Choppin' at Cha Pa's

We love when we can see our food being prepared.  It reflects a confidence in both cleanliness and quality, which Cha Pa's Noodles and Grill definitely delivers.  In the back corner of the restaurant, beautiful fresh produce of a variety of colors was being prepared, seen after being greeted by a white exposed brick wall with a few painted red for a splash of color and artistry.   

We also enjoy finding a good, non-commercial place to eat in midtown, a rather daunting feat at times, but we're committed to finding as many as possible and making them available to all of you.

The 'Fork' wrapping a Vietnamese Spring Roll...sans fork

Andy: My first encounter with a Vietnamese Spring roll was in Houston, Texas while on the Broadway tour of Rent.  Houston?  Vietnamese food?  Yes...some of the best Vietnamese ever!  Houston has many famous Vietnamese Restaurants that are open till 4:00 am so it was the perfect after-show excursion.  Fellow cast members Telly Leung and Yuka Takara, who had been there before, knew of all the great spots including a restaurant called Mai's.

It was something I never knew I always wanted. The fried, hot against cold, fresh bite of the Vietnamese Spring roll left me quickly surveying how many were left on the plate in hopes that there were more coming my way.  Deliciously seasoned minced pork wrapped in rice paper, deep fried, then wrapped in lettuce with aromatic mint as a garnish dipped in a fish sauce concoction...unforgettable, an appetizer that can easily serve as a main course.  Hard to find in many restaurants, so I was very pleased to have found it at Cha Pa's, just how I remembered it.

The Pho, complete with condiments

Adam: First off, I've got a crush on condiments. My Pho was preceded by an arrangement of sauces (Hoisin, Sriracha, and chili) along with some basil and sprouts.  I think I may make it a New Year's resolution to be more in touch with my condiments.  Pardon the sexual innuendo.  Anyway, the Pho was delicious and satisfying, a great in-between-shows meal.  My spicy condiments cleared my sinuses, and the plentiful chicken, stewed vegetables, and clean broth fueled my body and soul.  In a lot of ways it reminded me of the comfort I get from eating a bowl of New City Jewish Deli Matzo Ball soup.  Pho and Matzoball soup: brothers from another mother. 

"Shaken Steak" served with brown rice

Matt: In case you haven't heard, I'm a sucker for Yelp.  Wherever I go, I always want to know what everyone else gets, often yielding the most tasty meal.  I weigh that with the specials, if any, as well as my own personal craving.  This time, I settled on the Yelp recommended "Shaken Steak" with brown rice.  I'll take any excuse to take a bite out of some steak.  Who wouldn't?  It was both clean and flavorful, a difficult combination to achieve.  

True to form, I finished with a Vietnamese coffee.  It is most often served in a single-cup filter called a 'phin,' served still brewing with sweetened condensed milk at the bottom which origins derive from its ability to keep in the tropical climate.  Just remove the 'phin,' stir, and enjoy, which I most certainly did.  I don't often take milk or sugar in my coffee so it was a nice change of pace.    

So, if you're ever in midtown, and you're craving some Vietnamese, hop on over to Cha Pa's Noodles and Grill for a great ambiance and even better food.  Vô! ("Cheers!" in Vietnamese, just in case you were wondering why, after an entire blog post in English, we finished in a different language)

The Boys of Broadway Bites & Vietnamese Coffee