Great Spots For Affordable Dinners
You want to go out to dinner but you're poor. We've all been there. Here's where to eat.
Where we've featured it
The stretch of Broadway in Uptown near the Argyle red line stop has been a stronghold of Vietnamese restaurants since the 1970s, and Tank Noodle is one of the family-run staple spots. With the exception of a few bubble tea posters, the generic white walls and fluorescent lights make Tank Noodle look a little like a doctor’s office waiting room. But it’s actually a comfortable place to sit and eat an easy meal - partially because it’s always crowded, and partially because of the friendly service.
A pho craving is usually why we go, but there are plenty of other things to try. The menu is massive, a legit book with different pages dedicated to appetizers, banh mi sandwiches, congee, pho, noodles, rice dishes, and more. It has English translations, but the waitstaff will also help steer you in the right direction if you can’t choose.
And there’s no need to cram all your tasting into one visit, either. Because if you’re like us, after one trip to Tank Noodle, you’ll quickly make plans to come back and try more.
Food Rundown
If you’re looking for an appetizer, we recommend spring rolls. The shrimp version wrapped with noodles, lettuce, mint, chives, and bean sprouts is light and tastes great.
Pho is where it’s at. The classic Tank Noodle version is served with well done brisket, flank, tendon, tripe, and a meat ball. Make sure to get the bean sprouts, jalapeños, and hot sauces on the table involved.
Pretty standard banh mi with marinated beef, cucumbers, cilantro, jalapeño, carrots, radishes, and green onion. A great value if you’re on a budget.
The pho bowls are big and easily shareable, so consider sharing a pho and a congee with someone else if it’s possible. We like the duck congee with garlic pork oil, onion, cilantro, and ginger fish sauce.
A great vermicelli noodle dish with sliced marinated pork, vegetables, and peanuts. We know we said come for the pho, but you really can’t go wrong.
If you want to get after a mishmash of stuff, this combination rice dish is great. A simmered jumbo prawn, grilled pork chop, sunny side egg, Chinese sausage, and rice. The prawn comes in an excellent sauce, so make sure to mix it with the rice.
