The triumphant return

Vietnamese Kitchen has reopened in Old Ottawa South after a major fire in Centretown
Ottawa XPress

Article By: Colleen Johnson
Photo By: Ben Welland

Vietnamese Kitchen had been a favourite of mine for years before the restaurant suffered from a devastating fire in its old location in Centretown. After being gone for far too long, the restaurant has reopened in old Ottawa South. I’m happy to report that the new restaurant features the same delicious menu with fresh Vietnamese cuisine at very affordable prices.

The new restaurant is about half the size of the last one. While sipping a cup of refreshing lemongrass tea, I surveyed my surroundings. The decor of this place is much improved, with bright yellow paint on the walls and a freshness that the old location lacked.

My husband and I started off the meal with a bowl of hot and sour soup and a plate of wontons with peanut sauce. The soup was pleasantly spicy and loaded with wood ear mushrooms, soft tofu and ribbons of egg, all topped with freshly chopped cilantro. The wonton dish showcased a generous serving of shrimp and green onion dumplings with a creamy peanut sauce. The sauce had plenty of kick to it and paired extremely well with the dumplings.

The mains arrived shortly after the last of the appetizers had passed through our lips. The grilled beef, shrimp and pork spring roll with vermicelli had a beautiful presentation. The beef had a delicious savoury marinade with plenty of umami to it. The plump shrimp were served on a skewer with green peppers, onions and sliced zucchini, all of which had a nice charred taste from the grill. The crispy deep-fried spring roll was filled with pork, crabmeat, cabbage and carrot and came with a nuoc cham dipping sauce. These delights were served atop a bed of cold vermicelli noodles, alongside small piles of chopped lettuce, julienned carrots and cucumber, peanuts, bean sprouts and Thai basil.

The vegetarian fare was also excellent. There are many options available for vegetarians, with over three dozen veg-friendly dishes on the menu. My husband’s tofu with lemon grass sauce arrived with plenty of fresh vegetables along with stir-fried slabs of tofu. Long strips of carrots, onions and green peppers made up the bulk of the dish, but were perked up by the fragrant and abundant presence of the lemongrass.

If you haven’t already visited the restaurant affectionately known as VK, you owe it to yourself to give it a try. Even better, they deliver seven days a week, so satisfy your next craving for pho without braving the cold.

Vietnamese Kitchen
1098 Bank St.
(613) 730-0211
(613) 730-2888

Appetizers: $3.50-$8.95
Mains: $6.95-$14.75