Posted on 09/18/2010
Address: 2616 Cedar Park Place, Abbotsford, BC
If you ever happen to be in Abbotsford, and are dying of hunger, with a special need for pho', then make sure to remember back to the time you read this blog posting about my visit to Ken and Joy's Vietnamese gourmet restaurant tucked along a row of South Asian restaurants and grocery marts. Their food is sure to pick you up and send you on your way again with a full tummy and a full heart.
Plenty of parking in this shopping strip. The awning sports an unforgettable picture of Ken's son eating a bowl of pho' with the line "Got Pho'?" Unique to be sure.
The details are posted on the glass. Of interest is the fact that Ken and Joy chose to include alongside the image of Vietnam country that of Laos. Since I have been to Laos, and enjoyed myself immensely (sticky rice, broiled river fish, charcoal-pit roasted bbq chicken, Luang Prabang sausage anyone?) I was looking for Lao influences in Ken's cuisine.
The menu.
First up an appetizer of Vietnamese calamari!? Yes that's right - deep fried, spicy squid. The thing about seafood of any kind is this: it should never be overcooked. And Ken puts out a just-on-the-border-of-being-overcooked-without-actually-being-overcooked dish of Spicy Squid. And on top is sprinkled the classic spicy topping of Chinese? origin, the fried green chiles with garlic. Good.
Salad Roll comes is a rather largish package that is prepared well enough for most palates. I enjoyed them. Make double sure to order the Special Iced Tea when you go. I still don't know what the secret ingredient is: but the claim is that the 2 daughters of Ken and Joy invented this drink and I look forward to a future writeup in a gourmet-food magazine featuring their delicious concoction.
Spring Rolls, Grilled Pork and Grilled Prawns combo is a good intro to Ken's cuisine. He makes an effort to make the meat taste smokey as from charcoal-pit. To me I always prefer my bbq meats to have that smokey aroma that adds to the intensity of enjoyment.
An Asian classic dessert: Deep Fried Bananas with Ice Cream.
Close-up showing the lightly fried battered bananas. Light and fluffy and crispy on the outside - hot and soft and delicious on the inside.