Sweet Willie

Had noticed this place for awhile now, they have done a lot of work on the outside and it looks very nice, stands out from the multiple burrito/taco restaurants that line Clark St.

Cam Ranh Bay has been open for 5 days now. The owner is a young enthusiastic guy who obviously has a passion for his restaurant.

I’m just happy that there is a quality Vietnamese restaurant closer to where I work, rather than heading all the way to Argyle St. & Broadway.

Started out with Bo La Lot – grilled marinated beef (ground) wrapped in an aromatic Hawaiian leaf served w/the traditional vinegary Viet dipping sauce. The menu states marinated beef so I expected cuts, but it is ground. This appetizer was good.

Tried another appetizer called Banh Xeo – Large pan fried Vietnamese crepe with pork, shrimp and bean sprouts. One cuts up the crepe and puts some on a rice paper roll, then add some mint leaves, cilantro, julienned carrot and dip in the same Viet dipping sauce. This appetizer I really enjoyed. So refreshing and full of different textures and flavors.

For the entrée I tried Ga Kho Xa Ot – boneless spicy chicken marinated with lemongrass, ginger, then cooked in a clay pot. This dish w/rice (and lots of the sauce spooned over the rice) was very good.

Service was prompt, friendly and if you did not know how to eat something (in my case the Banh Xeo) they were happy to show you how w/o being condescending.

I can highly recommend:

Cam Ranh Bay Restaurant
6632 N. Clark St.
Chicago,
Phone: 773.338.4448
Hours: Sunday – Thursday 10am-10pm, Fri & Sat 10am-11pm

indo79

Sweet Willie,

how would you compare this to the restaurants that line Argyle? My favorite would be Pho 777, and Thai Binh was not that great.

Thanks

Sweet Willie

tough question as I do not have personal favorite restaurants that line Argyle, just favorite dishes. I've tried quite a few restaurants on the Argyle strip, but with so many offerings it is tough IMO to pick a favorite.

Cam Ranh serves pho which I hope to have in the next few days, that will be a good test IMO if it lives up to Argyle.

To answer your question, yes at this time the restuarant is as good as Argyle stops.

I'm thinking of having one of the mini FT dining events here. I think the restaurant and owner would turn out their best as they have just opened.

bseller

This would be a great spot for a Thursday evening "mini-DO" wouldn't you think??

Best wishes, Dave

Sweet Willie

My thoughts exactly.

Went for lunch on Wednesday and did not have the pho, was not in pho mood (whatever that is).

For an appitizer had Banh Bot Loc - rolled tapioca dumplings stuffed w/pork & shrimp, topped w/fried garlic and scallions, and served w/a small diced red pepper (that was HOT!) in the vinegar dipping sauce. This was good, but there are better choices on the menu.

Enjoyed a salad of Goi Du Du Tom Thit/Ga - shredded green papaya, carrot, onion tossed w/chicken, mint leaves and topped w/peanuts.
Great flavor and wonderful textures.

For the entree dined on Tom Rang Muoi - Fried salt & pepper shrimp. I've had this dish w/squid and it has been outstanding. I should have asked if they could do squid as shrimp just do not hold up to the preparation as squid does. As a result this meal was ok.

This restaurant is a true family affair. Kim the owner, his mom cooking and her beautiful daughter Jennifer serving. All very friendly, mom came out from the kitchen, said she was glad to see me again and inquired about the meal.

missydarlin

This is my favoritist Vietnamese dish ever.

One of my other favorites is the noodle combo tray (usually listed in the "Bun" section.) It usually consists of sugar cane wrapped shrimp, mini egg rolls, and skewered pork, served on a tray with rice noodles, lettuce, bean sprouts, mint or basil leaves and the julienned carrot/daikon mixture with rice paper to make your own summer rolls.

Sweet Willie

Lunch again today.

