One of the Best: Ba Noi's

Ba Noi's has been known as one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in Manila. It never fails to delight the taste buds which always yearn for Vietnam's clean flavors. This led to the humble hole in the wall restaurant in Makati to expand to other areas, particularly Pasig. And when my sister suggested that we have lunch there a few weekends ago, it was an easy yes. 

Hello, Ba Noi's.

It has been quite a while since I've last dined in Ba Noi's. I remember that I would usually grab a bowl of phở and its tender stir-fried beef. 

Since we're all night owls, we dropped by Ba Noi's for late lunch. There was only one other table occupied when we got to the restaurant. 

We ordered our favorites Bò Lúc Lắc (PHP380), Rau Muống Xào (PHP125), Gà Nướng (PHP280), Gỏi Cuốn (PHP225) and Phở Bò (PHP420, large). 

Service was a bit slow as the place was understaffed during our visit. There was only one server assisting all guests and clearing tables (a few more guests came in while we were there) while the rest were taking their break at the innermost table. I was impressed though that despite having to run around a lot, the real life Flo On The Go server still assisted us with a smile. 

First served was our large bowl of Phở Bò. This is great for sharing! We actually managed to split the bowl to three filling servings. 

Unlike the ones you'd get from other Vietnamese restaurants, Ba Noi's beef slices are thicker which gives each mouthful more bite. Its light broth made me feel like I was indulging in something healthy especially when I top my bowl with bean sprouts, mint and lime juice. The only thing I didn't like was that the bean sprouts were no longer fresh.

Bò Lúc Lắc, as always, put a big smile on my face. The succulent stir-fried meat was oozing with beefy taste. And what I love about this is that you can enjoy this as is or with rice. Don't forget to enjoy this with fried basil for that burst of refreshing flavor.

Gà Nướng or grilled marinated chicken in lemongrass sauce was also good. Think of chicken teriyaki but with a bit of zest. The white meat was very tender and beautifully complemented by the delicate flavor of lemongrass. 

No Vietnamese meal is complete without some spring rolls and Ba Noi's Gỏi Cuốn served as a lovely side with our flavorful dishes.

If you're allergic to peanuts, another option is Rau Muống Xào. This plate of stir-fried water spinach in garlic and Vietnamese seasoning was so good, my non-vegetable loving sister enjoyed it!

I love that food I fell in love with at Ba Noi's still taste the same. I'll definitely be back for more. 

Ba Noi's is located at Lower Ground, Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, Oranbo, Pasig City.