Photo courtesy VJ_PDX
I’m still out of the loop on Vietnamese restaurants in Portland, so for once, don’t have much to say. In the 2011 survey, Silk took second place. This year it fell below 10th, though I wonder if some people aren’t confusing it with Pho Van (same owners, different restaurant). Here are the results:
Out of 600 votes:
1. Pho Van Restaurant – 22% of the vote.
- 1919 Southeast 82nd Avenue, Portland, OR (503) 788-5244
- 11651 SW Beaverton Hillsdale hwy. Beaverton, OR 97005
2. (tie) 11%
Ha & VL – 2738 Southeast 82nd Avenue #102 Portland, OR 97266 (503) 772-0103
Luc Lac Vietnamese Kitchen – 835 Southwest 2nd Avenue Portland, OR 97204 (503) 222-0047
3. Pho Hung – 7% 4717 Southeast Powell Boulevard Portland, OR 97206 (503) 775-3170
5. Pho An Sandy – 5% 6236 Northeast Sandy Boulevard Portland, OR 97213 (503) 281-2990
6. Pho Oregon – 4% 2518 Northeast 82nd Avenue Portland, OR 97220 (503) 262-8816
7. Jade Bistro Teahouse 3.9% – 7912 Southeast 13th Avenue Portland, OR 97202 (503) 477-8985
8. Pho Jasmine – 2% 714 North Killingsworth Street Portland, OR 97217 (503) 283-0398
9. Tan Tan Cafe & Deli –
- 12675 Southwest Broadway Street., Beaverton OR 97005 (503) 641-2700
- 316 SE 123rd Ave # A3 Vancouver, WA 98683 (360) 892-3400
10. LêLa’s Bistro – 1524 Northwest 23rd Avenue Portland, OR 97210 (503) 719-4744
You can see the rest of the 2012 Reader Survey results here.
bananadan says
>>though I wonder if some people aren’t confusing it with Pho Van (same owners, different restaurant).<<
Yeah, that is pretty easy to do – – that is, confuse Silk for Pho Van, especially because it started out as a Pho Van restaurant. Then they decided, as others have done, that the Pearl demanded a new (and slightly snotty) image, upscale, if you will. The problem, for me is that once you basically stilll have Pho Van food (no complaints, mind you, but . . .) at $15 per entree at lunch, you've gone off the rails of affordability, and have reduced your potential audience to an elitist crowd that doesn't care about money at all. Unfortunately for many Pearl restaurants, this clientele is not deep enough to support their overpriced, flawed business model. Thus they drop like the proverbial flies. Seres is another example; I wish they'd hire a cook who has been in touch with actual Chinese cooking sometime in the last decade. The only thing they've elevated in recent times is their prices, which have no connection to the actual quality of their food (although their setting is pleasant.)
What the Pearl wants, if I get it correctly, is affordable, suitably ethnic and delicious food. Some fanciness is tolerable, but really there is not that deep a well to tap. Remember the lessons of Fenouil. Mark it well. It all comes back to the food, the experience, and the value. Too many restaurants in the Pearl are coasting on their presumption that folks will simply show up there for the fanciness of it all. That's a scary equation. Take note, Jameson.
sabes says
When I worked in the Pearl, Silk was always packed for lunch.
Alan says
Wow…. I’m not a fan of Luc Lac’s Pho. I’ve eaten there three times and found it salty and one-dimensional. It’s OK but not impressive. I should try some of their other food.
Steve Canyon says
The young puny, punk owner/partner with the birth control glasses is a pompous jerk and ruins the experience.
I used to like the place…but this punk is too arrogant and treats you like you are lucky to eat here. I will not be back.
Steve
Nick says
Wow Steve, Adam might be one of the most genuinely nice guys I know!? I can’t imagine what you did to illicit a response from him that would warrant a description like this. Oh wait, yes I can……you don’t have a Yelp! account do you?
nb says
Is there any Vietnamese restaurant that uses free range meats?
Bao Le says
Sorry, but there is not excellent pho here in Portland. There are a couple of good places but that’s all.