No other Vietnamese place in the Twin Cities gets talked about as much as Quang…and for good reason. This sparsely decorated restaurant is always bustling and if you go there during normal lunch or dinner hours, be prepared to wait. The good news is that the restaurant is quite large, the food comes out of the kitchen in a hurry, and the servers are always running to clear tables and keep patrons moving. The crowd is diverse and you see as many Asians as Americans, which is usually a good sign at any ethnic restaurant.
The menu is authentic and diverse but there are a few things on there that are favorites with us. The Pho (noodle soup) is the specialty here and we have tried both the beef and the chicken phos. The soup consists of a flavorful clear broth, served with rice noodles and meat (you have some options here). The servers bring a side of jalapeno peppers, sprouts, lime wedge, and Thai basil that you can add to your soup. We add all of these in plenty because it adds to the flavor and texture of the dish. The traditional way to eat this soup is with the chopsticks in one had and a soup spoon in the other – once you get the hang of it, you’ll have fun. The Spring Rolls are served with a hoisin sauce and have a very light and fresh flavor. Try the Lemongrass Chicken which is nicely flavored for the American palate. The Iced Coffee, made traditionally with Chicory Coffee and sweetened condensed milk is nice and strong. Quang’s also serves Vietnamese Sandwiches, which are real popular for takeout.
2719 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-870-4739
http://www.quangrestaurant.com/
Category: Vietnamese
Rating (Scale 1-10, with 10 being the highest):
Food: 8
Service: 7
Ambience: 5Recommendation: Very Good. This Eat Street favorite serves up great Pho soup…and a whole host of other tasty authentic dishes.
$. Entrees are under $10.
Update (April 9, 2008) – A coworker who was really interested in trying Quang convinced us to visit for a weekday lunch. The restaurant was busy as usual and although we were seated quickly, it took a few minutes for a server to notice us. We decided to skip the Pho this time and focus our attention on some other dishes. We ordered both the Spring Rolls as well as the Egg Rolls and both were excellent – the former has subtle flavors with a chewy texture while the latter was hot and crispy (try them both and compare). I also thought highly of Quang’s Original Pork Chop platter – the meat had a nice char quality but wasn’t dry. If you’ve never had the Vietnamese Sandwich, you’re in for a wonderful surprise…think Parisian baguette packed with Asian ingredients and flavors. The Chicken Sandwich was served on a crispy French bread with pate, mayo, chicken and some veggies – it’s a staple in Vietnam. To accompany the meal we ordered a couple of Bubble teas – both the Hazelnut and Strawberry teas were awesome…I especially love the chewy texture of the tapioca balls and sucking them through the large straw! Once we ordered the food, service was quick and conscientious. We paid about $12 per person for quite a bit of food.
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