Veranda Noodle Bar, Portland, Maine

I first discovered Veranda Noodle Bar purely by accident one afternoon with my husband. Since that deliciously fateful day we’ve been back several times and have always been thrilled with the quality of the food and the outstanding service.

Located at 14 Veranda Street in Portland, ME, Veranda Noodle Bar is tucked out of the way next to a Beal’s Ice Cream, and across the street from Veranda Thai (owned by the same family). It doesn’t invest in flashy advertising, and it’s hard to spot from the main road, but, if you do happen to stumble upon this gem you won’t be disappointed. Each time we’ve been in, the restaurant has been comfortably full of local regulars who order their favorites confidently, spending little time contemplating the menu.

Our obsession began with Pho-fuh. More commonly known as Pho or Pha, this traditional Vietnamese noodle soup is incredibly seductive. Within the beautiful, giant, bowl you find delicious Pho broth full of rice noodles, thinly sliced beef and small homemade meatballs. A plate presented next to your Pho is heaped with sprouts and fragrant herbs for you to add according to your personal tastes. Hoison sauce and Siracha add the finishing touch. You will not find a better Pho in the Portland area, and I challenge you to try to get to the bottom of an extra large bowl – I’ve never been able to to it, no matter how starving I’ve been when I began it.

On this particular visit however, we decided to change it up. Instead of the Pho, we both opted for the Mi Vit Tiem, which is another soup that contains roasted duck thigh and yellow noodles. We also split an Appetizer Sampler and the Grilled Sliced Pork & Egg Roll Vermicelli.

I will admit – I’m fully addicted to the Appetizer Sampler, and have been for some time. While I can switch out the Pho, I can’t let go of this sampler plate. This particular offering samples all of the Veranda Noodle Bar’s most phenomenal appetizers – chicken and beef teriyaki, chicken wing, pork sugarcane, shrimp sugarcane, crab rangoon and egg roll, served with peanut sauce and their sweet and sour sauce. The star of this plate is by far the pork and shrimp sugarcanes. These feature a tender, juicy, well seasoned “meatball” that is placed on a piece of sugarcane and grilled. Try it. You’ll never look back.

Quickly following our appetizers, we were served our soup. The duck soup is accompanied by a plate of sprouts, jalapenos, and fragrant herbs much like the Pho. I’m ashamed to admit it, but the duck soup rivaled the space in my heart firmly reserved for the Pho. The roast duck was tender and not greasy, and the broth was a layering of flavors just as impressive as the Pho. I loaded up my bowl and dove in with pleasure.

The Grilled Sliced Pork & Egg Roll Vermicelli that followed was just excessive. No one could eat the amount of food we ordered. However, I knew from experience, this would all be delicious the next day as lunch. The Grilled Sliced Pork & Egg Roll Vermicelli is just not to missed, no matter what else is on the table. The first time we went to the Veranda Noodle Bar all around us we heard people ordering the “V8”, which is this dish’s number on the menu. Once I tried it I knew why it had such overwhelming popularity. The cool Vermicelli noodles and cucumber blend perfectly with the grilled pork and crispy slices of egg roll. Top it off with their signature sweet and sour sauce and it’s pure magic.

Veranda Noodle Bar is not to missed by anyone who loves Asian cuisine or fantastic soup. Your first trip is guarenteed not to be your last.