad with fresh boiled shrimp and pork loin, more than a full meal for about $9

I have also been going to New Saigon of late, the food seems to be up a notch or two since they dumped many of the Ameri-Chineese and Ameri-Thai offerings to go with a all Vietnamese menu. However, I can't seem to find a way to tolerate the overly friendly and overly zealous owner/host/waiter.

pd

pdaane wrote:I have also been going to New Saigon of late, the food seems to be up a notch or two since they dumped many of the Ameri-Chineese and Ameri-Thai offerings to go with a all Vietnamese menu. However, I can't seem to find a way to tolerate the overly friendly and overly zealous owner/host/waiter. pd

I concur, though with a twinge of guilt. Most of the time, as a solo diner, I just want to be left alone with my book/music.

While Tank has been moving this past month, business is still booming, and I've taken the opportunity to visit Cafe Hoang. Not bad for an Argyle noodle shop, except for the incessant Disney Channel, plus it has the advantage of being very cheap. Has anyone had any experience with the New Chinatown cafe?

I was going to temper my original post comments with a disclaimer, then decided against it.

I am, generally, friendly and outgoing with waitstaff and proprietors, due in most part to my small town, retail store background.

However, on my way home, usually after a long enough day that I don't feel like cooking...I pretty much just want to be fed, pay my bill and leave, maybe one or two exchanges of pleasantries at the most.

Perhaps I am getting jaded by the big City or just getting old and cranky.

pd

titus wong wrote:I've taken the opportunity to visit Cafe Hoang.

Titus,

Cafe Hoang is one of my favorites, with my favorite dish being Goi Ga, which could be best described as Asian chicken salad.


I also like the crisp greaseless Ban Xeo, Pho and Bun Bo Hue.

I first heard about Cafe Hoang's Goi Ga 4-5 years ago in Monica Eng World Eats column.


Enjoy,
Gary

Cafe Hoang
1010 W. Argyle
Chicago, IL 60640
773-878-9943

[Edited to correct typo 6.7.05]

Thanks, Gary, for planning my next meal at Cafe Hoang! Nice pic.

According to Mrs. Tank, the restaurant is scheduled to reopen at its new location on August 28th. Unfortunately, I'll be away on vacation starting tomorrow and for most of next week, and so, I'll miss the occasion. I'm sure that the Tanks would be pleasantly surprised to see the LTH faithful who are regular patrons.

BTW, I'm just kidding around -- their surname is NOT Tank.

By the looks of it, they will be open any minute now, but as you can see from the snap I took, yesterday, they've decided on a different name.

Besides the papaya salad pdaane mentioned, what else is a must-order at Tank?

Erik M. wrote:By the looks of it, they will be open any minute now, but as you can see from the snap I took, yesterday, they've decided on a different name.

Is this picture for real? If so, it's hilarious.

Titus,

You did not miss the opening, I stopped in earlier this week and they said MAYBE this weekend.

Janet C.,

See some of Erik M.'s earlier posts here and on other food boards, though I don't think you can go wrong with any of the Pho...all of the other dishes I have had there have also been very good, although admittedly, I am still learning how to evaluate the vietnamese cuisine.

pd

HI,

An earlier post by Erik on Tank.

This thread will add to your knowledge base.

Thanks for the links, Cathy. I tried to do a search for "Tank" on the forum, but for some reason couldn't find anything

Janet,

You may try "Tank Noodle" next time and then change the option to search for all terms (cuts out a bit of the noise).

Otherwise it is frustrationg because the back button goes to page expired rather than back to the search results (probably a site talk question)

Hi,

I just did a search for keyword TANK and came back with 12 matches.

Tank isn't always referred to as TANK NOODLE, with search looking for both words, you only get 5 matches.

If you look for TANK NOODLE, with search looking for either word, then you open the Pandora's box with 44 matches.

[Edit to include additional information]: The Vietnamese name for Tank Noodle is PHO XE TANG. If you search on Chowhound's search engine, then try the Vietnamese name as well. I've been told it was sometime's used instead of Tank Noodle.

Search engines are interesting to toy around with.

Hi,

Attached is a thread from CH which includes a tutorial for how to eat pho. Read it completely to capture all the information.

Just remember, Pho 777 is no longer a reliable source for Pho unfortunately.

http://www.chowhound.com/midwest/boards ... 22999.html

pdaane wrote:Otherwise it is frustrationg because the back button goes to page expired rather than back to the search results (probably a site talk question)

I've found that whenever I'm doing a search -- whether confined to a relatively small niche such as this site or a wideranging Google search -- I'm best off using a right-click on the link to open the contextual menu and choosing "Open in New Window." Along with preventing the expiration of the search results, it allows me to have three or four of the linked pages open if need be.

