Nha Trang revisited

I imagine I have done this sentimental reverie bit about my old Argyle St. favorite a time or two too many, but we happened to get back for the first time in almost a year and I had to report.

Brief background: Nha Trang was the storefront just west of Benny's Grill until they moved a couple of years ago. We had become quite friendly with the couple who owned it and were thrilled to re-discover them (courtesy of someone who responded to a query I posted on the old board). Unfortunately, they relocated to 3711 W. Belmont, which is beyond the Pale for carless mopes such as we.

However, my son's best friend's mother has a car and loves excursions - especially where there's food at the other end, so we packed up the 2 boys and headed west this Sunday.

The new storefront is bright, neat and clean, where the Argyle space was always a bit sad and dingy. Three plum colored walls and one mango colored for contrast. Each table has its own lazy susan with compartments for cutlery, chopsticks, napkins, condiments (sriracha sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce).

We were greeted with smiles and hugs and a warm welcome for our friends. Mr. N.T. managed "Long time, no see." Perhaps the only thing he ever says that I have been able to understand. His wife, Lin, does most of the talking and is not much more intelligible in English, but absolutely indefatigable - so we always just keep banging away at the syllables until we get a breakthrough.

The food: Lin does all the cooking, and sometimes front of house as well, if Mr. N.T. is out on an errand. Somehow, while her food was always my idea of perfect neighborhood comfort food, it hit new heights on Sun. The eggroll were tightly wrapped, perfectly crisp, nearly greaseless and filled with nicely seasoned meat and thin glass noodles. (I must say that the regular dipping sauce with the carrot shreds seemed a bit watery this time, whether by mistake, or in deference to the tastes of her new neighborhood, I cannot say.)

They are not Pho specialists - in fact I cannot say whether the soups that the 2 moms ordered even classify as pho, but they were scrumptious. One was a chicken base with thin egg noodles, dumplings, shrimp and (alas) fake crab. Served with the regular garnish of sprouts, mint. lime wedges, cilantro. All utterly fresh and crisp and the herbs bright green. We also had a banh xeo and while it looked like the typical version in shape and color it was insanely stuffed with sprouts, onion and meltingly moist barbecued (red) pork slices.

Our friend ordered a beef soup w/ med. rare beef. A very rich, balanced broth (without the trad. pho notes of cinnamon, et al., but very deeply beefy). These had a different noodle, but I've forgotten which.

Then came tofu and vegetables in a nice vietnamese curry. More rustic than Indian curry's but very lively. And lemon-pepper pork. I just love this treatment -- which they do to any meat, chicken or shrimp. It's got a bit of heat, lemon tang, and it just perks up my mouth every time. In addition, the pork pieces seem to have been nearly deep fried (as opposed to woked) they were so crisp outside, moist and flavorfull inside.

Finally there was one of several versions of catfish in a clay pot. I had thought I ordered the very gingery version, but instead ended up with a far funkier, soupier dish. The fish sauce intensity of the liquid was a bit much for me, but diluted over rice was quite good. The pieces of catfish were all plump, meaty, boneless and cooked just right.

They used to be BYO but how offer either Bud or Heineken.

They are also Cash Only as a result of being burned terribly by credit card fraud, a tale that Lin relayed with much animation and real emotional pain.

They claim to be very happy in the new spot, though we were there from 6-7:30 and were alone in the room the entire time.

Despite my personal sentimental investment in them, I would say that if one lives near Argyle, Nha Trang is not a "destination." But for anyone who lives a bit west and south of Uptown, I'd say check them out.

I can't guarantee that we weren't getting special treatment. (We also came away with an invitation to their daughter's wedding reception in Sept.) But they've never been less then good.

Nha Trang
3711 W. Belmont
(Very near a blue line stop, but I forget which)

I know the post I'm replying to is several months old, but I'm new here and had to search for comments about Nha Trang because I love this restaurant. I'm pleased that what I turned up was positive.

I eat there at least once a month and have never had a bad meal -- everything is always fresh and perfectly seasoned. The menu has a surprising variety, and Lin will make whatever adjustments you ask for or that she thinks you might like based on what you've ordered before. She and her husband are delightful and really do remember customers and their preferences, and they always welcome my friend and me with effusive greetings and hug us on the way out. I, too, am disappointed that Nha Trang isn't doing more business. Often it seems that my friend and I are the only customers for several hours, although there does seem to be an improvement in carry-out business lately. I want Nha Trang to stay in business, because there isn't anything like it in the area and I don't often get up to Argyle! The food is delicious and is ridiculously cheap, too.

