I found a Vietnamese restaurant near the Kyoto Imperial Palace and my friend was very interested, so we decided to check it out. The restaurant is called "Phon Vietnam." It is located about a 5-minute walk from the Karasuma Line, either from Karasuma Oike or Marutamachi stations. Once you walk east on Oshikoji Street for about 2 blocks, you will see an open cafe with bamboo curtains. The interior of the restaurant is wooden and has a stylish Asian cafe atmosphere. There are various Vietnamese ingredients like glass noodles, coconut milk, canned goods, and spices displayed on wooden shelves, creating a strong Asian vibe. There was also a ranking badge from Gurunavi, indicating that it is a popular restaurant. When we sat down, we had trouble understanding the Vietnamese dishes on the menu, so we just picked what sounded good. We ordered clams, eel with glass noodles, steamed spring rolls, and crab with glass noodles. The servers came one by one to confirm our orders, each time explaining that it would be with glass noodles. We confidently said it was fine, not realizing that this would be our mistake later on. We started with Saigon beer called "333." It had a light foam and fruity aroma, which paired well with the Asian spices in the dishes. We then had steamed clams with lemongrass flavor, which had a sweet and tangy taste. The eel with glass noodles was delicious, with crispy eel skin and a generous amount of glass noodles. The beef spicy pho was authentic and flavorful, reminding us of Asian flavors. We ended the meal with a dessert called "Passion Che," which had coconut milk with dragon fruit and assorted tropical fruits. It was refreshing and sweet, a perfect end to the meal.

I called thinking they were open for lunch, but they said they could accommodate us for the evening course with a reservation. We were served dishes according to our preferences and the pace at which we were eating. We opted for the recommended cheapest course (around 3800 yen) and had two drinks. The first half of the meal was quite spicy and salty, making the drinks taste delicious. The second half had milder flavors and left us feeling quite full by the end. The unique spiciness and flavors made the meal enjoyable. I tend to eat quickly, so we finished in 90 minutes. The meal ended with a hot pot and stir-fried glass noodles. The final bill was higher than expected for the two of us, but considering we had the place to ourselves on a Sunday without the crowds, we were satisfied. My husband took care of the payment. There were more dishes that we missed out on, but we were too engrossed in enjoying the food.

Vietnamese cuisine at Tiem An Huong Viet. I've been hooked on the master's recommended dishes lately, and each dish is so exciting because they are all dishes I've never tried before. There's pork wrapped in pepper leaves and sprinkled with something like breadcrumbs, a thick fried tofu dish, and a white eggplant salad. They are all delicious and I end up drinking too much because it's so good that I can't stop. The shochu made from glutinous rice is suitable for Japanese people and goes perfectly with the various Vietnamese dishes. The temperature is 40 degrees Celsius, so I end up drinking quickly and become a lecturing father, but this restaurant is so good that I will definitely go back again.

The second bar we went to in Kyoto the other day was a Vietnamese restaurant called Tiem An Phong Vietnam. The aroma from the moment we entered the restaurant got us excited. We enjoyed dishes like grilled duck, clam with lemongrass, crab and glass noodle salad, and papaya salad. My companion got really excited about the sauce for the duck meat, and the owner even prepared rice for us to enjoy it fully. It's always nice when your companions enjoy the food as much as you do. The clam with lemongrass soup was delicious, and the glass noodles were my favorite dish at this restaurant. We drank too much Vietnamese shochu and got even more immersed in the nightlife of Kyoto. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

At a 20-year-old Vietnamese restaurant near the Imperial Palace, listed in the Michelin Bib Gourmand guide, normally open only for dinner, but now open for lunch upon request. Today's lunch was a set course for one person, but the portion was like for two people. I got full halfway through and they kindly adjusted the price for me. The dishes were like appetizers for drinks, with a unique twist and a local feel. It seems that famous movie and photography people also visit the restaurant, probably for private events.

I have lived in Vietnam and was surprised by the taste of the food at this restaurant! The authenticity is amazing!! It's the first time I've come across a place that replicates the local flavors so well. The variety of dishes in the course meal was impressive and satisfying. Everything was delicious! I did wonder if the deliciousness would be appreciated by someone new to Vietnamese cuisine. I highly recommend it for those who love Vietnamese food.

I felt like eating Vietnamese food, but the only option available was a Michelin Bib Gourmand course for 3500 yen. I chose edamame as an appetizer. The spicy salad tasted like cilantro. The menu listed spicy fresh spring rolls, but they were actually crispy tofu with lemongrass sauce wrapped in dried rice paper. The spicy mussel hot pot had no umami flavor, unlike the clams which were much tastier. The grilled eggplant with scallion oil was too salty. The crispy fried pork with water spinach stir-fry was okay. The steamed chicken and fried spring rolls wrapped in dried rice paper were decent. The dessert was coconut milk and bean paste. Overall, the flavors didn't quite match. The first half of the meal was unexpectedly spicy, which I found odd. I had dined here about 10 years ago and didn't have the same issue. Maybe my taste buds have changed with age, or perhaps I've had too many good meals recently. I did like the calligraphy with Vietnamese characters displayed in the restaurant.

