I had not eaten much Vietnamese food before going to Number Nine Noodles and Beer in Long Beach; CA. Wow, was I in for a great surprise! The owners are young entrepreneurs who had previously owned the Downbeat Café in Los Angeles and who also currently own The Vintage Collective, next door to Number Nine.

I asked them why Vietnamese, especially since she is from Barcelona and he from Southern California? Their response was that they love the food and felt it was poorly represented in Long Beach. They wanted to do a pho restaurant exactly how they would like it: good design, groovy music, plenty of killer beers, 100% natural meats, quality ingredients, nice servers, clean and with a stream-lined menu of just the staples. I think they hit the nail on the head!!

When there, I tried the vegetarian spring rolls, which are served cold and have a wonderful explosion of flavor from the fresh mint, thai basil and cilantro. They also include lettuce, pan-seared tofu, shiitake mushrooms, vermicelli noodles, daikon and carrot pickle, with peanut sauce on the side. I also tried the Chicken Pho, rice noodle soup that comes with an herb plate that contains bean sprouts, lime, thai basil, jalapenos and cilantro. The flavors made my mouth happy! TK had the Banh Mi, a Vietnamese sandwich. He chose the barbequed pork which comes with a sriracha mayo and sliced jalapenos, and is served with shrimp chips. It was quite large with just the right amount of heat.  For desert, we chose ginger infused crème brulee, a nice twist to the classic with just a hint of spice. Really different and really good!

The atmosphere is sleek and modern, but casual, a nice neighborhood spot on 4^th street. It’s the kind of place you want to go to with friends after a busy day. The wine and beer selections are excellent and their cocktails look interesting as well. Next time I have to try the Hanoi Bellini.

When  in Long Beach, check it out, your taste buds, as well as the rest of your senses will thank you!