NNTP-Posting-User: [email removed] Hi, I just recently moved to San Jose, CA, and it seems like there is a Vietnamese restaurant on every corner in my neighborhood. I've tried a few, but I know very little about Vietnamese food. I like it very much, but I feel awkward at the restaurants because I know so little. The first place I went was Pho Hoa on Tulley Rd. I ordered a pretty basic pho there. I had heard about vietnamese spring rolls, so I ordered two of them. What they brought me was two fairly large rolls in a semi- transparent wrapper. They had shrimp, white noodles, basil, and I forget what else. They were served with peanut sauce. I enjoyes the rolls and the pho very much. The second place I went was Bach Dang on the corner of McLaughlin and Story. It looked like they served both Vietnamese and Thai food. I ordered curry chicken with rice, which was very good. I looked for spring rolls on the menu, but didn't see them. I ordered egg rolls instead. What I got was small deep-fried rolls, but I don't remember what was in them. THey were served with lettuce leaves and basil. I thought I remembered that you were supposed to line a lettuce leaf with basil, wrap the roll in it, and dip it in the dipping sauce. I did that, and it was very good. The third place I tried was also on Tully Rd, but I forget the name. I ordered rice noodles with BBQ beef. What I got was a bowl of rice noodles with several pieces of rolled beef on top. It came with a dish of sauce similar to the eggroll dipping sauce. I was lost as to how to eat it. The noodles were bland. I tried pouring the sauce over the noodles. It was edible, but not my favorite. The beef was good. They had spring rolls on the menu, so I ordered them. But, what I got was exactly the same as What I got at Bach Dang as egg rolls. Questions: 1) What's the difference between egg rolls and spring rolls? 2) What should I order to get what I got at Pho Hoa (the non-fried rolls w/ peanut sauce)? 3) How shoud the BBQ beef w/ rice noodles have been eaten? 4) Are vietnamese and thai food similar? 5) I noticed several condiments at the tables. How should I use them? I know I could use whatever tastes good to me, but how are they TRADITIONALLY used? 6) Any suggestions for things to try on future visits? Thanks, Joe
San Jose, CA