Noshwellmenu

[rating:5]

Le Do Vietnamese restaurant on East Hastings is a family run restaurant that serves freshly prepared Vietnamese food at reasonable prices. They have a fiendishly good spring roll that’s stuffed inside another spring roll.

I was in the mood for noodles — which isn’t normally like me. While I’m not a noodle fiend, I do like noodles — but only if it’s cooked right. I ordered the dry vermicelli with spring rolls and shredded pork. It’s topped with fresh pickled julienned carrots and turnips and deep fried spring rolls with shredded pork — delicious and surprisingly light.

(Clockwise: 1. Bun Bo Hue, spicy noodles. 2. Vietnamese French Iced Coffee. 3. Standard Vietnamese garnishes: bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime, and hot pepper.)

Tre ordered the Bun Bo Hue, a popular Vietnamese spicy soup served piping hot with thicker vermicelli noodles and is normally served with pigs feet (at Le Do, they leave out the pig’s feet, much to Tre’s disappointment). It’s a tasty soup that produces a nice sweat without having to endure a hot yoga class full of smelly people. Since Tre is hardcore (or crazy, take your pick) — he makes the meal extra spicy by taking bites from a fresh hot pepper. Caution, though, do this at your own risk.

The Le Do roll piqued our curiosity. It’s like a traditional Vietnamese salad roll with vermicelli noodles, but instead of the regular shrimp or pork slices, it’s stuffed with a deep fried spring roll (yup, a deep fried spring roll). Served with a side of hot sauce, this roll is freaking delicious.

(Clockwise: 1. The Le Do Roll: Deep-fried spring roll stuffed in another spring roll — evil genius. 2. Spicy fish sauce for the Le Do Roll. 3. The Avocado shake won’t show up at the local DQ anytime soon.)

To cool us down, we had an avocado shake: a smoothie blended with fresh avocados, crushed ice and generous amounts of condensed milk.  The shake is nice and refreshing, but can easily make you feel fat if you tried to down one by yourself. I decided to go hardcore and order Vietnamese iced coffee without the condensed milk. The waitress was caught off guard and made sure that I did really want the coffee black. The coffee was great — really strong and it gave me an extended buzz.

Le Do uses really fresh ingredients in their dishes, which really stands out. The restaurant is tiny and the layout could be better organized. So when it gets busy during the rush, you’ll need a little patience. But service is friendly and attentive. The great thing about Le Do is Moccia is just a few doors down, so you can pick up some cured meats for a snack or dinner later.

Perfect for: Good, fresh Vietnamese food without hurting your wallet.

The Details:

2292 East Hastings Street, Vancouver
604.253.3508

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