Anyone eat there yet? Saw the "just opened" listing in Time Out a few weeks ago, and being a fan of Vietnamese food in general, but Pho in particular, I have been wanting to check it out. Had some friends in town this past weekend, one of which wanted Pho, so I went out on a limb, and instead of trying the insanely cheap and satisfying Pho Ive had in Chinatown, we went to 23rd and 2nd to check the place out. First off, let me say that anyone who has eaten at, say, Nha Trang or Pho Bolsa in Chinatown is familiar with the frenetic pace, and lack of ambience at these places. Bao is exactly opposite. Its a well laid out and styled Bistro feeling place. There is a far more noticeable french feel to not only the space, but in the dishes as well. You'll pay about 7 bucks for a large bowl of Pho at BAO, a couple bucks more than your average Chinatown place, but the ability to relax and enjoy the meal in a nice comfortable surrounding justifies the expense. The oxtail brothed Pho with Tripe and flank steak satisfied the seemingly insatiable appetite of my Vietnamese friend (what I wouldnt give to eat like him and not weigh more than a buck and a half soaking wet). I ordered the Dha Nang style Crab Noodle Soup. A rich mildly flavored brother, thicker than one would expect, was the base for Udon type noodles found within. There was a slight spicy bite to the finish. A nice touch that kept me from feeling the need to enhance with any of the condiments normally servede with Vietnamese noodle bowls. The soup was liberally topped with large chunk of delicious, fresh crab meat. Definitely the real deal, not Krab. The mild taste of the broth didnt overwhelm the subtle crab flavor. A very satisfying dish. The star of the day however, was the Braised Pork Belly. Deliciously tender, the marinade liquid was flavored with ginger and soy and garlic and left me wanting more, though the portion was MORE than equitable with the 5 dollar price tag. I would have wished for more of a de-fatting of the liquid, but this is afterall pork Belly and while it was heavier than it might have needed to be, it certianly didnt detract from te overall flavor of the dish. We all finished up with Vietnamese Coffees, and then back onto the streets, satisfied and lookingforward to another visit. I think I might have to choose from one of the four course, regional dinner selections from the "Family Meal" portion of the menu. I would recommend for lunch or a casual relatively cheap dinner with friends. They do have a bar, so the ease of staying and chatting, post meal, over a few drinks would be easy to do. I would recommend Bao Noodles highly.
