Pho Mekong House of Noodles in Utica, New York

How could we have missed it? Pho Mekong House of Noodles Vietnamese restaurant in Utica, New York is certainly unimposing; it's tucked away in East Utica, looking more like an old auto parts shop or old video rental store. But, since I've moved to the area, I have been actively searching for nearby, quality Asian restaurants. There hasn't been much luck.

I'd become jaded-too many mushy noodles and unidentifiable grey-hued goo sauces to even care to recall. At one of the Chinese restaurants, I was actually served a microwaved, frozen meal, still in its plastic container. Not exactly the culinary delight I was hoping for.

In doing yet another desperate internet search, I finally came across something promising on a city guide-a restaurant called Pho Mekong House of Noodles, with some raving reviews from users. My husband, son and I headed out to this restaurant that very evening.

"Please let it really be there..." we all were hoping-too often, we have searched for a Thai or other restaurant we'd found listed, that had apparently become extinct in this land of nothing-but-Italian-restaurants and pizza joints.

We soon found it. It looked like a dive, but somehow the right kind of dive. Looking around at the tables, then at the menu, we just had a feeling it was going to be good. On the table-- Sriracha (aka rooster sauce) stood like a hot promise.

On the menu, there was a whole section devoted to vegetarian offerings, which is always a pleasant find for my son and I. We decided to order a couple appetizers of the vegetarian menu-spring rolls, and egg rolls.

The spring rolls (bi cuon chay, VEG 61 on the menu, $3) were bursting with very thinly sliced carrots, vegetables, and rice noodles, and a yummy, coarse peanuty sauce. The thin dipping sauce was out-of-control good-perfectly sour, sweet, and spicy. I have never seen such perfectly wrapped (jam-packed and tight, very tight) spring rolls. There is a spring roll scholar working in the Pho MeKong kitchen.

The vegetarian egg rolls (cha gio chay, VEG 60, $3) were very crispy, and likewise packed with vegetables, and another bowl of the same dipping sauce was served with them. I saved the leftover sauce to put on my rice later-something I highly recommend, so don't let the server take it away!

On our first visit, my son ordered the tofu stir fried with vegetables and lo mein noodles (mi xao rau cai, VEG 69, $7.95) and loved it. The noodles were cooked to perfection (nicely living up to the "house of noodles" in the name of the restaurant.) I ordered the bean curd in spicy lemongrass sauce with rice (dau hu xao xa ot, VEG 78, $7.95) and it was excellent.

Take note that Pho Mekong uses a soft tofu (bean curd) in their dishes, and not the sturdier type often found in similar dishes. Although it is cooked perfectly and appropriately in their dishes, people who don't love bean curd on its own terms (for example, those who like tofu to be somewhat of a meat substitute) may want to choose a dish that contains only vegetables or vegetables as well as tofu, as the VEG 78 contains only tofu in the dish, no accompanying vegetables. Of course, if you are a bean curd lover like I am, this is the perfect dish for you.

My favorite dish is the stir fried tofu with vegetables in curry sauce (dau hu xao lan, VEG 64, $7.95.) The golden curry sauce is rich, nutty, and simply outstanding.

In addition to these specific recommendations, there is quite a variety of items on the vegetarian menu. There are dishes with eggplant, steamed rice noodles, crispy egg noodles, vermicelli, hoisin and house sauces, and three different soups--one with pineapple, tomato, and celery over rice that I keep meaning to try.

Of course, the vegetarian menu is only a part of the entire array of offerings. Non-vegetarians have three full pages to choose from, including ten different appetizers, and 26 varieties of Pho, the traditional Vietnamese noodle soup entree, the house specialty.

Of course, there are many entrees as well. There is beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, and salmon, in many varieties of sauces, noodles, and rice. Take some time to read the detailed descriptions-the dishes are all quite unique.

Also available are desserts and Asian drinks, including four different kinds of Vietnamese coffee, fruit shakes, teas, and--surprise!--the trendy "bubble drinks," made with various teas and fruits with tapioca bubbles. Quite a find in Utica-of course Pho Mekong itself is quite the find!

Pho Mekong House of Noodles is open Monday-Saturday, from 10am-8pm; closed Sundays. The address is 601 John Street in Utica, New York (behind the county building.) The phone number is (315) 797-7171 or (315) 797-7176.