Good Dining, Vietnam!
Back in Austin, Beth and I frequented this most excellent Vietnamese place right off 183 by McNeil, and it was one of the things we missed when we moved to Phoenix.
However, when we moved recently, our luck changed for the better. Not too far from our new house, on the SW corner of Bell Rd and 43rd Ave., there's this Vietnamese restaurant named "Avina's". It's in a strip center that has seen better days, back in the corner, so it's somewhat hard to find. But that's just appearances - the food there is quite good, and I no longer miss the Vietnamese place we went to in Austin.
We went there tonight for the second time and noticed that they had a website address on their menu. When we got home, I paid it a visit and discovered a truly amazing story (PDF link) about the owners of the restaurant. Stories like this are both inspiring and shocking at the same time. I'll never be able to look at this restaurant in the same way again, that's for sure. Given the quality of the food and the hard work that has got them this far, I'll be more than glad to patronize these folks time and again.
As a side note, I think we were served tonight by the Avina for whom the restaurant is named, although I can't be sure.
Comments
I'm fairly certain that was Avina. There was a picture wall hanging of her and her mom near the doorway into the kitchen.
Posted by: lyssa | September 23, 2005 07:33 AM
Wow. Amazing story, and that menu makes me hungry.
Posted by: Humbaba | September 23, 2005 10:32 AM
I ate at that vietnamese place off 183 by McNeil last night.
(here by way of your slashdot comments earlier today and now wandering aimlessly...)
Posted by: Nugget | October 27, 2005 06:19 PM
Thank you Mr. Oliver for writing such a wonderful commentary about my family's restaurant. Next time you and your wife visit us, please introduce yourself so I can thank you personally. Seeing that it is almost the Chinese/Vietnamese new year (Jan. 29), my family would like to wish you and your family a prosperous and healthy new year.
Posted by: Avina | January 27, 2006 01:09 AM