After finishing my meal perched upon a barstool overlooking Elm St., I reached down for my back pocket upon receiving my check only to realize I had left my wallet at home. Embarrassed, I humbly asked my waiter if I could run to my apartment to retrieve it. It's worth mentioning, as this was the only point during my entire experience that was not exceedingly enjoyable.
If you can’t pronounce “Pho” or much less even know what it is, have no fear because this is as good a place to try it as any, I can tell you that much. And for those wondering, it’s pronounced “Fuh,” or in such a way that the people at Viet Bites can hang a sign on the patio that reads “So Pho-king Good”.
Trivialities aside, Pho is essentially a broth-based soup with lots of noodles and veggies and typically your choice of meat. For those daunted by the prospect of trying it or even saying it, the Viet Bites menu, despite being somewhat confusing, does offer plenty of other options, including Banh Mi’s ($4.50), Vermicelli Noodle Bowls ($6.95/$7.95) and Rice Plates ($6.95). It also affords you the option to “Build Your Own Meal”, which is basically just another way of saying that you can put on or take off pretty much anything to and from your sandwich, bowl or plate.
The Traditional Spring Rolls ($4), which I started off with, are a must-order. Perfectly prepared with pork and shrimp and served with a dangerously good peanut sauce, they could be a meal in and of themselves. They also offer Lettuce Wraps ($6), Crab Rangoon ($4) and even Vietnamese Tacos served in a crispy shell that look teasingly good.
For my entrée, I ordered the Vermicelli Noodle Bowl with beef, all the veggies and opting for the fish sauce over the ginger, soy, sweet & sour or peanut sauces, all of which sound as if they wouldn’t be bad choices. The bowl as presented (provided you don’t alter it too much) comes with rice noodles, lettuce, pickled veggies, cucumbers, herbs, bean sprouts, green onions and roasted peanuts with your choice of chicken, beef, shrimp, pork or tofu. Or to put it another way, it’s a banh mi without the toasted baguette.
My bowl was fantastic, light and fresh with just the right balance of textures and flavors, each passing bite came and went with myself dissecting the different layers of flavor packed inside – the hint of cilantro, the crunchiness of the bean sprouts, the nuttiness of the peanuts. It’s one of the best things I’ve eaten in Denton.
Intoxicatingly friendly and irresistibly one-of-a-kind, Viet Bites is the kind of place that makes its impression on you even before you have that first bite of spring roll. By the time I left, there wasn't an empty seat, so if you’re on the lookout for good Vietnamese food or just looking for something different, wander on over – just remember to bring your wallet.
