849 University Ave, St Paul, MN
At Vietnamese restaurants there are two things I almost always get, Chai Gio and Pho.
The Cha Gio ($3.45) was on the expensive side and arrived quickly. My immediate suspicion was that it was pre-cooked. It was lukewarm. The accompany dipping thick sauce was over crowded with carrots and garlic and light on the fish sauce. As much as I hoped the cha gio to be great, it was average.
On the other hand, the Pho (Tai, Nam, Gau, Gan, Sach or top round, flank, brisket, tendon, and tripe – $5.95) turned out to be of the best in the area, with invitingly hot aromatic beef broth, the noodles cooked just right, and high quality meats used.
Another staple for us and which we did get here is combination rice platter known as Com Bi Suon Cha Tom Boc Tau Ki ($7.95) which is BBQ pork, shredded pork, and shrimp rolled in dried tofu over steamed rice. This was a beautiful presentation but an average eat. Competitors serve better versions of this.
Lastly we ordered a new special they call Suon Bo Xao Nam Dong Co or Beef Short Rib Hot Pot ($9.95). Que Nha offers not only Vietnamese food but Chinese food. I’m not sure if this is Vietnamese or Chinese but experience says Chinese. The rib meat was full flavored with black bean sauce overtones but had a chewy sinewy texture. I found the brown sauce to be salty but perfect with rice.
The Twin Cities has an abundance of Vietnamese restaurants. That’s great news for Vietnamese food lovers. The competition eventually washes out the subpar. Que Nha has been around for a few years. The clean minimalist modern decor and service distinguishes it from its competitors. I would definitely return for the pho. Still I wouldn’t be shy about trying their other offerings.
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