Upon entering the brightly-lit, small dining room of Vietopia, located off of Port Republic Road in Harrisonburg, it is easy to see why the small restaurant continues to amass popularity. The interior is clean, tables lined neatly against the walls and down the center of the restaurant, the staff is consistent and friendly, the menu varied and authentic, the delicious smell of cooked meat and long-simmered broth potent.
This past Friday night, my boyfriend, brother Joseph, and I traipsed into Vietopia and settled at a corner table. After briefly looking at the menu (the three of us opt to eat at Vietopia often enough that a menu almost isn’t necessary), we ordered two bowls of pho (the restaurant’s specialty – a Vietnamese soup composed of broth, meat, and rice noodles) and a platter of vermicelli noodles.
Within a few minutes, the staff placed pho toppings – bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime wedges, and sliced chili peppers – on the table and brought out our food. Their speed was impressive and appreciated – even during the height of lunch hour on weekends, I have never waited longer than ten minutes to be served at Vietopia.
The portions at Vietopia are more than filling and, even better, quite inexpensive for the amount of food you get. Large bowls of pho (enough for one giant dinner or two moderately-portioned lunches) are the most expensive option on the menu, ranging from a very affordable ten to twelve dollars. Banh mi sandwiches average about six dollars, and add-ons like spring rolls, boba smoothies, pork-stuffed dumplings, and sesame balls less than five.
Even better than the price-to-portion ratio is the quality and taste of the food itself. I am certainly no pho expert but, having eaten pho across different states, continents, and in the kitchen of a Vietnamese household, I am confident in my ability to distinguish between a well-made bowl of pho and a poorly-made one. Vietopia’s pho lies firmly in the former category and most definitely stands out in quality compared to other Vietnamese restaurants in the area. The kitchen uses fine cuts of meat and a rich, layered broth in their pho – they do not overwhelm the soup with pre-placed toppings or cook the meat prior to putting it in the broth like other restaurants do. Vietopia’s pho is comforting and warm; as a healthier meal option, it does not leave you feeling greasy and laden after consumption.
On Friday night, despite a decently-occupied dining room, the guests remained relatively quiet, all of us preoccupied with the meals in front of us. After paying at the register and availing ourselves of the complimentary mints, my boyfriend, brother, and I left the restaurant content and warm, bellies full of broth. This is how we always leave Vietopia, why we visit so frequently (and I do mean frequently – every two weeks or so). Vietopia’s pho, corny as it sounds, feels like a delicious hug from the inside, one that you, like us, will return to again and again.
