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Fresh, Tasty Are Always In Fashion

Tribune photo by JAY NOLAN

Family-friendly Trang Viet Cuisine serves a variety of satisfying dishes including mussels, center, Vegan Ginger Chicken, top left, and Veggie Rotisserie Chicken Drumsticks.

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By CHRISTINE DeLESSIO

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 14, 2008

TAMPA - Walking into Trang Viet Cuisine, you may think you've traveled back in time to the '80s. Do you hear Glenn Frey playing in the background? The restaurant's carpet and fabric vertical blinds, a faded mix of "Miami Vice" pastels, make you feel a bit out of date.

Although this family-owned Vietnamese spot may need a makeover, its dishes are classic, timeless and delicious.

So maybe the ambience doesn't lend itself to a romantic meal for two, but that's OK. I dragged my husband and 4-year-old daughter along. Trang is definitely family-friendly, with one table set aside for the owner's family to hang out and keep an eye on the diners.

We started off with the Autumn Rolls (Nem Nuong), char-grilled shrimp and pork wrapped in rice paper. The cold treats were served with a dipping sauce that complemented the flavor of the meats perfectly with a hint of peanut.

At a friend's recommendation, we also tried the Steamed Buns (Banh Bao), rice dumplings stuffed with ground pork, shrimp, egg, and Oriental sausage. They were amazing - the soft dumplings along with the sweet and savory tastes of the meat and seasonings made the perfect trifecta.

Other appetizers include such traditional Vietnamese staples as fresh spring rolls and fragrant pho soup, packed with noodles.

My daughter is usually very impatient when we go to restaurants, but as soon as the appetizers left the table, our dishes arrived hot and ready to devour. The three of us eagerly dug into our entrees.

We enjoyed the golden-brown Curry Chicken (Ca Ri Ga), its boneless chicken pieces sauteed and served over Jasmine rice. The flavor of the curry was a nice mix of spice and sweetness, and the bed of rice was comforting on a rainy Florida night.

For the Noodle Stir-Fry we chose the egg noodles (it's also available with rice noodles or bean threads), which were cooked perfectly and blended well with the fresh mixed vegetables, shrimp and squid. Many of the vegetables included in Trang's dishes are home-grown by the family.

The Grilled Chicken (Ga Lui) was similar to Thai chicken satay. Lean pieces of marinated chicken were grilled on skewers and served with Jasmine rice and a sweet sauce for dipping. The meat was cooked perfectly - tender and moist, not dry. At one point in the meal, I heard my daughter making the funniest noises while she ate this dish: "Yum, yum, yum, yum."

Friends tell us Trang is well-known among local vegetarians as one of the area's more accommodating spots, and the menu bears that out with plenty of flesh-free alternatives, including tofu and faux-meat versions of most dishes. They even have vegan cheesecake for dessert.

Our friendly server was attentive without making us feel rushed, and we especially appreciated her patient smile while we challenged ourselves to order in Vietnamese. Glasses never sat empty for long.

All in all, our meal was near-perfect, and at less than $50 (including tip) for the three of us, not a bad deal. When the food is this satisfying, who needs contemporary decor? We're adding Trang to our list of favorites.

DINING REVIEW

Trang Viet Cuisine

BOTTOM LINE: Family-friendly Vietnamese restaurant won't empty your wallet.

WHERE: 1524 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa

HOURS: 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday, noon to 10:30 p.m. Saturday (closed Sunday)

CREDIT CARDS: All major

RESERVATIONS: Yes

CHILDREN'S MENU: No

ALCOHOL: Beer and wine

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes

PRICE: Weekday lunches (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) start at $6.50; most dinner entrees are about $13.

CALL: (813) 979-1464

Tribune reviewers eat anonymously. Christine DeLessio can be reached at (813) 731-8046 or cdelessio@tampatrib.com.

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