Que Nha - St Paul

Whenever I go to Vietnamese restaurants, there are two things I almost always get, the fried spring rolls (Chai Gio) and the Pho.

The Cha Gio ($3.45) was on the expensive side and came to us quick. My first suspicion was that it was pre-cooked and it turned out to be lukewarm. The accompany dipping sauce thick with carrots and garlic but light on the fish sauce. As much as I wanted the cha gio to be great, it was average. I believe the ones I make are better. Rating: 6.8


On the other hand, the Pho (Tai, Nam, Gau, Gan, Sach or top round, flank, brisket, tendon, and tripe - $5.95) was great. I've had pho in about 8 different restaurants in the Twin Cities and I would say this one is in first place by an edge so far. (A future post is on the places where I've had pho.) The reason it was so good was primarily due to the hot aromatic beef broth, the noodles, and the quality of meats used. Rating: 8.8

Another semi-staple we often get and which we did get here is combination rice platter known as Com Bi Suon Cha Tom Boc Tau Ki ($7.95) which is BBQ pork, shredded pork, and shrimp rolled in dried tofu over steamed rice. I would say this is again an average presentation. There are competitors that serve better versions of this. Rating: 7.1

Lastly we ordered a new special they call Suon Bo Xao Nam Dong Co or Beef Short Rib Hot Pot ($9.95). Que Nha offers not only Vietnamese food but Chinese food. I'm not sure if this is Vietnamese or Chinese but experience tells me that this is a Chinese dish. The rib meat was full flavored with black bean sauce overtones but had a slightly chewy and sinewy texture. I found the brown sauce to be a tad salty but perfect when diluted into the rice. Rating: 7.2

There was also goat offered but we decided against it as Scrooge Squared's stomach wasn't up to something that exotic today.

The Twin Cities has an abundance of Southeast Asian and in particular Vietnamese restaurants. That's great news for Vietnamese food lovers. The competition eventually washes out the subpar and the strong survive. Que Nha is one of those places that has been around for a few years. The clean minimalist modern decor and service distinguishes it from it's competitors. I would definitely return for the pho which is also a good value in the Twin Cities. I'll pass on the other foods reviewed here yet I wouldn't be shy about trying their other offerings. The pho gets a big thumbs up. The rest gets a thumbs in the middle.

Scrooge Value: 7.5 for the pho, 5.0 for the other foods.

849 University Ave
St Paul, MN
651.290.8552