Visited around 1pm on a weekend afternoon. I was wandering around the Karasuma Oike area looking for a delicious restaurant, and I stumbled upon a place with a strong Vietnamese vibe. Intrigued by the exterior, I decided to step inside and was surprised to find that the interior also exuded a Vietnamese atmosphere that you wouldn't expect to find in Kyoto. To my amazement, I discovered that this restaurant had been featured in the Michelin Guide for two consecutive years! Lucky me. I ordered the beef pho. Unfortunately, the noodles turned out to be a bit too soft, perhaps because there was a delay between when the pho was served and when I started eating. However, judging by the number of customers and their orders, I'm sure the other dishes are excellent. I would love to try something else besides the pho next time.

I had a hearty lunch, so I decided to go to a Vietnamese restaurant I had been curious about for dinner. The green storefront with exposed light bulbs and beaded curtains hanging down created an even more authentic atmosphere. When I looked at the menu, the dish I was looking for, Banh Xeo, was magically crossed out! I was confused, but then a young waiter explained that the dinner menu focuses on hot pot courses. Even after explaining my situation, it didn't quite work out. The owner came out and recommended some dishes from the a la carte menu. He mentioned that Banh Xeo and fresh spring rolls are not typically eaten by Vietnamese people, so they stopped serving them. It was clear that they were sticking to authentic Vietnamese cuisine. They had a one-drink policy, and I chose Saigon beer since Hanoi was sold out. It was much lighter than Japanese beer, so even someone like me who isn't a big drinker could easily enjoy it. As I nibbled on the shrimp crackers, I waited for my food. The soft shell crab with crispy rice coating was delicious, with juicy meat that spread like liquid when I bit into the crunchy shell. It was served with sweet chili sauce and salt, but it was tasty enough on its own. The mango salad was made with young, light green mangoes that had just arrived. It was different from the dessert mangoes and resembled papaya. Mixed with cucumber, carrot, and cilantro, and dressed in a sweet and sour dressing. The owner even saw me off outside. He had a strong commitment to authenticity and a deep love for Vietnam. When I mentioned my upcoming trip, he kindly shared some travel tips.

I tried the omakase course for around 3000 yen at this restaurant, which was recommended for first-time visitors. The food was delicious and not overly adapted for Japanese tastes. However, the bill ended up being quite high, even though I had 4-5 beers. The Vietnamese cuisine in Japan is lighter compared to the authentic Vietnamese cuisine, where they add a lot of spices according to personal preference. The restaurant adjusts the level of spiciness to suit Japanese customers, adding a slightly sweet and sour sauce similar to Thai cuisine. Celebrities like Naoto Takenaka and the band Kukluri have visited this restaurant, which has also been awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand.

The third place I visited on this day was a Vietnamese restaurant that I had been curious about for a while. It is a favorite restaurant of my boss's wife, and I have tried their sour and spicy sauce before. It was also featured on a TV show by Naoto Takenaka. Despite the slightly humid evening, I was excited to be able to sit on the terrace during my first visit. From the terrace, I could see Takumiya, the restaurant I had just visited earlier. The interior of the restaurant was also lovely. We each ordered our preferred drinks and made a toast. Unfortunately, they didn't have "Mojito Chuhai," so I opted for "Guava Chuhai." The appetizer was edamame, which was the second time we had it that day. The first page of the menu had a punchy selection of dishes. The prices were not listed on the second page, so we had to refer to the subsequent pages to see the prices of the same dishes. Some of the dishes we wanted to order were sold out, so we decided to go with the server's recommendations. We tried the crispy fried salted pork, which was like deep-fried pork belly with the skin on, served with cucumber and coriander. We also had a refreshing papaya salad and a lychee chuhai. One of our group members ordered coconut ice cream and coconut coffee for dessert. The coconut ice cream was light and refreshing, perfect for a cold treat. We wanted to try more dishes like homemade pho, fried spring rolls, and steamed chicken with ginger and scallion sauce, but we were too full. I hope to revisit in a cooler season and enjoy the terrace seating again. For more details, please visit my blog.

I went to a newly featured Vietnamese restaurant in Kyoto in 2018 and ordered the special Tom Hap Tak Zaa (Shrimp Coconut). I let the owner, Mr. Koshida, choose the rest of the dishes for me. I thought I was okay with cilantro, but the taste when I bit into the spring roll... I was shocked. This restaurant is a paradise for cilantro lovers.

I ordered a pho set at a restaurant recommended in Terai Maki's book, a reliable source. The set included fried and fresh spring rolls. The rice paper was very thin, providing a delicate texture for both the fried and fresh rolls. The chicken pho came with homemade fresh noodles, a rarity in Japan, which were so soft that they broke easily when picked up with chopsticks. Some may find the lack of chewiness compared to dried noodles unsatisfying. For dessert, they served warm tofu, which the staff mentioned was to help warm up during winter, while they serve it chilled in the summer.

The restaurant mainly serves course meals at night. I don't like cilantro, but I visited at my wife's request. The fried dish with oil and tofu had a unique texture. The fresh pho was delicious.

Everything was unique and delicious. Naoto Takenaka was there. But in the end, it might be a bit expensive. Including drinks, it came to 12,000 yen.

Everything I eat is delicious!! I can't forget the fresh spring rolls, I end up ordering them multiple times. Thank you for the delicious food.

The food was delicious.