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Recent out-of-town house guests included an unexpected visitor, a friend-of-a-friend who, as it turned out, was not only a vegetarian but also followed a diet that excluded all dairy products and gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains. Had I known she was coming, I would have changed that evening’s menu from Irish cheese and crackers followed by a corned beef and cabbage dinner with ice cream and fruit and cookies for dessert. As it was, she ate salad and strawberries without a word of complaint, but I felt like a very ungracious hostess.
The next night, I answered the what-to-cook question by taking us all out to eat. At times like these, Asian food solves dietary challenges in a joyful, festive and hassle-free way. In most Asian cuisines it is easy to bypass meat, wheat and milk-related food. (Indian food also covers a variety of dietary challenges.)
But unlike Albuquerque, with its dazzling array of rice and noodle choices: Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean and more, Santa Fe’s options are slimmer. I’m glad that Lan’s Vietnamese Cuisine has survived the economic downturn and continues to offer an assortment of mostly Vietnamese dishes freshly prepared and tastefully served. If you’ve never tried Vietnamese food, Lan’s is a good place to start. Both during dinner and on a follow-up lunch, the staff explained the menu well and offered suggestions when asked. Many entrees could be shared and the prices top out at about $14. The menu even includes lamb, a meat you don’t see much of in Santa Fe’s Asian restaurants.
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Lan’s Vietnamese Cuisine WHERE: 2430 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe, 505-986-1636 FOOD: Vietnamese. Beer and wine available. SERVICE: Good . AMBIANCE: Attractive storefront. HOURS: Open daily 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. and 5 – 9 p.m. |
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The chef has a gentle hand with seasonings, leaving it to customers to add extra soy sauce, fish sauce, hot sauce or chile oil at the table. In fact, my only complaint about Lan’s is that the food in general was under-seasoned, at least for my chile-tempered palate.
The menu’s selection of Vietnamese appetizers, all $8 or less, offers some nice choices. I love the beautiful spring rolls – lettuce, sprouts, cilantro and, in our case, large pink shrimp – wrapped in translucent rice paper and served with a dipping sauce. You can have eggs rolls (smaller and meatier than the Chinese version), sticky rice with chicken or tofu to wrap in lettuce, and lamb wontons. Our party started with a Vietnamese salad, easy to share and delicious. The greens, shredded carrots and other vegetables were tossed with a flavorful sesame dressing. We added grilled chicken, but you can leave off the meat or substitute shrimp or tofu.
Lunch and dinner offerings include specials posted on the board and a specials insert in the printed menu. The day of our visit the additional choices included both meat and vegetarian offerings. We tried Street Soup, a large white bowl filled to the brim with savory broth and slices of beef and vegetables. Fat, flat rice noodles, bean sprouts galore and fresh herbs worked together to make a satisfyingly fresh and filling meal. Lan’s Pad Thai was a light, less saucy – and less spicy – version of this Asian classic. The tender rice noodles were topped with shrimp, bean sprouts, cabbage, onion, celery, a bit of fresh mint and a sprinkling of roasted peanuts and sesame seeds. I enjoyed it even more with an added bit of chile oil and soy.
I loved the “Bahn Xe’o,” a Vietnamese rice crepe. It reminded me of a cross between a quesadilla and an omelet if you substitute a rice batter for the tortilla or the egg. The crepe arrived almost too hot to eat and beautifully crisp. In addition to the flavors of shrimp, chicken and vegetables in the filling, it also combined some interesting textures. It’s a bit hard to eat, but that’s part of the fun. In the “Bo Nuong,” a bowl of fresh, fragrant jasmine rice topped with shrimp (beef or chicken are also available), shallots, carrots, cucumber, papaya, onion, cilantro and crunchy roasted peanuts each flavor stood out. They worked together like a culinary mosaic. I liked the “Com Chien,” a stir fry with baby bok choy, bean sprouts, carrots and more over jasmine rice or rice noodles. I liked the beef in this dish with its sweet and spicy seasonings, so different from the Chinese stir-fry. For dessert, the dairy-free coconut flan has a welcome lightness, a hint of ginger, and a garnish of peanut bits.
I appreciate the owner’s efforts to make a storefront space inviting. The large color photos of Vietnam that decorate the walls, the soft lighting, white tablecloths, background music and spacing of the tables for some privacy combine to make eating at Lan’s a calming and agreeable experience.