The restaurant is about even distance between Milwaukee and Kimball on Belmont. You can easily walk there (about five or six blocks west) from the Belmont stop on the Blue Line, or you can transfer to the Belmont bus from there.

I know this original post is somewhat old, but thought I'd reply anyway. I've eaten at Nha Trang several times and can recommend it too. While they don't always have everything listed on the menu, what they do have available (which is still a lot) has always been good.

I feel sorry for the owners, as there are rarely people in the restaurant eating. I think they picked a pretty tough spot to be. They once told me they relocated off of Argyle because it was so expensive to rent a storefront there ($3000+/month) compared to their Belmont location ($1500/month).

Its a pleasure to be able to find good Vietnamese in Logan Square though, I hope more people venture their way to help them out. Your bellies will thank you.

It's nice to have a reminder about Nha Trang. I was actually thinking about this place just yesterday, and with the cooler weather coming, a fragrant bowl of pho seems just the thing.

I first heard about Nha Trang from a Logan Square neighbor who used to tutor the owner's son when the place was back on Argyle. It's been a sentimental favorite ever since, but admittedly a tough location -- on the way to . . . well . . . not much.

I've had so many friends from the neighborhood say this would be a regular stop if it were just a little more walkable. I wonder if the owners ever consider relocating to a more active commercial strip (so many of them fall within TIF districts, which could mean some assistance for the very sweet owners). If someone's friendly with the owners, they might gently suggest exploring the options with the Logan Sq. Chamber of Commerce.

Delivery could be another nice perk, though I'm sure they're working with a skeleton crew to keep overhead down, so this could be tough.

Regardless, a hike to W. Belmont seems in order soon. Thanks again for the reminder!

Do they deliver? I wasn't clear on that from the above comment. If so, and if someone has a menu, would someone be kind enough to post a few basic items and the corresponding item number on the menu. I'd love to order something and get a menu myself. If there are language difficulties, I'd find it much easier to order a couple of items by the number.

I was able to find this menu online although it says that it hasn't been updated since December of 2005. Nothing indicates to me that they deliver however.

http://chicago.restaurantplace.com/restaurant-scanmenu.aspx?from=fe11&restId=2089

No, I'm pretty sure they don't deliver.
Its a husband and wife operation with
occaisional help from their teenage
children, so I don't think they have the
means to deliver.

Their menu is pretty comprehensive.
And, I imagine its pretty much the same
as the one from 2005 posted above.

LTH,

POTS*, even in the Internet Age, can be an effective tool. No, Nha Trang does not deliver.

Nha Trang
3711 West Belmont Avenue
Chicago Illinois 60618
773-588-9232

Enjoy,
Gary

* Plain Old Telephone System

Another bonus is that they are open
until Midnight every day. Hard to
find Vietnamese food anywhere in
the city at that hour.

On the strength of this thread, my husband and I stopped at Nha Trang for some take out after work. Streets and San was digging up the road in front of the store, so it was a little hard to get in. Nice, clean place -- simple decor. Nobody came in the whole time we were there, but golly, the owners were nice. I ordered the lemon pork and the vietnamese eggrolls. I loved the lemon pork -- tangy fried bits of pork goodness. My husband wasn't too crazy about his dish. He got some sort of chicken and noodles on top of salad. Next time I'm going to try some of the soups. The menu advertises "home made chicken broth."

this place disgusts me. i literally paid and ran out.

case in point: $10 platter of sesame shrimp yielded 10 small over-breaded fried shrimp doused in frankenstein sweet sauce placed over a bed of lettuce surrounded by random slices of cucumber. surely this isn't vietnamese or butchered chinese food. there were about 4 spoon fulls of rice coupled to the rice. surely you jest?

disgusting point 2: instant cafe sua da. if i want instant coffee, i'd go to... n'mind. i don't want instant coffee. ever. better yet, how about i bring my own left over packets of instant cafe sua da i was given awhile back next time i'm there. no, n'mind that as well. i'm never going back.

laughing joke: how does a vietnamese restaurant butcher nuc mam? the sauce that accompanied our banh xeo tasted like watered down aunt jemima. it wasn't tangy, it wasn't sweet, it wasn't fishy, it wasn't anything.

conclusion: this joint had to move away from argyle because they could not suffer the competition. i had requested grilled pork over broken rice, a dish one can get for about $3 at every vietnamese restaurant in lil saigon, CA. answer: see the menu. only the menu. order from the menu. YES SIR, i get it, RTFM. (Read The Friggin Menu).

