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Pakse Cafe Vietnamese Restaurant Greensboro NC

PostPosted: August 19th, 2009, 5:28 pm
by Liv
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So Rhys from Swan Press rings me up and says he has a huge project for me. Rhys is a childrens book author, respected comic strip artists, and has now begun a project so massive, I'm humbled to be apart of it.

Anywho, Rhys wanted to meet up at the Apple Store over at Friendly where hundreds of hunch backed Greensborians pour into the silver facade of Appletopia and buy the latest yuppie appliance to attach their life to. We eventually found our way over to the Bicentennial Gardens where he had brought lunch. What's for lunch?

A (I hope I write this right) Banh Mi from Pakse Cafe. Supposedly it's Vietnamese. Looked like a sub to me. I don't believe I had ever had Vietnamese before, so I figured what the hell.... and what do you know... it's pretty darn good. He brought both chicken and pork, and a nice history lesson about an invasion into Vietnam and thus that's why you see "French" techniques in Vietnamese cooking such as butters and pates.

Rhys goes on to explain that he only takes only the good people he knows to Pakse Cafe, so I feel extra special to get to taste it. It's really not something I'd ever probably have tried on my own, but apparently this little hole in the wall restaurant has one heck of a word by mouth reputation not only in Greensboro but outside of the city too.

So what is a Banh Mi? Well from what I could tell (and more experienced food connoisseurs are free to jump in)... it's a bread roll, with meat, covered in butter and pate, stuffed with carrots, cucumbers and garnished with cilantro. (Did I miss anything?) If this sounds like your thing, then check this place out... because it's really good.

    Pakse Cafe
    (336) 574-4404
    827 W Florida St
    Greensboro, NC 27406

Re: Pakse Cafe Vietnamese Restaurant Greensboro NC

PostPosted: August 19th, 2009, 5:52 pm
by A Person
I eat a lot at Vietnamese restaurants.

There are a lot of them and the food is well priced and invariably good, whether you have a
Bun
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or a Pho
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Salad rolls (wrapped in rice paper)
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or the Bahn

Re: Pakse Cafe Vietnamese Restaurant Greensboro NC

PostPosted: August 20th, 2009, 8:45 am
by shannon
Geez AP you're making me hungry! :drool: If you had to pick your single favorite of for a first time order what would you suggest? I'm going to wrangle Liv into taking me out for some. My Latin background means I'm a pretty adventurous eater, I will try ANYTHING once.

Re: Pakse Cafe Vietnamese Restaurant Greensboro NC

PostPosted: August 20th, 2009, 10:12 am
by A Person
Most Vietnamese food isn't challenging, even the satay or hot food isn't very. There will be chile sauce on the table to adjust the heat upwards.

There are a few things to stay away from - the 'all beef' pho usually contains beef tendon (cooked to jelly) tripe, 'beef balls' - read the menu :)

I really like the rare beef pho - a noodle soup with shaved slices of raw beef dropped in just before serving which cook on the way to the table. There should be bean shoots on the side which you add so they dont overcook, it can be served plain or satay (hot)

The bun is a bowl of dry rice noodles with various meats, and salad vegetables. Which meat to choose depends on your taste. One of my favourites is thin sliced spiced beef wrapped around thick onion slices - but there's only one restaurant where I've found it. The bun will come with a bowl of fish sauce (mild sweet and sour) which you add to moisten the noodles to taste.