Stop #19: Vermicelli for the Win!

I love Vietnamese food.  I do not know what it is, but there is something so frickin soul affirming about a bowl of pho or a bowl of vermicelli - maybe all of the ingredients that you get to stir together?  (I seem to have a thing about that, don't I?)  I know the other big Vietnamese dish are sandwhiches, banh mi.  But whenever I have had one, I feel a little like I am eating the colonial past of Vietnam - I mean, come on- baguettes?  Merci, Le France, but I will take my rice noodles and fish sauce, thank you very much.

Anywhoo, I was super excited knowing that today was Huong's Vietnamese, as it has been ages since my last meal of this kind of food.  I knew, walking to the carts that I was hankering for vermicelli - the dish made with rice noodles, bean sprouts, cucumber, meat, fresh mint and sweet and sour fish sauce (which frankly tastes a lot more like sweet and sour salad dressing to me.)  However, I did my due diligence and asked the young man at the window for his recommendation.  He said chicken pho.  Damn!  The day was sunny and bright and the thought of a ginormous bowl of hot soup was just not what I was feeling.  Chicken vermicelli it was (I pointed out to him that it is basically the same dish minus the broth....right?)

It took some time to prepare, partially because there were about four people who were waiting ahead of me.  When my order was up, I was handed quite a heavy container of food.  If you want sriracha sauce, request it as your meal is being packed, and they will throw in a little container for you.

I made my way back to the office to tuck in.  Delicious!  They had actually included some fresh basil along with the mint - making it more pho like, which was great.  Also included was a handful of iceberg lettuce to lend the meal a bit more fresh crunch, and a ton of peanuts.  I am not sure how they prepare the chicken - it is very thinly cut and seemed to be pan sauteed or something.  A few pieces were a little dry, but it was very flavorful.

All in all a very satisfying dish.  Perhaps too satisfying - I should have eaten less of it, but I just couldn't stop myself.  Seriously, I could eat this stuff all. Day. Long.  And for the price?  All around winning.

Huong's Vietnamese:
Chicken Vermicelli
$6 (+tip)  CASH ONLY