Though so far I have discussed eateries strictly within the city limits, I am making a slight exception this week. The restaurant I am discussing, Rice and Noodles Restaurant, is located just 1 minute north of the city. Literally a bridge away from the city limits, Rice and Noodles is easily accessible from anywhere downtown. While there is technically an identical sister restaurant known as Sprout in the city proper, Rice and Noodles is the original and larger location. Now, enough with the geographical formalities– lets talk about the food!
Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce
Rice and Noodles serves standard Vietnamese fare, which has garnered great popularity in the United States recently. The keystone dish, pho, is a soup consisting of broth, garnishes, meat, and of course, the namesake banh pho noodle. Other popular foods include spring rolls, banh mi, and bun bo hue, another soup dish. They also have solid dessert selections, whether it is traditional Vietnamese che or French macarons. My friends and I typically share a box of six macarons each time we go- they are too delicious to pass up!
Rice and Noodles is probably the restaurant I dine at most in my hometown. I have memories of dining with friends as early as 4th grade and as recent as winter break. One particular memory, the time I first tried pho, stands out among the many. At the time, I had several friends who were Vietnamese who encouraged me to try the iconic soup dish. However, I was at the restaurant with my sister and our (non-Vietnamese) friend. We began our meal with some delectable spring rolls, dipped in a savory peanut sauce. The rolls have fresh vegetables and perfectly smoked chicken. Then, we ordered our entrees. I noticed that there were many meat options for pho, so I figured, why not go with the combination of them all! I did not recognize many of the meats on the menu, but I was excited to try them.
After what felt like an eternity (it was me, not their service), my steaming pot of soup came to the table. Savory scents of meat wafted up from the boiling broth, entrancing my nose. I added sriracha and hoisin sauce to the mixture, along with the lime and crunchy bean sprouts. After preparing my dish, something struck my attention immediately. There was what looked like a fancy, textured white noodle on the top! I had no idea what it was, so I took a bite. I was surprised, for it was spongy and chewy, not what I had expected out of a noodle. I took mental note of this, but I couldn’t wait to eat the rest of the soup. The rest of the soup was absolutely divine, leaving me quite full with what felt like a gallon of broth.
Beef Tripe (Cow Stomach)
Upon getting to school the next day, I asked a friend what the “noodle” had been. I described it as white and chewy, only for him to laugh, exclaiming, “you ate cow stomach!”. I laughed as well, for my ignorance had led me to conclude that cow stomach was a noodle! Although I now just get medium rare beef with my pho, I really recommend trying all the meat cuts available. For those less familiar with the Vietnamese cuisine, it is a very unique experience. As a whole, I relly can’t recommend Rice and Noodles enough. I am quite biased with how many times I have visited, but I enjoy it greatly each time!