Hidden Gems: Pham’s Vietnamese-Asian Cuisine
“What is that?”
“Not too sure. Something baked into a casserole with surprise in the title.”
“You know what? I think I’m going to stick with the pizza tonight.”
Although the kitchen staff for college dining halls deserves recognition for the time and effort it takes to feed a college campus; the cafeteria food doesn’t always satisfy your hunger. After a long week of meetings, classes, and homework, the best reward can be a tasty feel-good dinner. It can be frustrating and—let’s be honest—disappointing when the food you’re craving isn’t on the predetermined menu for the day. But hey, a little treat never hurt anyone. So, you and your friends decide to reward yourselves for all of the hard work you’ve put in for the week by going out to dinner. Fast food has its appeal, but at this point in the evening, the lines wrap around the entire building, and you want something that doesn’t come in a paper bag. Unfortunately, after scrolling through the ‘restaurants near me’ list on Google, you’re ready to surrender and swipe your card at the Caf. The listed restaurants have prices in the double digits for appetizers, and pictures of menu items that look bland and slightly questionable. The built-up stress from a timed Canvas quiz you started thirty minutes before it was due and an oral presentation you gave earlier begin to bubble up, and you’re ready to explode.
As a lifelong local of Shreveport, I’m here to offer a new suggestion to add to your favorites that won’t break your bank or leave you dissatisfied. Living in a city not known as a college town means that the places that you’ll want to visit are hiding among expensive and steady streams of Canes and Whataburger. But never fear, Shreveport has excellent affordable places to dine in or get takeout from that aren’t the same burgers and fries on repeat. For this segment, I’ll give you a run-through of Pham’s.
Pham’s is a Vietnamese-Asian cuisine restaurant located at 3544 Youree Drive, only five minutes away from campus! Pham’s is open for lunch from 10:30-2:30 and serves dinner from 4:30-9:00. I went to Pham’s for dinner with my roommate after we’d both had a very long week and needed a pick-me-up. My experience with Vietnamese-Asian cuisine is relatively brief, but I am eager to try other options after going to Pham's. The layout was small but had various seating options that allowed us to socially distance ourselves. One of the staff members warmly greeted us and provided a menu to begin our dining experience. Their menu seemed to combine classic Vietnamese and Louisiana Cajun cuisine, featuring Bibimbap, Pho, and even Vietnamese baguettes and coffee. We ordered our meals before being shown to our table, which was very convenient because we both had meetings that evening.
I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of vegetarian options and meat and seafood dishes. In my experience, restaurants usually have one or two vegetarian options that take the animal products out of an existing dish that leaves little to no flavor or nutritional value. I chose the mushroom and tofu spring rolls and the roasted eggplant baguette while my roommate ordered the crawfish Rangoons and the shrimp Pad Thai. Our totals were very affordable, and a waiter brought our food out in less than fifteen minutes.
Pham’s atmosphere is quiet, calm, and cutely decorated with various faux greenery and appealing wall decor that made for a nice getaway from academic stress. My roommate and I were able to talk to each other without yelling or feeling the strange social obligation to whisper. She rated her food a solid 8/10, and her proportions were big enough to take leftovers home. She felt “like a Vietnamese restaurant and an American diner had a child, and it was a unique twist she hadn’t experienced before.” Though she commented that she wished that her shrimp had come without tails, peeling them wasn’t too tricky.
My spring rolls were very fresh and tasty, though I wish the vegetarian rolls had a crispy dough option. It was apparent that Pham’s cared about the quality and freshness of their produce, which is something I greatly appreciated. My baguette had a variety of roasted veggies coated in a refreshing sauce that sated my appetite and didn’t leave me with the impression of missing out on something. My bill included an appetizer, an entree, and a tip, but the total was less than fifteen dollars! I usually do not order appetizers, but I decided to try more than one item from their menu to give a proper review. There was a mix-up with the charges on my bill, but the staff was apologetic and quick to fix the error. Everyone I interacted with was amicable and welcoming, which was a nice change during a global pandemic that seems to have brought out the worst in the general public. Altogether, I thoroughly enjoyed my meal, and I would like to go back someday to try something else. I’d recommend anyone looking for a new restaurant to consider Pham’s for either dine-in or takeout. It’s something new, affordable, and tasty that allows you to support a small business in your college town.