Delicious Pho Sure

   Thang Long, a fusion eatery that emphasizes the French side of Vietnamese cuisine, brings a touch of elegance to Little Saigon. Entrees consist of rice, noodle, and vermicelli plates and noodle soup. Students and those on a budget will rejoice at entree prices ranging from $4.95 to $14.95.
   The first things you notice are the tall, double vertical doors, vaulted ceilings and lime green walls. Dimmed halogens and mesh sky lighting cast crisscrossed shadows on the walls. An Art Deco design provides subtle curvature throughout the interior. The tranquil sound of water can be heard from the elongated fountain, filled with floating daisies, running through the middle of the restaurant. Other restaurants within the district tend to have congested seating arrangements, maximizing space and sacrificing style.
   Servers are mostly young Vietnamese men who are welcoming, prompt, and knowledgeable about the menu. The waiter recommended the most popular dish, which was also his favorite, shaken beef, a French style filet mignon with steamed rice.
   The cut was diced and seared, and was cooked medium on the inside, resulting in tender succulence. The dish is served with fresh tomatoes and cucumbers on a bed of lettuce, and comes with a lime to squeeze into a bowl of salt and pepper as a tart dip for the filet mignon.
   For a beverage, he recommended pennywort juice. The lightly sweetened green juice is a healthy Vietnamese specialty and has a strong, grassy taste. Another option is shakes in flavors such as avocado and durian.
   The restaurant provides several options for the health conscious like spring roll appetizers and lotus seed and longan in light syrup desserts. Smaller-sized dishes can be purchased at a fraction of the cost, such as broken rice with shredded pork, steamed egg and charbroiled beef, another recommended dish. Domestic and imported beer is also served.
   Thang Long’s sister restaurant, Pho Thang Long, specializes in soup and noodle dishes.

   Thang Long is located at 9550 Bolsa Ave. 115A in Westminster. For more information or to make reservations call (714) 531-9400.
   The restaurant is open Monday - Sunday from 9 a.m. to 12 a.m.