Banh Beo was the appetizer – Minature Vietnamese crepes with ground shrimp, fried garlic, and chopped scallions topped w/house sauce. These were not the crepes I envisioned, they are actually noodle dough cut to a small “crepe” circle. This was ok, best appetizers so far have been the Banh Xeo and Bo La Lot.

Have lots of work to do today so I did not want to be bogged down, for entrée I had the Bo Tai Chanh – sliced beef and onion tossed w/lime juice, basil and topped w/crushed peanuts. This was very good, enjoyed it a lot.

chichow

sweet willie,

i went last week with a group of four. one guy did have a small bowl of pho. not like argyle street at all.

overall, i would say that this plce is less greasy, very inexpensive, very nice, and food prep is pretty good. not as heavy on the flavorings on argyle street.

essxjay

Stop! You guys are making me salivate!

Maybe we should do this on the 18th instead of Cuban. Tough call.

Sweet Willie

Last week had the grilled beef rolls for appitizer which were excellent. Marinated grilled slices of beef, wrapped in rice paper w/vermicelli noodles, mint and lettuce. Terrific.

For the entrée I had the beef salad again, this stuff is good!

Today I had the shrimp rolls as an appetizer. These consisted of shrimp wrapped in a skin and deep fried, nothing else. Not very stunning, a very poor appetizer.

Main course was crispy wide noodles w/chicken, baby bok choy, celery, mushroom, broccoli. Sauce was more of a Chinese brown sauce than Vietnamese. The wide ride noodles are wok fried to create some crispiness, then the rest of the ingredients are combined. A good dish, not great.

Sweet Willie

Had a group dinner here last night,


While I detest ordering for the table as I’m very concerned about the possibility of someone not liking the choices, but I did anyways. We dined on:

Appitizers:

Bo La Lot – grilled marinated beef (ground) wrapped in an aromatic Hawaiian leaf served w/the traditional vinegary Viet dipping sauce.

Bo Cuon – grilled beef (slices), fresh mint/lettuce, rice vermicelli noodles, all wrapped in the rice paper and served w/the ubiquitous Viet dipping sauce.

Chao Tom – ground shrimp wrapped around a slice of sugar cane, grilled then fried, served w/salt, pepper and lime.

Banh Xeo – Large pan fried Vietnamese crepe with pork, shrimp and bean sprouts. One cuts up the crepe and puts some on a rice paper roll, then add some mint leaves, cilantro, julienned carrot and dip in the same Viet dipping sauce.

Entrees:

Goi Du Du Tom Thit/Ga - shredded green papaya, carrot, onion tossed w/chicken, mint leaves and topped w/peanuts.

Bo Tai Chanh – sliced beef and onion salad tossed w/lime juice, basil and topped w/crushed peanuts.

Catfish Kho To – catfish marinated and slowly cooked in a clay pot w/carmelized sugar.

Mussel Sate – mussels sautéed in sate spices

Hu Tieu – crispy wide rice noodles sautéed w/tofu, mushrooms, and assorted veggies.


Two “surprises” for me were how good the mussels and the crispy rice noodle dish were. They really impressed.

Most could not get over how the sliced beef salad looked more like chicken, possibly due to the citrus marination?

I still think a lacking component to the food at Cam Rahn is a deeper spice profile (I can’t quite put my finger on exactly what). But in no way did that stop me from enjoying the very freshly prepared food that was served last night.

fenger

Giving it a try this weekend, thanks to yall.

Sweet Willie

fenger read in the other post you were new to Chicago. There is a nice concentration of Vietnamese on Argyle St (where it meets Broadway). Or you can get off at the Argyle stop on the "El" red line.

If you do a search for Argyle or Vietnamese other threads will come up for you.

cecelia

Can't wait to try this place next time were near Chicago. My husband will love the mussels and me the papaya chicken dish. Thanks for telling.

fenger

Maybe it's just my taste......but the food didn't really stand out to me. Tried a few appetizers, had pork ribs and fried noodles for entree.