Vietnamese Food in a Zen Setting at Bamboo

The interior of Bamboo exuded a feeling of calm as we entered. The walls and cloth napkins were avocado green. Bamboo mats under glass topped the tables. Serene music and moderate lighting continued the theme. The tables were set with chopsticks, forks and large spoons.

Our attentive server brought us goblets and quality acrylic tumblers of water when she returned with our opened bottle of wine. We had to ask her for additional time to make our selection from the menu of over 60 items, many with different meat, fish or noodle options.

We tried the Vegetable Summer Rolls ($6) and Pork Rind Rolls ($6) as appetizers. We knew the vegetable version would be light, non-fried rolls, and were intrigued by the pork rind type. Each was presented as two rolls wrapped in rice paper, cut in half. Thin white rice noodles, marinated cooked mushroom and carrot matchsticks, lettuce and lightly fried tofu filled the vegetable rolls, served with a dish of Hoisin sauce and chopped peanuts.

We were pleasantly surprised as we bit into thin bits of lightly crusted rind and tender pork meat with a hint of lime surrounded by rice vermicelli and shredded lettuce. A clear “house fish sauce” in a side dish was the perfect sweet-sour contrast to the roll. We agreed that we had made an excellent choice.

A set of four jars of condiments and a plate of bean sprouts, fresh Thai basil, jalapeno slices and lime wedges preceded the Bamboo Pho ($9). We asked our server about the different sauces, and she pointed out those traditionally used for the soup and indicated their level of spiciness. When the large, white ceramic dish of soup arrived, we proceeded cautiously with the red, spicy sauce but added most of the bean sprouts and basil leaves. A wonderful, complex aroma and taste was our reward. We imagined a hint of clove in the broth brimming with small meatballs, slices of beef, and nearly colorless, tender tripe. This dish could serve as a light but filling meal on its own.

While we were enjoying the soup, our entrees arrived. The Grilled Meat on Rice Vermicelli with our choice of scallops ($10) brought a large plate of four scallops, fresh slices of raw carrot and cucumber on a bed of white rice noodles, bean sprouts and lettuce. The scallops were seared with small bits of roasted onion used sparingly to give a mild flavor and bit of texture. The house fish sauce also worked well as a dipping sauce for the scallops.

A generous dish of Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fried Noodle ($11.50) with our choice of egg noodles had thin, tender strips of chicken breast, green and red peppers, mini corn, mushrooms, green beans, snow peas, carrots and broccoli topped with sprigs of fresh cilantro. It reminded us of a lighter version of a Chinese style dish. We tasted a hint of a slightly smoky note in the sauce.

We could have easily shared our meal with two friends based on the amount of food we received. We passed up the crushed fruit ices ($5), deep-fried banana rolls ($5.50) and flan (4.50) offered for dessert along with flavored teas and coffee.

Lincoln Court Shopping Center, 245 Lancaster Ave., Malvern

Telephone: 610-296-7711

Website: bamboohouseofnoodlesoups.com

Hours: Mon - Thurs, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Fri, Sat, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. (Closed Mon – Fri, 2 – 5 pm)

Cost: Appetizers, soups, $4.50 to $10; entrees, $10 – $19

Credit cards: VISA, Mastercard, AmEx, Discover

Alcohol: B.Y.O.

Special Features: Vietnamese cuisine, vegetarian cuisine