Van Loi II — Restaurant in Greensboro

If you're looking for a place that serves food so good it might make you rethink your life choices, Van Loi in Greensboro is your answer. Seriously, if you haven’t been yet, what are you even doing with your life? This place is the Vietnamese food equivalent of finding a secret treasure chest in your backyard — except instead of gold, it’s filled with pho, banh mi, and enough deliciousness to make you sing. And yes, I mean sing.

Let’s start with the pho. This isn’t just a soup, this is a life-changing experience. The broth is so rich, so flavorful, I swear it has magical properties. It’s like drinking a hug from the inside. The beef is so tender, it practically melts in your mouth. You’ll find yourself slurping noodles like you’re in a competition, and the best part? You’re the winner every time. If pho had a fan club, I’d be president. It’s the kind of pho that makes you want to cancel your plans for the evening and just live in the bowl.

Then there’s the banh mi, which I’m pretty sure is the lovechild of a sandwich and a baguette who ran away to Paris and lived their best life. The crispy baguette is like the perfect crunchy exterior of a delicious little French fairy tale, while the savory filling is a rollercoaster of flavor. You’ll bite into it and immediately consider making it the most important relationship of your life. Forget dating apps — Van Loi has got your next great romance right here in sandwich form. It’s the kind of banh mi that could start a cult, and I’d be the first to join.

And let’s not overlook the spring rolls. Fresh, crunchy, and so loaded with goodness, they practically jump off the plate and into your mouth. The dipping sauce is so good I would consider drinking it straight from the bowl if society allowed that. But instead, I’ll just keep dipping these rolls into it until I’m comfortably full and questioning my life choices in the best possible way.

The grilled pork vermicelli bowl? Don’t even get me started. It’s like someone decided to combine all the best parts of the universe — grilled pork, fresh veggies, and vermicelli noodles — and wrap them up in a bowl of pure joy. The sweet-savory sauce ties everything together so perfectly, you’ll wonder if they secretly put magic in it. Every bite is like a new revelation that life can be this good.

The service at Van Loi deserves its own Michelin star. The staff is so nice, they make you feel like you’ve just been adopted into their family, and they’re feeding you their grandma’s secret recipes. They’ll happily walk you through the menu if you're new to Vietnamese food, and they’ve got recommendations that’ll make you feel like you’re being led into a food wonderland. Plus, the food arrives faster than you can say “I’m never eating anywhere else again,” which is always a win in my book.

And let’s talk about the prices. This isn’t just good food; it’s affordable good food. You won’t leave wondering if you need to sell your kidney to pay for the meal. Instead, you’ll leave full, happy, and maybe a little bit in love with the staff. It’s the perfect balance between “Wow, that was amazing!” and “I can do this again tomorrow.”

In conclusion, if you want Vietnamese food that’ll make you laugh, cry (tears of joy), and (LOL) potentially reconsider your entire existence, Van Loi is your place. This is the kind of restaurant that makes you forget about all the other food options around because you’ll be too busy dreaming of pho, banh mi, and all the other deliciousness they have to offer. It’s a guaranteed good time for your taste buds, your stomach, and your soul. Go now. Go today. Go every day. You...

Greensboro, known for its lush landscapes and vibrant culture, has yet another gem to boast about: Van Loi 2, a culinary haven that tantalizes the taste buds and warms the soul. This isn't just a restaurant; it's an experience, a journey through the heart of Asian cuisine.

Our adventure at Van Loi 2 began with a toast of peach sake and Thai tea. The sake, with its delicate peach undertones, was a symphony of flavors, harmonizing sweetness with the robust essence of traditional sake. The Thai tea, a bold contrast, was a creamy and dreamy concoction that immediately transported us to the bustling streets of Bangkok.

Next came the appetizers: shrimp and veggie rice rolls, each a masterpiece wrapped in delicate rice paper. The shrimp rice rolls were a celebration of the ocean's bounty, fresh and succulent, while the veggie rolls were a vibrant mosaic of greens, both served with a peanut sauce that was nothing short of a revelation. It was the kind of sauce that could make you forget there's anything else on the table.

The main course was a tale of two pho bowls: the seafood pho and the chicken pho. The seafood pho was a treasure trove of the sea's finest, each spoonful a discovery of different textures and flavors. The chicken pho, on the other hand, was a comforting embrace, with tender chicken slices swimming in a broth so aromatic and flavorful, it felt like a hug from the inside.

What made these bowls stand out was their freshness. The veggies were crisp, the herbs fragrant, and the addition of chili oil and hoisin sauce brought an intricate layer of flavors that danced on the palate.

But what truly sets Van Loi 2 apart is the service. In a world where dining often becomes a transactional experience, Van Loi 2 reminds us of the joy of human connection. The staff's warmth and genuine hospitality made us feel like family, turning a simple meal into a memorable experience.

In conclusion, Van Loi 2 isn't just about the food, though that in itself is a reason enough to visit. It's about the experience, the atmosphere, and the feeling of being welcomed...

When it comes to Vietnamese dining, Greensboro offers plenty of options. With gentle-sounding music and nicely appointed interiors, establishments like Pho Hien Vuong and Vietnamese Garden offer a pleasant dining experience. But if all you care about is getting the most authentic food, then Van Loi is the way to go. Located in a slightly shady strip mall off Farmington Road, it is unlikely to attract the business lunch crowd – or much of a crowd at all. I went there at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday and was the only customer. The white-and-green interior is Spartan, and at least a half-dozen Heineken-and-pho posters adorn the walls.

What Van Loi lacks in ambience, it makes up for in menu variety. In addition to the standard soups, noodle bowls, and rice dishes, you can get BBQ duck or make your own spring rolls. There are also enough dishes featuring random pig parts (brains, blood, etc.) to give Anthony Bourdain a run for his money.

Eschewing the exotic, I opted for a grilled pork-and-egg roll vermicelli bowl. The meat was suspiciously red, though quite tasty and not undercooked. The incorporation of mint was a nice touch, but on the whole, the dish wasn’t markedly better than it was at any of Van Loi’s more Westernized competitors.

Pricing at Van Loi is higher than the rudimentary interior design suggests. Nothing here is unreasonable – my entree was $8 and you can feed yourself for under $10 – but again, it is comparable to the competition. A family-owned restaurant, Van Loi employs minimal staff. This isn’t a problem due to the aforementioned emptiness, but I wouldn’t want to be there on a busy day.

The diversity of the menu makes Van Loi worth at least a second visit, and a sampling of some of the Chinese BBQ items might lead to a reappraisal. But for now, “authenticity” isn’t enough to put Van Loi ahead of Greensboro’s more appealing Vietnamese...