vip in the city

Bullet dodging on Baxter

Burned out by the Financial District lunch offerings, I embarked on an impromptu midday jaunt to Chinatown for some Vietnamese food. SYB met me in the lobby of my building and we hopped on the subway for the minutes ride to Canal Street.

I’d had a couple of good meals at Pho Viet Huong on Mulberry (though not the seven-course beef dinner… yet!) but the intense cold was not conducive to far wanderings, so we decided to hit the Baxter Street restaurants, a couple of blocks from the subway station. This one short stretch is home to a trio of some of the best, no frills Vietnamese restaurants in the city. I always have difficulty deciding upon my favorite of the three, though many Chowhounds seem to like Nha Trang — i.e., the one in the middle — best.

We approached the normally busy lunchtime spot — so popular with the jury duty crowds — to find it eerily quiet. Uh-oh…

Well, that settled it: Thái So’n it was. Usually, I prefer New Pasteur just a couple of doors south, but rendered cautious by the imposing bright yellow “Closed by Order of the Commission of Health and Mental Hygiene” notice next door, I opted this time for the ever-so-slightly cleaner and brighter (appearing) venue.

Some warming pho for me; tasty grilled pork chops for SYB. And I’m happy to report: no ill effects for either of us.

For future reference, restaurant inspection information is available on the NYC Dept of Health and Mental Hygiene website. Check up on your favorite restaurant: you’ll be glad you did. (Or maybe you won’t.)

There are 2 Comments ... Bullet dodging on Baxter

Qsoz
January 29, 2007

Did Congee Village ever pass muster?

vipnyc
January 30, 2007

Hope so, considering I ate there three days later.

Go for it ...