| Over the last four years that I’ve lived in the Connaught-Bankview part of the city, I’ve seen three different restaurants try to make a go of it on the west end of the Nimmons Corner building at 14th Street and 17th Avenue S.W. Probably the longest occupant was the Byblos Lebanese bistro, which was followed in quick succession by two other eateries. The latest is Vietnamese restaurant Noodle King, which opened in March of 2005. Locating so close to the nearby 17th Avenue Vietnamese staple Codo may be a bold undertaking, but owner Suzie Nham has wanted to cook her traditional fare for people ever since coming to Canada from Vietnam in the late 1980s.
I’ve often wondered if there is a small curse laid on the west side of the busy 14th Street-17th Avenue intersection that causes foot traffic to stop at the lights and venture no further. This is a shame because of the treasures to be found on the other side – not only Everest’s Kitchen’s Nepalese cuisine and The Chocolate Bar’s sinful desserts, but the shopping and services as well.
We were greeted warmly when we entered Noodle King for Saturday evening dinner. The modestly decorated 30-seat restaurant was very clean and tidy, and we must have beat the crowds because once we sat down it was a revolving door of eat-in and takeout business. I’ve always loved eating Vietnamese because I never feel uncomfortably full after. It has a light, fresh quality to it and this meal was no exception.
Suzie’s sister, Monica Nham, oversees the kitchen, with other family members involved in various aspects of the business. Featuring more than 100 items, the menu was divided into the usual categories of khai vi (appetizers), pho (beef noodle soup), bun (vermicelli) and com (rice), and many others.
I always look forward to the crisp coolness of salad rolls, so we shared an order of three shrimp and pork ($4.95) and three satay chicken ($5.25) in rice wrappers. Three items are always awkward when two people are sharing, but Noodle King cuts its rolls in two so you have six smaller pieces, which are also easier to dip. The peanut sauce was extra spicy thanks to a shot of chili sauce and complemented the cold rolls.
We shared an oversized bowl of wonton, shrimp and rice noodle soup ($6.95), which had a slightly salty clear broth and an abundance of delicious wontons. We also tried the chicken with lemon grass and chili on steamed rice ($7.25), which I enjoyed, but my dining companion felt lacked the chili kick awarded to the peanut sauce.
The night was capped off with my absolute favourite dessert – iced Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk ($2.95). And this was one of the best I’ve had. It’s probably not the smartest idea to drink extra strong coffee so close to bedtime, but the decadence was definitely worth the late-night insomnia.
Noodle King is a great addition to the 17th Avenue strip and worth taking the extra few steps across 14th Street.
Noodle King is located at 1439 - 17 Ave. S.W.; phone: 228-4277. |
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