Elegance reigns at South Vietnam

South Vietnam House at Central Park serves elegant Asian dishes

Date published: 11/30/2006

By LINDA SALISBURY

For THE FREE LANCE-STAR

We have yet to be disappointed with our dining experiences at ethnic restaurants in the Fredericksburg area. We found the South Vietnam House in Central Park to be another fine place to eat.

The storefront near Total Wine has large white statues and fountains in the window. Inside, there are dark wooden tables, faux palm trees and Vietnamese art.

We've eaten at a couple of other Vietnamese restaurants and discovered that there are subtle differences to the flavor of the staple soup, called pho, and the types of food offered. That makes our experiences less of a comparison of restaurants and more a discovery of new foods to enjoy.

Take the spring rolls. We've sampled a variety of Vietnamese spring rolls at various Asian restaurants. South Vietnam House offered three kinds, one of which was served as part of No. 14 (four kinds of appetizers for $6.95). I decided to try this plate to make the most of my pre-entree experience.

Three of the four appetizers involved skewers--one each of chicken, beef and pork, marinated in a delicate sauce and coated with crushed peanuts. The fourth was one of the types of spring rolls, with a crispy exterior stuffed with what tasted like finely ground sausage. The large platter included rice vermicelli, bean sprouts and shredded carrots for color.

My Dining Partner ordered No. 12, Crispy Fried Squid ($6.95). The menu said there would be eight pieces, but he counted nine. The tender squid was fried in a rice- flour batter, for an unusual look and taste. He was impressed.

Although we had our eyes on the entrees, we knew we had to sample the pho. Fortunately, it came in small ($5.50), large ($6.50) and extra large ($7.50) portions, with "small" really being quite large. We both ordered small.

I selected No. 24, a chicken noodle soup with white meat, and MDP ordered No. 23, Combination Beef Noodle Soup. The combination included eye round steak, well-done flank and brisket, soft tendon and bible tripe. The pho is served with wedges of lime, bean sprouts and jalapeño pepper, plus fresh basil--all added to taste.

MDP liked the flavor of this location's pho, which he said had a clove-like seasoning in it. The thin chicken medallions were plentiful, as was the rice vermicelli.

SOUTH VIETNAM HOUSE Address: 1623 Carl D. Silver Parkway, Central Park, Fredericksburg (behind Five Guys and near Total Wine) Phone: 540/548-2275 Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Prices: Appetizers: $2.95-$6.95 Soups and salads: $5.50-$7.50 Dinners: $6.50-$14 Desserts: $2.25-$5.95 Beer and wine available. Atmosphere: We listened to the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and marveled at the simple, attractive ambiance of this storefront restaurant. Mission-style wooden tables fill the room. A yellow ceramic Buddha sits near the back of the room, adding a dot of color to the cocoa- and latte-toned walls. Payment: Major credit cards accepted.

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Date published: 11/30/2006