It's so funny. I was thinking of stopping by this place tonight for the tonight and then I saw this post. I am a little surprised because I recall the people at the restaurant as being outstandingly friendly. As I noted in my last post, I enjoyed my take out dinner from the place -- although my husband was underwhelmed. I will give it another try tonight.

I'm a regular at this place-- its half a block from where I live. In fact, I was the one who tipped off Mr. Barolo to its present location. I love Lin and Will, and would defend this place to the death simply because they are so wonderful.

I think the best stuff to order from Nah Trang are the classic Vietnamese dishes like Pho, Bun (get it with egg rolls on top), and the "roll your own" rice paper dishes. I'm also pretty fond of the Goi Ga salad (served with shrimp crackers). The BF likes the fried rice and lemon chicken. If you want an addition of something (I order everything with extra vegetables) all you need to do is ask! I've had other stuff there, but it was pretty inconsistant, whereas the standards are always pretty good. Oh, and do your self a favor and have some hot lemon tea.

They recently had a nice little review in Time Out. I've noticed the food has been even better since then. Just my $.02!

Natalie

Its nice to hear that they got a little write up in Time Out.
They need all the help they can get at their present location.
I can second Natness' recommendation of getting the
standard Vietnamese dishes like Bun, Pho and the Goi Ga.
I usually order a vegetarian Bun dish that is always very
tasty. I suspect one of the reasons that other dishes may
be inconsistent is that business is so spotty that they probably
can't afford to stock up on everything that they list in the
menu. Hopefully business will pick up for them.

let's re-read what has been written last week:

I love Lin and Will, and would defend this place to the death simply because they are so wonderful.

friendly proprietors != good eatin'. i'm glad they're wonderful. maybe they can be my child's godparents. only if they promise to stop cooking.

I suspect one of the reasons that other dishes may
be inconsistent is that business is so spotty that they probably
can't afford to stock up on everything that they list in the
menu

then don't put it on the menu?

Time Out Chicago wrote:this someone churns out barbecue shrimp and sprout–packed Vietnamese pancakes; rice noodle bowls brimming with barbecue pork, crispy egg rolls and peanuts; tangy, spicy lemon shrimp

already commented on the lamentable nuc mam that accompanied the banh xeo. also commented on the hilarious plating, miniscule Moto-esque portions of another shrimp dish (which also happened to be tangy and spicy, if you can call it that). crispy egg rolls and peanuts? uhm.. i can go to China Buffet for $6 and get STUFFED on crab rangoon and egg rolls, more than in can say about dropping $6 large @ Nha Trang.

i randomly picked a Vietnamese restaurant in Minneapolis this afternoon. about 2.5x better than the shenanigans (substituting another S word here) served at Nha Trang.

i hate having to follow TonyC's grumpy reports ....but i will second and third the earlier posts that this is a charming neighborhood vietnamese restaurant with owners that make each customer feel very welcome and it deserves support. the food isnt exotic, but everything i had at lunch yesterday (my first visit) was fresh and delicious. i'm always a big fan of vietnamese pancake and this one didnt disappoint. a little crispier and more delicate than some, which was a plus. the goi ga (cabbage,chicken in lime juice) was fantastic with the crunchy shrimp crackers. and lin's tart lemon tea, like drinking intense hot lemonade was amazing. justjoan

Nha Trang
3711 w. belmont
773-588-9232

We went to Nha Trang last night and loved it. We got there around 9pm, were greeted effusively by the owners, and were told that we could drink the beer we brought with us. (I'm not sure this means they don't serve beer any more, but I suspect so, since no alcohol was listed on the menu, and we didn't see any other evidence of it in the restaurant itself.)

We ordered four dishes: (descriptions copied directly from their menu)
#11. Guinh Neg crispy pancake with shrimp, pork, beans sprout and onions
#22. Pho Curry Gi spicy curry chicken soup w/rice noodle
#36. Bo Nuong Bang Trang spicy beef, peanuts, fresh salad, cucumber, & cilantro come with order
#80. Heo Chuah spicy lemon pork

They were all very good, but the spicy lemon pork was revelatory: really tangy without the sweetness that usually accompanies a citrus/meat dish, with a nice level of spice and very crispy/tender pork, as reported by others in this thread. We were encouraged by the owners to order the curry chicken soup, and I'm glad we did, because it had a nice, delicate flavor and the noodles were just the right consistency. It's something that I never would have ordered on my own, so I'm glad we followed his advice.

I did wish that the nuoc nam was a little funkier, but that was a pretty minor issue for us. At one point, Mr. NT asked us in a surprised tone if we liked nuoc nam (we had basically gone through the whole serving in 5 minutes), so maybe he thinks that his clientele can't "handle" the real stuff?

