19 Feb 2010, Posted by admin in L'Epicurien, 0 Comments

chowdown at bun soho

Retro and hip for Vietnamese street food, Bun Soho, run by Chef Michael “Bao” Huynh, is all about small plates. Start off by diving in to the crisp, salt accented, rice puffs and place your order for artichoke tea which exudes the herbal essences of the vegetable.

Ingredients are fresh at Bun, exemplified by the crisp flavors of the papaya and beef jerky salad accented with peanuts and lime and the lobster salad with citrus, pineapple and lemongrass dressing. The hot steamed roll is prepared like a pancake noodle, bursting with fresh mushrooms and served with soy sauce.

The entrée highlight is the Bun Soho specialty, a cleansing toss of fresh vegetables, Bun rice noodles (thin and stringy), meat of choice and a tangy sauce. One misstep on the menu is the tuna roll, which was both fishy and overcooked–stay clear of it. I am happy to report though that during my visit my server was happy to take it back and replace it with another choice.

Ordering family style is the way to go at Bun. Bold combinations of flavors are compatible and the more dishes you get to taste, the happier you will be at the end of the meal. I left knowing that I would return, most likely on a late night mission for multiple orders of the braised short ribs in peanut sauce that fall off of their thick, lemongrass stick. Be sure to finish off your meal with an authentic serving of the sweet, tapioca pudding with bananas and hints of coconut.

Bun Soho

143 Grand Street (near Lafayette St.)

bunsohonyc.com

212-431-7999

–Melissa Matarese