{"id":617,"date":"2006-05-01T10:56:39","date_gmt":"2006-05-01T17:56:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/?p=617"},"modified":"2010-02-19T12:02:23","modified_gmt":"2010-02-19T19:02:23","slug":"thanh-thanh-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/thanh-thanh-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Thanh Thanh 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

reviewed by Diane Hudson May 2006<\/p>\n

\"diningguide\"When young people leave the nightclubs in Saigon\u2013our family has never called it Ho Chi Minh City\u2013 the whole city smells like pho,” says Lien Luong, 37, cook at Thanh Thanh 2, a Viet-namese restaurant on Forest Avenue in Portland. “Walking to school each morning along No Trang Long Street, the aroma from the shops used to make me want to forget about school and run inside to eat.”<\/p>\n

Cross the threshold at 782 Forest Avenue and experience this yourself. Pho, pronounced “fuh,” is a traditional beef noodle soup simmered over a two-day period with beef, bones, tripe, tendons, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, and well-charred onion and ginger.<\/p>\n

“People always comment on it when they walk in,” Luong says. “We enjoy it for breakfast, or at any time.”<\/p>\n

We began with Tom Rang Muoe, stir-fried shrimp with shell and head salted and deep fried ($11.95). “Do you eat the heads?” one in our party asks. “It\u2019s customary,” we are told. The heads are indeed flavorful, as are the shells, though somewhat difficult to chew.<\/p>\n

Venturing into the Pho Bo Vien, beef noodle soup with meatball ($5.95-$7.95), we en-joyed the slight heat of the spices and the rich, luscious broth. Served on the side is a plate of bean sprouts, ngo gai (thorny cilan-tro), hung que (basil), lime, and hot peppers. Luong\u2019s trick of tearing the cilantro into smaller pieces releases a terrific fresh flavor when stirred into the broth along with the bean sprouts, basil, and pepper.<\/p>\n

The Mit Vit Tiem, duck leg soup ($6.95)\u2013a mild, savory broth containing a whole duck leg and thin, firm, yellow noodles\u2013was an instant hit, easily shared among four of us.<\/p>\n

Another crowd pleaser is stir-fried watercress with garlic ($7.95). Green, and fresh, and beautiful, this dish is a must-try.<\/p>\n

The intricate and balanced flavors of Mi Xao Do Bien, stir-fried lomein with seafood and bean sprouts ($7.50)\u2013also sensational with chicken\u2013were absorbed nicely by the accompanying flat noodles.<\/p>\n

Milk shakes, or Sinh To ($3), are served in wonderful glass goblets, the kind used for ice-cream sundaes. Our server recommended the Sinh To Bo, avocado fruit shake, and we were not disappointed. Other shakes in-clude mung bean with coconut milk, strawberry, pineapple, and red bean.<\/p>\n

Lien Luong, thanks for your memories. It\u2019s a short and most delicious trip here from Forest Avenue to No Trang Long Street. n<\/p>\n

Thanh Thanh 2 Restaurant, 782 Forest Avenue, Portland, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. 828-1114.<\/p>\n

\"Bookmark<\/a>