Minh’s Vietnamese Restaurant
Before the retail giants, happy hour specials, and expansive, tree-lined sidewalks, Clarendon was once a neighborhood of Vietnamese vitality, known briefly as ‘Little Saigon.’
Only hints of ‘Little Saigon’ still exist in Clarendon today. There is the hole-in-the-wall fabric store on N. Irving Street which faces the bustling Liberty Tavern. There is the well-known Nam Viet Restaurant, with its walls covered in photographs of some of its famous political patrons. Finally, tucked away on Wilson Blvd., one block east of Whole Foods in a non-descript office building is a quiet Vietnamese restaurant that has quickly ascended the Clarendon restaurant ranks with my husband and me: Minh’s Vietnamese Restaurant.
It was a beautiful afternoon - perfect for a fresh breeze on the outdoor patio. While we did not actually step foot inside the main dining room, I was given a nice little view inside of the warm glow from the floor and hanging lanterns.
The actual menu is the first true enjoyment of the Minh’s dining experience. It’s printed on rice paper, and the prices listed are just as tantalizing as the dish descriptions presented on the delicate pages.
Since I am indecisive by nature, I tend to veer toward “combination” platters whenever possible. Minh’s offers several combination platters available, which was actually a bit of a struggle with an indecider like myself, but I eventually settled on Combination #4, which included grilled beef, five spice chicken, two spring rolls, and steamed rice. The wood-skewered and fire-charred chicken and beef were both out of this world. I was enjoying them so much, I couldn’t decide which meat to finish first, so I was actually alternating bites of each. The meats did not taste like they came from a stainless steel kitchen in Arlington, VA. Rather, they tasted like they came straight out of the jungles of Vietnam. I cleaned my plate. As a matter of fact, after I polished off the meat and spring rolls (which were just as satisfying), I created a lettuce-rice-fish sauce concoction with my leftover ingredients, and polished that off as well.
For his dish, my husband ordered the #68: Scallops sauteed w/ mint, onion, bell pepper & coconut milk. I’ll be totally honest: I only took one bite of his meal, but that bite was indeed fabulous. The coconut milk gave the savory dish a sweet, creamy finish, and the scallop was cooked perfectly well.
Had it not been so late in the afternoon, I would have probably ordered the Vietnamese coffee for ‘dessert’, but that will have to wait until next time. There will indeed be many next times.
