Cô Anh — Restaurant in Spring Valley

Co Anh has been on my go-to list since I lived in Las Vegas a year ago. It is in Chinatown. My hubby is getting eye surgery and it was down the street. I walked in around 10 am and it's such a delight to see a Vietnamese place this busy so early. I was greeted right away even though they were packed. You know the food is about to be the bomb when there are so many Asians in there. I was seated within minutes.

I ordered the Hu Tieu & Mi (Rice & Egg Noodles Soup) Rice and egg noodles served with chicken and pork broth, fried pork fat bits, pork liver, fish balls, fish cake, chives, green onions, and cilantro. I haven't had a two-type noodle soup dish in over 15 years and was praying it was just how I remembered it. The rice and egg noodle textures are different and complement each other. The broth is simple but flavorful. With each bite, grab both noodles together, the textures are so bouncy then add the crunchy fried pork fat, and it's to die for! The only sad part was I was dying for some pork liver and they didn't have any. I also ordered the Bot Chien Trung to go, something I always ate with grandma but she died over a decade ago. Anytime I see it on a menu (which is not often) I have to order it. Maybe I ordered to go so the texture wasn't there. The flavor-wise was a hit! I'm such a foodie I also ordered a Dac Biet Banh Mi and 2 Pate Chaud to-go. The banh mi was really good, and the Pate was squeezing out, just how I liked it. Most places never put enough Pate. They overfilled it with meat, which is a plus! Pate Chaud is a must-try as well. If you're taking it to-go, which I did and didn't eat it til the next day... I air-fried it for a couple of minutes and it tasted fresh, crispy,...

What a great Vietnamese restaurant that isn't Pho focused. Plenty of dishes to try I've never seen before..

Co Anh Service and ambiance: This is a tiny mom and pop resto that maybe sits 50 at full capacity. Dark neutral colors throughout provides for a clean minimalist dining area. The server was great with menu suggestions and the kitchen got our orders to the table quickly during the lunch rush. Mad respect to "Grandpa" who was helping out by keeping our drinks fresh, cool dude.

Co Anh Cuisine: Two dishes that we're familiar with: The Grilled pork patties spring rolls and Crispy Fried Pork & Shrimps Egg rolls were delish and ranks with the best of em in Vegas. I went with the Curry Chicken Vermicelli noodle and it was tasty. The curry broth is has a more soupy texture but was savory. They were a little light on the chicken in the broth but overall was still good. My friends all loved their dishes: Sticky Rice, Shredded chicken,Chinese sausage + Egg Rolls Grilled pork belly w/ vermicelli, Pork Rice Rolls, and the Wonton Egg Noodle Soup. They also provided complimentary hot tea which I appreciated.

All the ingredients for the dishes were fresh and prepped perfectly. The pricing offers some amazing value for the quality of food. The variety of dishes they had was extensive and I have not come across a Vietnamese resto like this in Vegas currently. I'll be back sooner versus later to explore more dishes but that's another...

First off, don't be put off by the small space and hole in the wall atmosphere, this is the real deal when it comes to authentic and delicious Vietnamese food. Their menu feature dishes that you don't see on the typical pho shop. My new favorite is the Banh Mi Vang Phuoc Kien, number 14. Most delicious noodle soup, served in a metal bowl, straight from the hawk stalls off the streets of somewhere in SE Asia where they give you a roll of cheap toilet paper inside a pink, green, or blue plastic container to wipe your mouth with. You're not near a Costco anymore Dorothy. Except. You are! You're in Vegas and this is a taste of a place faraway without the smell of sewage and the toilet paper napkins.

Always always, the dac biet sandwich. That's also great to go. I like to stash like 2-3 in my fridge and veg out at home for a day or two. Or breastfeed and forget to eat and see one in your fridge like the hidden change in your couch cushions when you're short a quarter for the washer. Winning! The noodle soups are not great to go. Eat them there or get the dac biet to go. I tried to get the noodle soup and eat it in a hotel room and that was not a winning combo. Only gripe is they close early, like 4pm, so it's more like a lunch spot only or for those who don't...