G Wiv wrote:Southeast Broadway/Argyle corner restaurant space announcing Tank Noodle (Pho Xe Tang) coming soon. I imagine Tank will be moving from it's present location, 1007 W Argyle, to the much larger space.

We drove past there last night, and I realized that this is the space that was once Mekong, 4953-55 N. Broadway. That was my first experience with Vietnamese food. It was a great place.

Anyway, we couldn't tell how close they were to opening, but there's a spiffy new blue awning.

Open and crowded when I walked past there a half-hour or so ago. I half expected to see a review from someone.

Hi,

According to Erik M: same 2 cooks, 4X the space and crowded. Baptism by fire. Let's give them some concessions for the moment. I think comparative reviews should be made once everything is settled down. They're in a transition phase at the moment: getting used to a new kitchen, new dining room and increased business volume simultaneously. Their rhythm might be off for a while.

Unlike Pho 777, where the owners sold to someone who provided their own management and cooks, as if the signage alone brings in people, they're quality went downhill overnight and has never returned.

Tank has moved locations with the same owner and core group, so any inconsistencies in service and food will be ironed out. They just need time and our patience.

I wish Tank Noodle well.

HI,

Erik M and I did visit Tank Noodle at their new location today. We arrived around 12:15, the place was filled with large groups at the 13 or so tables which accomodate 8 or more.

We expected service to be slow, so we were not very excited when it was, we just kept ourselves amused conversing. It did take some time to get water, menus and tea. Once we placed our order for two Pho's, rare filet on the side, rendered beef fat with scallions in it and a Coke for me, the pace of service improved.

While waiting for the food to come, Erik had the waiter bring two shallow mixing bowls. In one bowl, he put half Sracha for him and half hoisin sauce for me. Once the soup came, Erik dipped the cooked meat lightly into the Sracha to season it. Into the next bowl, Erik put maybe 2-3 teaspoons of black pepper and a teaspoon of salt. Once the fresh vegetable plate arrived, the lime was squeezed into the salt and pepper, just enough to form a paste. This lime-salt-pepper was used to season the raw filet after it was warmed in the soup. All this was prepared in advance of the soup's arriving so it could be eaten while it was still hot.

Erik then described how Pho was really all about the broth. He commented the Vietnamese who always dumped Sracha into their broth without tasting were almost always men. He felt they had no appreciation for the care, effort and skill put into the broth like the women did.

Once the soup arrives, Erik only puts some herbs and bean sprouts into his soup. He prefers to pace it to allow the soup to stay as hot as possible as long as possible. He emphasized if you dump all the cold vegetables you desire all at once, then you also cool the soup faster than is desireable. He mixed in 1-2 soup spoons of the rendered beef fat to enrich the flavor. He also prefers to eat the noodles fast before they cook further in the broth, expand and get mushier.

During the course of the meal, the lime-pepper-salt mixture got a little soupy. Probably because I may not have drained my filet enough before dipping. Erik corrected the situation by introducing more pepper until it was a paste again.

I've been coming to Argyle for Pho for perhaps 10 years, I learned about the art of eating Pho only today. Interestingly, I didn't really realize I had anything to learn. IN this thread Erik explains his method of eating Pho himself in case I forgot something.

According to Erik M the Pho broth, presentation and service (once our order was placed) at Tank today was the same as he has enjoyed at their smaller location east of the El station, which was very, very welcome news.

Another day well spent: I learned something new! Thanks again Erik!

Cathy,

I concur with the kudos to Erik for his posts and my one or two Vietnamese dining experiences with him.

For you and other readers here, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Lonely Planet World Food Guide to Vietnam (approx. $10-12 or less if ordered through http://www.newbookscheap.com). While Eric, Titus, Gary and a few others provided the inspiration to learn more about this cuisine, the LPWFG really brings home some of the cultural background and geographical idiosyncrasies to aid in the understanding.

A trip through one of the Vietnamese grocery stores on Argyle the days after reading a big portion of the book, was like visiting a whole new environment. Most of the stores sell prepackaged spice mixtures to make your own pho broth. These are not instant soup mixes, but rather a mixture of the several spices needed in correct proportions. The LPWFG discusses these rather positively, though I have not tried any of them yet.

FYI, I saw the congratulatory flowers out front of Tank this morning and a sign looking to hire more help...I wish them success (and not just because they are now on the way home from the train station )

pd

visited yesterday as well, catching erik and cathy at the end of their meal. said hello and got the heads up on the rendered fat (which never arrived) - it's good to know people.

our service, though not very confidence-inspiring, turned out to be okay. we had a teenage kid who didn't seem to know any of the dishes, and asked for numbers only, but only one screw up ensued, not counting the ignoring of the rendered fat order.

the pho was, as it always has been on my visits to the other location, great. broth perfectly rich and steaming, lots of meat just past rare, and fresh herb and sprout sides to contribute to the mess of flavors.

