Portland: Discover a restaurant that brings Hanoi flavors to America

Honored by The New York Times, The Paper Bridge in Portland is causing a stir with its authentic Northern-style bun cha and bun dau, forcing diners to book tables months in advance.

In Portland, Oregon, a Vietnamese restaurant called The Paper Bridge is creating a culinary sensation after being named one of the Top 50 Best Restaurants in America by The New York Times. Reservations are fully booked through December, a testament to the appeal of the authentic Northern Vietnamese dishes the restaurant offers.

Run by Quynh Nguyen, a Hanoi native, and her husband, chef Carlo Reina, The Paper Bridge is not just a place to eat, but also a cultural space where authentic Vietnamese flavors are cherished and introduced to international friends.

A journey to bring the flavors of the North to the heart of America.

Quynh and Carlo met in Vietnam, sharing a passion for food, especially dishes from the Northwest region. After five years, they decided to move to the United States and open a restaurant with the desire to introduce a deeper and more diverse perspective on Vietnamese cuisine, going beyond familiar dishes like pho or banh mi.

The Paper Bridge opened in November 2023, facing numerous initial challenges. Customer numbers dropped after the first few weeks, and many customers complained about the texture of the fresh rice noodles and pho, having become accustomed to the packaged dried versions. However, through perseverance and belief in quality, the couple gradually won over their customers.

Ms. Quynh and her husband pose for a photo inside a room recreating Vietnamese street culture at The Paper Bridge restaurant. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

"Stubborn" menu: Preserving the original flavor.

With a menu of around 30 dishes, The Paper Bridge focuses on Northern Vietnamese specialties such as bun cha (grilled pork with vermicelli), pho bo (beef noodle soup), Van Dinh roast duck, and savory fried cakes. Ms. Quynh asserts that the recipes are kept original and unadulterated to suit local tastes. "Those who don't like it will have to accept it, but I want to promote authentic Vietnamese culinary culture," she shared.

The restaurant's signature dish is Hanoi-style bun cha (grilled pork with vermicelli). Despite being unable to use charcoal due to complex regulations, the owner creatively grilled the pork skin and used the resulting juices to create a distinctive smoky flavor. Even dishes that might not appeal to everyone, like bun dau mam tom (vermicelli with tofu and shrimp paste) or cha ca La Vong (La Vong-style grilled fish), are popular with American customers.

Bun cha (grilled pork with vermicelli) at the restaurant. Photo: Provided by the owner.

To retain customers, the restaurant adopts a strategy of adding three special dishes each month. Most recently, they added Phu Tay Ho snail noodle soup, buffalo skin salad, and pa pỉnh tộp – a Thai fish dish, offering new and exciting experiences.

A portion of snail noodle soup from Phu Tay Ho has recently been added to the restaurant's menu. Photo: Provided by the owner.

Overcoming the raw material challenge

Preserving the original flavor requires constant effort in sourcing ingredients. Many herbs like perilla and mint are available in the US, but their flavor is different from that in Vietnam. Characteristic spices like cardamom, or machines for making fresh rice noodles and pho, must be imported directly from Vietnam, leading to considerable difficulties in maintenance and repair.

A miniature Vietnamese cultural space

The Paper Bridge captivates diners not only with its food but also with its distinctly Vietnamese ambiance. Ms. Quynh has dedicated a corner to recreating street culture with signs advertising "concrete drilling and cutting" and characteristic green plastic chairs. Many other corners are decorated with traditional Vietnamese dó paper and Dong Ho paintings. The restaurant also sells handcrafted products such as Dong Ho paintings and Bat Trang ceramics, allowing Vietnamese culture to permeate the lives of the local people.

The restaurant gradually became an "information hub," where people planning a trip to Vietnam would come to ask for advice. Ms. Quynh was always willing to share, contributing to beautiful connections between the two cultures.

Well-deserved achievements and a bright future.

The recognition from The New York Times is a well-deserved reward for the tireless efforts of Ms. Quynh and her husband, Carlo. With their current success, Ms. Quynh is planning to open another restaurant, while Carlo still dreams of writing a book about Vietnamese cuisine. Both believe they will contribute to establishing Vietnamese cuisine's rightful place on the international map.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/portland-kham-pha-quan-an-mang-huong-vi-ha-noi-den-my-397890.html