A new Vietnamese spot has opened up shop in the neighborhood. Located at 423 Culver Blvd. in Playa del Rey, the newcomer is called Good Morning Vietnam.
The eatery—located in the former Destiny Café space and nestled along the Balboa Wetlands—features a variety of popular mainstays like banh mi sandwiches, phở noodle soups, and traditional-style entrées.
On the banh mi menu, expect to see dishes like a fried egg sandwich, pork terrine, and organic tofu—all topped with jalapeños, pickled veggies, and house-made mayo served on a French baguette.
For noodles, there's a veggie phở with tofu, shiitake mushrooms, bean sprouts, and jalapeños; and grass-fed beef phở with brisket, tripe, and a side of fresh veggies.
Switching over to entrées, look for Vietnamese crepes with heritage pork and wild-caught shrimp; steamed pork and broken rice loaf with a frittata and veggies; and chicken curry with steamed jasmine rice. (You can check out the full menu here.)
So far, the fresh arrival has received an enthusiastic response, with a 4.5-star rating out of six reviews on Yelp.
Dorna M., who was among the first Yelpers to review the new spot on December 5th, said: "Delicious new gourmet Vietnamese place in PDR. Great vegetarian options, including a phở filled with meaty mushrooms. My husband got the beef phở, which he gives five stars."
Yelper Jonathan G. added: “Very good food. I ate the veggie phở and it was delicious. The service is good as well. So happy to have a good Vietnamese restaurant in the area.”
And Olber R. said: "Amazing food. I wasn't a fan of Vietnamese food until I was driving on Culver Blvd. and decided to have lunch in this restaurant. Now I'm a fan. Really love this place."
Head on over to check it out: Good Morning Vietnam is open Saturday from 10am–11pm and Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday from 10am–10pm. (It's closed on Monday.)
