Vietnamese Noodles is a casual restaurant serving mostly traditional Vietnamese cuisine for dining in and carrying out in Mequon’s Concord Court Plaza.
Pho, the beef noodle soup and national dish of Vietnam, is clearly the focal point of the menu. What separates pho from other noodle soup begins with the layers of flavors and aromas in the broth, which develop slowly over time from ingredients like ginger, onion, cardamom, cinnamon, anise, coriander, fennel seed, clove and, of course, beef bones. At Noodles, this broth is poured over vermicelli (rice noodles), sliced white and green onions and then topped with your choice of more than a dozen protein combinations—from thinly sliced steak, meatball and seafood to tripe (cow’s stomach). Diners further personalize their soup with the accompanying plate of pho garnishes: fresh bean sprouts, Asian basil, lime and green pepper. In the end, calling it “soup” feels like oversimplifying. And perhaps the only thing better than good pho is next-day pho leftovers when all flavors are magnified ($7.99 regular/$8.99 large).
The Vietnamese egg rolls ($5.99), crispy and filled with pork, shrimp and vegetables, served with lime chili fish sauce, were excellent. Another famous Vietnamese dish, fresh shrimp spring rolls ($5.99), were made with cool and fresh ingredients of steamed shrimp, vermicelli noodles, basil and lettuce.
Crispy fried egg noodles with chicken, beef and vegetables ($12.99) and rice noodles with chicken and vegetables ($10.99) ended up looking and tasting similar upon arrival. Both feature stir-fried meat and an assortment of vegetables in a light brown garlic sauce reminiscent of common stir fry sauce used in Chinese cuisine. The crispy egg noodles behaved like an edible plate under the stir fry, looking and tasting like deep-fried ramen, ultimately softening and surrendering under the heat and moisture of the other ingredients.
Boba smoothies ($5.99) are simple blends of yogurt, fruit and boba—the boiled and sweetened tapioca pearls used in bubble tea. Although they’re available in common flavors like mango, strawberry or banana, go out on a limb for more a more unique flavor such as avocado or durian (a fruit native to Malaysia and Indonesia) that brings a flavor and aroma you won’t soon forget.
Vietnamese iced coffee ($3.99) is listed under beverages but could be under desserts. Strong, sweet and rich, it’s nothing more than coffee and sweetened condensed milk over ice—and is delicious.
Vietnamese Noodles dabbles in other Southeast Asian favorites including curry chicken, Korean barbecue beef short ribs and pad thai. There are many vegetarian options as well, some of which feature tofu.
Vietnamese Noodles Restaurant
1380 W. Mequon Road, Mequon
262-241-1999
$-$$
Handicap Access: Yes
