Pho 14 Opera - Cramped but what good restaurant isn't?

 Those of you traveling to Paris has an excellent opportunity to enjoy Vietnamese food. The Vietnamese have long established in France, even long before the war. While you Americans may think Lee's Sandwiches is the end-all and be-all of Vietnamese food, there is much much more.

I love bún, i.e., vermicelli noodles (not the dinner roll). I love bún riêu soup with meat, tofu, pig blood tofu, and tomatoes, (yes, pig blood tofu is tasty - try it.) Heck, I am happy with broth, sprouts and fish paste balls. But what makes the dish special is Vietnamese mint and long coriander. Its hard to find either ingredient in London or the States. Also used in making laksa, Vietnamese mint (persicaria odorata) has a unique flavor of sweet lemon and aromas of coriander. Long coriander (eryngium foetidum) has a much stronger flavor than regular cilantro.

I love Paris in the fall. But the chilling rain sucks the energy out of me. Broth and veggies, and chewy fish pasts balls are how soupy noodles energizes me after a long day of work. If you are in Paris for vacation, go visit, it is a short walk from the Louvre or from the Opera. Yes, it is crowded and cramped but what reasonably priced and tasty Vietnamese place isn't? Trust me, it will be the best reasonably priced meal you'll ever have in Paris.

17 rue Moliere, 75001 Paris, France

+33 1 42 86 91 81