(four forks)
1010 W. Argyle St.
773-878-9943
Hours: 9 a.m.-11 p.m. daily
Credit cards: A, M, V
Noise factor: Conversation friendly
Delivery: No
First impressions
All generations, from baby to Grandma, come to eat at this unpretentious neighborhood Vietnamese restaurant where the front window is garnished with potted plants and the wall-mounted television is always on. Wisely, a number of the tables are large enough to seat entire families and they are all crowded together in the cozy dining room.
On the plate
Vietnamese and Thai fare is on the menu, with meal-sized soups a specialty. Mixing bowl-sized vessels are brought to the table teaming with noodles and your choice of beef, pork or seafood. Vietnamese salads, entrees and noodles and rice dishes are augmented by a number of stir-fried dishes, clay pot stews and imposing firepots stocked with seafood soups. The seafood can be relatively pricey but other items are bargain priced.
At your service
Don’t expect charm. Instead, look for a brisk attentiveness that works well in this setting.
Second helpings
If you can only make one visit here, order the pho. This classic Vietnamese soup is offered five ways, including one version made with chicken instead of beef. The pho comes with various ingredients you add to the bowl: a mound of crisp bean sprouts, sprigs of fresh basil, green chili rings and lime wedges. Also take advantage of the chili sauces and bean pastes on every table. Very pretty and spicy on its own is the bun bo hue, a soup from Hue, the former imperial city of Vietnam. It is tinted red with chilies and teaming with pieces of beef, pork and rice noodles. Among salads, go for the bo tai chanh, a spicy lemon beef salad. The meat has the pink softness of roast beef sparked by plenty of fresh basil, chopped onion and lemon in a gutsy citrus dressing. Goi cuon, spring rolls made with rice paper wrappers, were thick and tasty stuffed with noodles, shrimp, pork and vegetables.
Take a pass
Rice paper rounds should be brought dry to the table so you can moisten them one at a time for wrapping. Here the wrappers are already wet and rapidly become a sodden wad.
Thirst quenchers
Vietnamese coffee, iced or hot, tea, juices, Asian and American soft drinks.
Price range
Appetizers, $4.25-$9; soups, $5.45-$22 (for large seafood firepot); main courses, $5.45-$23; drinks, $2-$2.50.
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wdaley@tribune.com
Reviews are based on anonymous visits by Tribune staff members. The Tribune pays for the meals.
Ratings key: 4 forks, don’t miss it; 3 forks, one of the best; 2 forks, very good; 1 fork, good
