Vinh Loi

There are many Vietnamese noodle houses and I've been to alot of them. This one to me stands out. It's the broth.

The obvious blunder made by many is first, the unecessary pile of flank and brisket meat in the soup, little is best,.. after adding the vegetables and lime, there is an array of other flavors present to enjoy. Next is the fat content in the broth, better ingredients and care should reduce the said amount. You know immediately what went into the preperation when the soup is placed in front of you and you see the murky, fat-laden broth.

There is none of that at Vinh Loi in Falls Church. I spoke with the owner and she pledged to me MSG has no place in her style of cooking. Just a tiny bit of Vietnamese brand sea salt. The result is obvious,... light, clear, flavorful, and delicious. The use of the word "homemade" in recipes can, and is, thrown around generously, but her broth is so stripped of peripheral flavors,.. when she says it, I believe her.

What I don't see is a noodle cook in the streets of Saigon, making a quick soup for lunch, taking a break from serving passers-by from a make shift table, then adding any other ingredients other than what she picked up at the market that morning. Fresh and simple. It comes through here.

Vinh Loi is tucked away in a busy retail area near Bailey's Crossroads, and if it wasn't, there would of been more than the five people in front of me this morning waiting for the doors to open at 10:30am.
,$$$$$
,5 min lunch wait
5811 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church Va
703.379.0988