Owner Sy Tran has established his culinary credentials in Eugene over the last five years, and now he's brought his family and culture here to Salem, to expand our taste buds. You'll find many of the usual suspects on the menu: lemongrass chicken, hearty chow mein, and the base of most every Vietnamese restaurant, beef noodle bowls.
Sy takes pride in his food and also in his service.

"Without good service, you can't have happy customers," he tells me, and he means it.
When the establishment first opened, his open hours excluded Sundays until a number of his customers told him they wished they could come by on Sunday. Sy didn't ponder the difficulties this might bring; he just decided that if his customers wanted it, so be it. He approaches his menu with the same integrity.

"I had some customers that really couldn't tolerate seafood, so I made sure we offered enough pork and beef and vegetarian dishes to include them also."

A case in point is the Chow Fun category of the menu, which not only is a step toward more traditional Vietnamese cuisine (based around rice noodles), but also shows off this type of noodle happily paired with pork and beef.
One thing that would be a shame to miss is the Vietnamese coffee, a sure treat for the coffee-lover.

"We bring in coffee from Vietnam," he'll tell you proudly, and you can get it hot or cold. The coffee service, dripped directly over the cup in the traditional style, is a lovely sight, and the flavor is strong and distinct, sweet and creamy, and ends a meal like the blend of a smooth dessert and a mild brandy would, bringing the perfect touch to a very authentic experience.

When I asked him to consider where Vietnamese cooking fits in the grand scheme of cuisine, he thinks for a moment and then smiles and pats a potbelly that isn't there.

"Our food is filling but lean, not heavy like some Chinese or American food. See, look at me; I don't go to the gym, but I don't need to," he says with a laugh.

Give it a taste; it's worth it. Just don't overdo the rich, sweet coffee, or you might need more of the gym.