Here it goes, my favorite restaurant and cuisine ever: Thanh Duoc, Milpitas. Yes, this is in Milpitas, and no, it’s not too fancy shmancy of a place, but don’t give me the “you’re not cultured” speech. Just because I blog, it doesn’t mean my palate should only be likable to San Francisco or New York City. Moving on…
To me, Vietnamese food can only be described as flavorful, healthy, light, yet filling. With other kinds of Asian fare, I only feel fat and oily after a sit-down dinner. However, at Thanh Duoc, after a family style dinner consisting of at least five dishes, I feel only delightfully satisfied. Thanh Duoc is a casual restaurant with more than casual entrees. My family and I frequent this place, usually with a large party because they know how to accommodate with their family-style meals and set menus. They’re even willing to reserve more than half of the restaurant for any big events, which I’ve often been a guest for because Thanh Duoc is infamous among my family’s inner circle. I’ve even been a victim of walking in as a regular patron only to realize that there’s a party going on and someone’s singing in Vietnamese on the stage. Awkward.
1. Pineapple salad: my favorite salad of all time. Encased in an empty half pineapple shell lays a visually pleasing display of pineapple, shredded papaya, daikon, shrimp, pork, cilantro, carrots and peanuts, with a generous amount of fish sauce as the dressing. The fish sauce is not too overpowering though, as the different flavors and textures perfectly compliment each other with a balance of crunchy and soft, sweet and savory.
2. Tamarind Crab or Salted Crab: either way, it’s freakin’ crab, how could you go wrong? The tamarind crab is similar to a black bean sauce that’s savory and a little sweet, but the salted crab is more flavorful with a layer of what seems like nicely seasoned, deep fried batter surrounding all of the crab pieces that they’ve already separated and cracked for you. Some would find it difficult to sit there and crack the pieces themselves, but seriously it’s well worth the effort.
3. Sautéed beef cubes with bell pepper: Given that they use cuts of filet mignon for this dish, it is extremely tender and a melt-in-your-mouth kind of experience. I was amazed the first time I tried it at how tender the beef was. I haven’t even been to a steakhouse and tasted filet mignon that delicious. And the fact that these are beef cubes, it’s easier to eat with a side or rice and vegetables.
4. Salt and pepper squid: it’s basically their equivalent to calamari. They use huge squid that yield the big calamari rings but they chop it up so the pieces are not too large. Perfectly seasoned without too much batter, it seems much healthier and lighter than calamari served at other places.
5. Fish: when they serve fish, it’s really the whole fish on the plate. Talk about fresh.
6. Fried, boneless duck: first of all it’s boneless. I don’t have to deal with the hassle of the duck bones that you get with Peking duck at Chinese restaurants. This dish is more like chicken really, because you feel like you’re eating boneless, white meat, chicken strips, but really it’s a more tender and flavorful duck. Mind boggling!
Aside from these family style dishes, they do also serve more casual entrees such as pho and individual rice plates. But I’d rather eat pho somewhere else and save Thanh Duoc for a big, substantial meal with the family. The food is fresh and delicious, the service is quick and the restaurant is never too crowded. Unfortunately that might mean it’s on nobody’s radar because it is located in some boonie part of Milpitas, so I’ve made it my personal goal to bring this hidden gem some business!
*Beef and duck photos are courtesy of Yelp
