By Sherman Chan,
Special to The Post

The Shaken Beef (Luc Lac Beef) was buttery soft and tender with an aromatic finish. A squirt of salty lime made things more lively. The Saigon Steak featuring tender slices of medium-rare New York steak had a pho reduction sauce. The caramelized nước chấm potato were firm, yet still soft.

Another winner was the Tamarind Duck with roasted beet, Vietnamese pickles and red wine reduction. The meaty duck breast was succulent and smoky with rendered skin. When dipped into the dried chili jam, there was a wealth of tang, sweetness and spice to coat the crispy ribs.

One of my favourites was the Duck Confit Fry Bread with pickled veggies and hoisin. The duck was moist and tender. The fry bread was crispy outside while almost pillowy inside. The wings were salty, spicy and sticky with sweet enough.

The Hi Phong Squid consisted of deep-fried drunken calamari with pickles and slaw. There was a cilantro pesto that was creamy, mild and herbaceous. The squid was tender. The Bird's Nest Noodles lacked pop.

The House Special Pho had all the meats and sprouts, basil and lime. The broth was clean and light. Noodles were not overdone and the meats were tender. We got a pleasant surprise dish in the Salad Roll with sausage, vermicelli, lettuce, cucumber and pickled veg.

For dessert, we had Beignets dusted with confectioners sugar which were light, pillowy soft and not greasy, and not overly sweet. These were a fine end to a well-executed and solid interpretation of modern Vietnamese cuisine. There is definitely a premium to be paid, but not high for Yaletown standards (nothing over $20.00).

House Special Vietnamese

1269 Hamilton Street , Vancouver, BC

The Good:

• Solid eats all-around with generally impactful flavours

• Reasonably-priced for Yaletown

The Bad:

• Of course you are paying more, but not incredibly more

Sherman Chan is the #1 ranked food blogger on the Vancouver portal of Urbanspoon.com. Read more of his reviews at www.shermansfoodadventures.com.