Having just gotten back from Hanoi, Vietnam, I was honestly a little skeptical. Would anything in Cagayan de Oro even come close? Turns out, Vietnam Ca Phe on 21st – 27th Street, Nazareth gave me some solid reasons to smile.
First order of business: the Vietnamese spring rolls. Freshly fried, had most of the ingredients found in the spring rolls I enjoyed in Vietnam, wrapped in rice paper and delicious. The spring rolls were served on a bed of lettuce. The dipping sauce was not too bad and I enjoyed eating.
Then came the pho bo or beef pho, and although the dish lacked several other elements such as lime, bean sprouts, cilantro etc, it still delivered. The broth had that warm, slow-cooked depth that I associate with the real deal. Glad that they used flat rice noodles, too. It wasn’t Hanoi-level, but it was close enough. And for an affordable price, I thought it was already a good deal.
I also ordered the ginger lemon drink, which was refreshing and felt like a good pairing with the meal. Fair warning though — the ginger packs a serious punch. If you’re sensitive to it, you might want to ask them to tone it down a notch.
As for Vietnamese coffee, I’ll have to save that for next time. I came home from my trip to Sapa and Hanoi with way too much coffee stocks!
The Vietman Ca Phe place is small and cozy. Think intimate corner café vibes. One thing to keep in mind: parking can be a bit of a challenge in the area. I went on a Sunday and managed just fine, but I imagine weekdays and peak hours could be a different story.
Vietnam Ca Phe is open daily. Monday to Thursday from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and Friday to Sunday from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Worth the stop if you’re craving authentic Vietnamese flavors right here in CDO.
NOTE: This is NOT a sponsored post. I paid for everything myself.
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Mindanaoan is a multi-awarded blogger, content creator, seasoned social media strategist and publicist with undeniably successful track record. Her content niches are lifestyle, travel, politics and events. 2012 International Visitor Leadership Program (for global leaders) alumnus and O visa grantee (for people with extraordinary skills and who have risen to the top of their field). Avid traveler and a proud relief operations volunteer. Regular resource person for social media, blogging and content creation. Available for work and travel – [email protected]
