Cong Ly is my favorite vietnamese restaurant in Manhattan. It is located in Chinatown on a small obscure street. The placeis small and a bit cramped but sometimes you have to squeeze to get good food. The spring rolls (cha gio) are out of this world and you must order them right when you sit down because they take a long time. You can't rush goodness like that. Their pho broth is also good. This place is new to me so I haven't tried everything. One thing that they have that I haven't found at other vietnamese restaurants is Banh Beo. Banh Beo is a tiny one to two bite steamed pancake made out of rice flour. When I say pancake I don't mean the type that us westerns associate them as. The size may resemble a blinis but it is nothing like a blinis. It is not cakey or spongey or floury. It is slightly gelatinous in texture, resembling a stiff jello or custard. The taste is a balance of both savory and sweet at the same time. It is topped with dried shrimp, crispy shallots, scallions, and yellow mung beans. At the table you pour on fish dipping sauce (nuoc cham) and chilies marinated in vinegar. Once this is added it is slightly sour and spicy on top of the savory and sweet. It's a whole lot of flavor but the vietnamese do it so well.
Check out this website for some more banh beo explanation, pictures, and recipe.
The owner is a little old man who is so awesome I would go just to hang out with him. He is always happy and welcoming and cracking funny jokes. Too bad the restaurant doesn't have a take away menu or else I would post it up for you folks. But here is a picture of the place. Doesn't that guy leaving look like he is full and happy? He sure does to me!
Cong Ly
124 Hester Street (btwn Bowery & Chrystie St)
New York, NY 10012
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