UPDATED – BUSINESS HAS CLOSED

1269 Hamilton St, Vancouver

Tel: (778) 379-2939

Web: http://www.housespecial.ca/

Twitter: @housespecialvan

Advice: Reservations suggested, walk-ins welcome.

With it’s focus on Modern Vietnamese fare, brother and sister, owners Victoria and Patrick Do have added a modern touch to their family recipes. You will often find their mom, Chef Yen Do in the kitchen helping out where she can, her cooking is the driving force in this wonderful restaurant. I have visited a couple of times over the past weeks and have pretty much tried the full dinner menu along with some of the creative cocktails which are a fine match to the food.

The Mekong Monsoon cocktail ($11) with Jasmin tea, gin, lychee liqueur, sorrel, and lemon was full of flavour; the Rice Paper Crisps ($3) are a great bar or dinner snack, seasoned and so light.

I loved the unique Confit Duck Frybread ($7), delicious five-spice duck confit, Asian slaw, and hoisin stuffed inside a light, non-greasy fried bread. The Shaken Beef ($17) in a black cast iron pot was outstanding with wok seared shaken beef, dressed greens, pickled onions, and crispy rice.

Kaffir Lime Collins ($9) was refreshing with Gin, kaffir lime leaf, lemon, soda; and it was the perfect match for both the Crispy Ribs ($12) with an amazing addictive house-made Tamarind & dried chili jam and pickles; and the Uncle Hing’s Chicken Wings ($12) spicy nước chấm and free range chicken wings.

The crispy Shrimp and Pork Spring Rolls ($7) are a house favourite served with nước chấm dipping sauce and a side of Vietnamese herbs; the Banh Xeo Tacos ($10) delicious house-made mini coconut taco crepes are topped with a seven-spice pork belly, banana blossom, pickled carrots, fresh herbs, lettuce, nước chấm; and the flavours continue with the Tamarind Duck ($17), Pan seared duck breast, roasted beat, Vietnamese pickles, red wine reduction. The House Special Beef Pho i($14) is a delicious, slightly sweet clear broth with rice noodles, beef cuts, tendon, tripe, bean sprouts, onions, lime, basil, hoisin sauce, sriracha.

With some inventive cocktails on the menu, along with flavourful modern Vietnamese dishes that are ideal for sharing, and wonderful hospitality, I can’t wait to return to try their selection of dishes on their lunch menu.

Review by: Richard Wolak

Vancouver, BC V6B 6K3, Canada