Palate pleaser

Northwest suburbanites can finally sample Vietnamese fare close to home.

This fresh and flavorful cookery hasn't spread across the suburbs as widely as other ethnic cuisines, so the opening of Dung Gia in downtown Des Plaines, across from the train station, is especially welcome.

The new spot comes from the Tran family, well-established restaurateurs who built a fine reputation with Annam Cafe in Evanston, which they ran for the past decade. Rising rents spurred them to move northwest this fall, and the North Shore's loss is the Northwest suburbs' gain.

The owners say they named their new venture in commemoration of their parents, who passed away last year.

The simple little storefront with the neon "pho" sign in the window and green-painted walls seats just 24, but the menu boasts more than 50 Vietnamese dishes, from savory pho noodle soups to stir fries to clay-pot casseroles, plus a dozen lunch specials.

Vietnamese cooking tends to be fresh and light, with elements similar to both Chinese and Thai fair. You'll find lots of fresh herbs, warm seasonings such as cinnamon and star anise and the funky flavor of fish sauce, a fermented condiment used much like soy or Worcestershire sauce.

For example, it flavors the peanutty dipping sauce served with the fresh spring rolls, chilled tubes of springy rice paper filled with rice noodles, shrimp, mint and vegetables.

Dung Gia's cha gio are as good as they come, crispy little cigars of deep-fried rice paper stuffed with savory ground pork, noodles, carrot and onion, and served with a sweet-sour dip. Other starters include marinated pork skewers and roasted quails.

Salads show the zesty fresh flavors of Vietnamese cuisine, such as goi bo, a colorful mound of thin-cut celery, wedges of tomato, bits of cucumber and bell pepper mixed with shreds of lemongrass-marinated grilled beef. It really wakes up your palate. Other options include traditional salads made with shredded green papaya and a spicy squid salad.

Meal-in-a-bowl soups such as beefy pho bo and canh chua tom, a shrimp soup, offer savory comfort, and various dishes cooked in clay pots also appeal in wintry weather. Com tay cam, claypot chicken and rice, is a famous Vietnamese dish, featuring rice stir-fried with fragrant seasonings and then slowly cooked with chicken, bits of sweet sauce and shiitake mushrooms so their flavors infuse the rice. Catfish, salmon and chicken also get clay-pot treatment.

Grilled pork chops are a specialty of the house, but there are plenty of options for folks who don't eat meat. Vegetarians should probably inquire about the use of fish sauce in meatless items.

Even confirmed carnivores shouldn't overlook the ca tim nuong, planks of fire-grilled eggplant set in a delicate clear soy-based sauce and piled with diced, sauteed bell peppers and red onions.

Only a handful of the entrees cost more than $10.

For dessert, almond cookies come out with the check, or you can get a fresh-fruit smoothie with chewy tapioca pearls. Other beverages include strong, rich Vietnamese coffee mixed with sweetened condensed milk, served hot or cold; sprightly soda chanh, fresh sparkling limeade; and the usual sodas.

Regulars at the Vietnamese restaurants in the Glendale Heights area or Chicago's Uptown will find a few favorites missing from Dung Gia's menu (such as banh mi, Vietnamese sandwiches), but you'll find lots to like here without the drive. If you haven't tried Vietnamese food before, don't wait any longer.

Dung Gia

1436 Miner St., Des Plaines, (847) 803-4402

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Setting: Tidy storefront in downtown Des Plaines

Price range: Appetizers and salads $3.25 to $8.95; entrees $5.95 to $15.95; desserts $3.50

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday and Wednesday through Sunday

Accepts: Major credit cards

Also: Street parking; near Metra; lunch specials from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.