I was with three others, so we started with summer rolls - quite good as always - these seem to be pretty static at the various places I've visited on argyle (anyone have input on a particularly good version?). Then a couple of phos and another soup, with pork, shrimp, and catfish with an anchovy-flavored broth - this was excellent also, but I would have hard time ordering it over the pho. We also ordered mustard greens with beef and pork ribs rubbed in salt and pepper - the former quite good, the latter so-so (perhaps I was ribbed out from lem's the night before). Also had a bahn mi for good measure, with bbq pork - tasty but unneccessary.

I have no idea about the hours, but I think this will officially become my argyle standard. will try that salad that peter identified, and perhaps one new thing everytime, but the pho is what makes the excercise worth it.

Cathy2 wrote:
Erik then described how Pho was really all about the broth. He commented the Vietnamese who always dumped Sracha into their broth without tasting were almost always men. He felt they had no appreciation for the care, effort and skill put into the broth like the women did.

Is that true?

I've heard that the key point of pho was the noodles (although I have no apparant authority off-hand and I could just as easily be wrong). I understood that with pho, the meat and the broth are there to flavor the noodles. And I know I have seen many a bowl drained of its meat and noodles and then abandoned, broth still there.

Well that's easy, you are both right and both wrong. How's that for a Solomon-like split of the baby?

I think its a bit like discussing whether its the crust or topping that makes the pizza.

I am certainly not going to put words into Erik or Cathy's mouth, but I understand the concept which Erik first espoused in one of his posts, that being the broth is what distinguishes one pho as much better than the next. The noodles are all quite similar, and their texture not all that different from one place to the next.

However, Rob, you are correct, at least as far as I know from reading the LPWFG that the broth (in particular the great quantity of it) is really there to keep the noodles warm. Though, what would pho be without that intoxicating earthy spicy aromatic steam.....well, it would be plain old beef noodle soup.

I now laugh thinking back to the first time I had pho. I thought who eats this much soup on a regular basis. I then found out that it is quite proper and expected that you will leave a substantial portion of the broth behind. Proper maybe, but expected in my case

pdaane wrote:Well that's easy, you are both right and both wrong. How's that for a Solomon-like split of the baby?

I think its a bit like discussing whether its the crust or topping that makes the pizza.

I am certainly not going to put words into Erik or Cathy's mouth, but I understand the concept which Erik first espoused in one of his posts, that being the broth is what distinguishes one pho as much better than the next. The noodles are all quite similar, and their texture not all that different from one place to the next.

However, Rob, you are correct, at least as far as I know from reading the LPWFG that the broth (in particular the great quantity of it) is really there to keep the noodles warm. Though, what would pho be without that intoxicating earthy spicy aromatic steam.....well, it would be plain old beef noodle soup.

I now laugh thinking back to the first time I had pho. I thought who eats this much soup on a regular basis. I then found out that it is quite proper and expected that you will leave a substantial portion of the broth behind. Proper maybe, but expected in my case

Well put!

Vital Information wrote:

Cathy2 wrote:
Erik then described how Pho was really all about the broth. He commented the Vietnamese who always dumped Sracha into their broth without tasting were almost always men. He felt they had no appreciation for the care, effort and skill put into the broth like the women did.

Is that true?

I've heard that the key point of pho was the noodles (although I have no apparant authority off-hand and I could just as easily be wrong). I understood that with pho, the meat and the broth are there to flavor the noodles. And I know I have seen many a bowl drained of its meat and noodles and then abandoned, broth still there.

"What makes [it] special is the love and care put into the broth--the cornerstone of pho." (Andrea Q. Nguyen)

http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/bookshe ... ho_SJM.htm

Cathy2 wrote:He commented the Vietnamese who always dumped Sracha into their broth without tasting were almost always men. He felt they had no appreciation for the care, effort and skill put into the broth like the women did.

Cathy,

Guess I must be a guy, as I typically put in a little Sriracha and about half of my veggies.


Works for me, I seem to be pretty happy at the prospect of Pho in this picture.

Note small dish of Sriracha and hosin lower left, which I use as a dip for the meat.

Enjoy,
Gary

Gary wrote:Guess I must be a guy,

Duh!

BTW - the proper pronounciation of Pho rhymes with duh!

Anyone have handy, the new address + phone number for Tank so I can put it in my chowbase.

Thanks in advance.

Rob

Vital Information wrote:Anyone have handy, the new address + phone number for Tank so I can put it in my chowbase.

Tank Noodle
4953 N Broadway
Chicago, IL 60640
773-878-2253
8:30-11pm