CJ soups it up at Cafe Thuy Van

[Robin Garr]

Marty goes well off the beaten path this week with a trip to Cafe Thuy Van, one of the less well-known South End Vietnamese spots, located out on National Turnpike (near South Side Drive), several blocks southwest of the cluster of Vietnamese shops around Iroquois Manor. I checked this out several years ago and was uninspired, but Marty's glowing report sounds like it has found its niche. Gotta get out there for a recheck when some of this snow melts! Word count is back up to a hefty 661 words, up from a record low in the 400s for Artemisia last week, so the struggle with the Gannett bean counters evidently continues.

Slurp-inspiring soups at cafe
Vietnamese menu at Cafe Thuy Van

Cafe Thuy Van
5600 National Turnpike
(502) 366-6959

On a related note, I tried to stop in and have lunch at Vietnam Kitchen the other day and it was packed to the rafters with a wait for tables. The VK is rockin'.

I'm glad Marty made it out there. We have some real vietnamian jewels in that area. I haven't tried Thuy Van yet but I am a regular at Annie Cafe (Woodlawn) and am very familiar with Vietnam Kitchen. The little place on Strawberry lane in the small shopping strip is good as well, especially if you enjoy being the only non-asian in the place. Annie's pho (I eat it with tofu) has me addicted, as well as their hot tea.

You got newspaper delivery this morning in the snow???

[Robin Garr]

You got newspaper delivery this morning in the snow???

The CJ's Website is even more lame than the print edition, but at least it does not have to be thrown on the porch.

Let's just say the best time to eat at VK is the day after another Vietnamese restaurant is reviewed in the rag. We ate at Vietnam Kitchen tonight and it was only half full which is rare on a Sunday (although we did eat early....6 pm or so).