While catching up with a former suitemate — reminiscing on old roommates and discussing whether we’d be jobless after college — I suggested we chow down on some of Taco Bell’s “dank Doritos Locos Tacos.” Unfortunately, he quickly shot down my idea in favor of Viet Nom, a quaint Vietnamese spot located in University City at the Renaissance Towne Center.
Aiming to serve authentic Vietnamese dishes with a dash of modernity, Viet Nom is another concept by the SD Backyard Restaurant Group, famous for establishments such as Flama Llama and formoosa. I’ve reviewed both restaurants in the past and absolutely loved them. Forgetting my earlier craving for Taco Bell, I was curious to see if Viet Nom would meet the high standard set by its sister restaurants.
We started our meal with the shrimp spring rolls, a refreshing appetizer to whet our appetites. One order includes two rolls stuffed with moderately-sized morsels of poached shrimp, piles of slightly chewy rice noodles, and a medley of fresh leafy greens, all tucked in a translucent blanket of rice paper. Though the rolls were incredibly underwhelming, the peanut sauce it came with was brilliant. Viet Nom’s recipe featured a sophisticated blend of creamy peanut butter, savory Hoisin sauce, and a splash of vinegar. The magical dip was undoubtedly the saving grace of this otherwise lifeless dish.
As we savored the last droplets of that delectable peanut sauce, we dove into Viet Nom’s signature Pho Nom, a gargantuan portion of pho with an even larger bone-in short rib fit for any Instagram story. The rib was spectacular, with luscious chunks of melt-in-your-mouth meat — I gnawed my way across the bone until every sliver was gone. Floating around in the rich broth with the rib were delicate slices of brisket and beef meatballs. A giant heap of firm rice noodles sat at the bottom of the bowl. This dish can only be described in one word: gluttonous.
While Viet Nom’s pho was good enough to warrant a return trip, the mediocrity of the spring rolls was quite disappointing. SD Backyard Restaurant Group has always operated at the highest levels of Asian cuisine, so it’s a shame that Viet Nom isn’t in the same echelon of greatness as its counterparts. Hopefully, next time, I can finally complete my long-awaited “dank Doritos Locos Tacos” review.
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Address: 8895 Towne Centre Dr #109, San Diego, CA 92122
Rating: 6.5/10
