Simmer Vietnamese Kitchen Now Open

Both elegant and welcoming, Simmer Vietnamese Kitchen is The Plaza North's newest dining venue. 

From the moment you walk into Simmer, you are transported to a calm oasis of simple, carefully chosen furniture and decor. Bamboo plants surrounds the restaurant from the outside, enclosing the space and buffering it from the parking lot outside. Inside, Asian sculptures and a huge aquarium filled with colorful, graceful fish set the tone for a very different type of dining experience.

Although the predominant color scheme of Simmer is black and brown, it is offset by light walls and two walls of windows for natural light. In the evening, the low lights and the lighted aquarium transform Simmer into a relaxing and calming sanctuary - appropriate for a romantic rendezvous, a pleasant meet-up with friends, or a delightful solo dining experience. 

And by the way, the food is delicious. Simmer serves traditional Vietnamese dishes such as curry, pho, vermicelli and rice plates. On our first visit, we tried some appetizers - the chicken egg rolls and the crispy tofu. Both were outstanding. The egg rolls were crisp and evenly cooked all around. The crispy tofu was just that, crispy and batter fried, with a soft creamy interior.  On another visit, I had the vegetarian egg roll and toful bowl with vermicelli and my dining partners had the bbq beef short ribs with rice and the house special combo of pork meatballs, prawns, lemongrass chicken and beef onion wrap with vermicelli. Another home run!

Our great dining experiences at Simmer Vietnamese Kitchen and the delicious smells when you walk into the restaurant already tell the story, but don't take our word for it. the Yelp reviews are already coming in and they are five star. 
 
Add to that a friendly staff, great service, and really great prices. As one Yelp reviewer stated, "When you are in Simmer, it feels like you are in a restaurant in the city but the prices are so reasonable". Most dishes are in the $5 - $10 range and there is even a $5 children's menu - so there's no excuse not to bring the whole family out to dine.

Simmer Vietnamese Kitchen is located at 299 N. McDowell (between CVS and Bank of the West). Phone (707) 762-4288. Open daily 11 am - 9 pm.