Elisa Ludwig visits Vietnam Cafe in West Philadelphia and finds a smaller, more intimate space and menu.

And among the greatest of Vietnam’s greatest hits is the pork chop served over broken rice. The meat, redolent with lemongrass and the smoke of the grill, is juicy and tender, while the couscous-like grains sop up its drippings along with the vinegar of pickled carrots. See also the charred grape-leaf-wrapped beef rolls, the addictive salt-and-pepper squid and the creamy crêpe with ground pork and shrimp.

Vieterans Day [City Paper]