I will agree that it is difficult to understand Mr. and Mrs. NT's english, but I think their accent is fascinating! Consonants seem to be implied rather than implicit, and I wonder if that's true in vietnamese also. Nonetheless, they were extremely hospitable, even asking if we wanted music, or television, or both. If only every restaurant gave me the choice of no TV! Mrs. NT was pretty much in the kitchen the whole time, but about every time we were served a new dish (or an empty plate was cleared away) she'd pop her head out to give a cheery "thank you!"

We were there for a little over an hour and no one else ever came in, so we ate solo. Why is this place not more popular? It's not like it's hard to get to if you live anywhere even remotely close, and parking sure isn't an issue...

We spent less than $30 on a huge meal for two people, the food was great, the service was quick and friendly, and they are indeed still open every night until midnight.

RAH RAH RAH, people!!

The "spicy lemon" treatment has always been one of my favorites, on anything. They're so hard for us to get to that we never see them anymore. Glad someone enjoyed the food and hosp. They were never Tank, or other temple, but I always enjoyed my food and felt warmly welcomed.

Nha Trang Vietnamese restaurant on Belmont is an excellent dining option. Just went last night and had an incredible meal. Some highlights included: Spicy Lemon-Beef, Shrimp Curry (crispy and served on rice), an appetizer of grilled slices of pork on top of shrimp chips (served with a great peanut sauce), a beef and salad roll in rice paper, and a great vietnamese crepe with shrimp, pork, and sprouts. Don't miss the hot lemon tea. For some reason (possibly location) this place always seems empty. Go check it out!

stonefwp wrote:For some reason (possibly location) this place always seems empty. !

I think it's always empty because it just isn't that good. I tried Nha Trang shortly after moving to Logan Square last spring. Being a huge fan of Vietnamese food, I was thrilled to have a neighborhood option. I think it was one of my very first meals in the neighborhood.

We were the only people there during our entire dinner. IIRC, it was a Friday evening. The food wasn't in the same league as Tank's. Bland soup, sad old greens, spring rolls that tasted as if they'd just come out of the microwave. And, surprisingly, some of the food isn't even Vietnamese (they have chop suey, for example).

Given it's location, I wish it were better. I'm frankly surprised it's still open, given that it seems to always be empty.

Ronna

[edited for grammar]

I think it is really a question of what to order. Their menu is WAY too big and contains a number of non-Vietnamese dishes that are clearly outside of the wife's cooking expertise. I have tried most items on the menu over the years and pretty much just stick to about 4 or five appetizers and 4 or 5 dinners. The stuff they do well is excellent. My faves remain Hai Yen (Argyle location), Tank Noodle, and Nha Trang.

stonefwp wrote:I think it is really a question of what to order. Their menu is WAY too big and contains a number of non-Vietnamese dishes that are clearly outside of the wife's cooking expertise. I have tried most items on the menu over the years and pretty much just stick to about 4 or five appetizers and 4 or 5 dinners. The stuff they do well is excellent. My faves remain Hai Yen (Argyle location), Tank Noodle, and Nha Trang.

Could you give us an indication of what those 4 or 5 reliable dishes are? We live in the neighborhood and are planning to try Nha Trang in the next couple of weeks.
Jen

My favorites (subject to late night spelling mistakes)

Goi Ga -- cabbage, carrots, chicken and herbage in a light vinaigrette/fish sauce, served with shrimp crackers
any of the rice paper rolls
any Bun, with eggroll, especially the tofu or beef curry
I love the Pho Ga, even though the chicken is usually over cooked. I always order it with extra vegetables, which gives you broccoli, carrots celery and snow peas. Untraditional, but lovely. The Pho Tai is good too.
I am partial to the "roll your own" dishes, which I think are indicated by "with rice paper" on the menu. Basically the same ingredients as the Bun, but more "stuff" and no noodles.
I love the lemon tea, either hot or iced

Early on when I moved to Logan Square, someone handed me a take out menu as I exited the El. I forget the name of the restaurant, but it claimed to have "The Best Chinese Food Nearby." I sampled all the nearby options, and darned if that wasn't true. Nha Trang may not have the best Vietnamese food, but it is certainly the best around here. It is what it is. The owners are always welcoming and try to please. I wouldn't go out of my way for it, but I am SO glad they're in my neighborhood.

Natness, thank you for the guidance! I love Bun and the pho ga will be perfect for my noodle-fiend daughter. I will report back!

Cheers, Jen