Dang Anh Cafe

Decided to make a random stop to this gem in Vancouver on a rainy day.

Everytime i drove by i always say a line or just couldn't get a table. Oh and another time i didn't have any cash on me.

This place only takes debit and cash. (Disclaimer)

I had the Bun Rieu Cha Ca because i wanted to see if it would taste better than what im accustomed to and oooo i enjoyed every bite. The soup was more clear and it didn't give that heavy sluggish feeling after that sometimes pho can give you.

There was a perfect amount of dill and the protein was very generous. The crab and pork ratio was made with delicacy and they don't cheap out on ingredients which is always much appreciated! The fish cakes were yummy .. i'd even eat that on the side on its own if i felt like it.

I'm definitely having this dish again in the future. I like how their menu carries pho that just isn't full of beef and the basic stuff you see at some other restaurants. Service was good, no language barrier.

Vietnamese coffee was perfectly mixed. No watered down stuff and we got our food pretty soon after ordering.

My sister ordered their specialty pho that had stir fried eel and glass noodles in soup. (Mien Luon) SOOOOOO GOOD!!!

There's parking on the street and a gas station right near by if you need gas right after !

The prices are pretty good paired with the quality. This place has definitely become one of my top 10 vietnamese restaurants in Vancouver.

Ambiance was quieter the day we went and it's probably because it was pouring rain outside. But there was a lively table right by us with a bunch of guys eating a whole feast and just hanging out. Think i'd say the place is good for all kinds of crowds. Can't wait to be back!

I'd also say they do a good job on keeping the restaurant nice and clean. If you end up going to the washroom you won't feel like the ground is slippery or anything. Haha and the washroom is a good size, door locks. They definitely do change their mop water! So rest assured .. it doesn't smell funky in there.

Food was great. We ordered blood congee with pork innards, pho dac biet, spring rolls, iced coffee, and bun thang (not on the menu but part of the specials). The blood congee was delicious and satisfying. The bun thang or chicken soup was very tasty with al dente noodles. The iced coffee had the perfect balance of bitterness and sweet! It's a must order. The service is also fantastic. It felt like our food was made to order. I felt like I was in someone else's home rather than a restaurant. The house tea or drink that they served was cold- perfect for a warm day and it had a hint of pandan leaves but not sweet, very good! The spring rolls were delicious as well, tasted freshly made with just the right proportion of filling to wrap. And the price? Very reasonable! Will definitely come back to try the other items on the menu.

Great spring rolls! I'm a firm believer in rice paper spring rolls so this was good and flavourful, though the outer part was a bit thick. Bun rieu tasted clean and light. I do prefer other places but this was a solid 7.5/10! Banh cuon was good, I wish their fish sauce was stronger so it could complement the spring rolls and banh cuon abit better. Good service, guy working was very friendly!

Been a few times to Cafe Dang Anh, a Northern Vietnamese spot open till 2:00am now! Still cash or debit only.

If you want hot tea, you'll have to ask. Their Chinese donuts aren't listed on the menu. Make sure to try their pickled garlic. Only saw jars on two tables.

We shared a bun rieu cha ca ($13.50) and pho bo ga ($13.50). Broth is on the lighter, cleaner side. Fish cakes were tasty. Noodle portion seems smaller than before. Meats (bone-in chicken, rare beef and well-done beef) in the pho bo ga were a touch overcooked.

Came here for lunch and was not wowed by the food. It was fine but nothing screamed I gotta come back. The restaurant was fine. Portions were decent and price was cheaper than most Vietnamese restaurants but the flavours were average. Came here with a friend and she had the rare beef pho and said it was ok too. We were going to try this place in the summer but noticed that they didn't have air conditioning so we didn't stay. Came here in December and it was uncomfortably hot inside and we were sweating buckets before eating our meal. Turn down the heat.

Yummy and affordable Vietnamese restaurant! Got the Bun Rieu ($13.50) and the Pho Dac Biet ($13.50) and they were both VERY delicious!!

Food came super quick and they had a steady flow of people without it being too crowded on a Saturday afternoon.

I really liked how the broths don't have too strong of the MSG taste while still being really flavourful! Most times when I have Bun Rieu, the MSG really kicks in and everything else tastes bland after. But it was not the case here! Definitely will be coming back!! (They only take cash or debit!)

Small hole based family business. Small hole in the wall. And you know what they say about hole in the walls. They're often the best. This place has good phó. Not THE best. But it's good home Vietnamese cooking. Friendly staff. Quick service. Decor is nothing to write home about. It's bland and really nothing special.

But other than the decor of the place. Their phó is good. Price is decent in a climate where food prices are skyrocketing and restaurants are generally raising their prices in general. This place still offers a decent deal.

It's a small restaurant. So seating is generally limited. Maybe they can fit 20 people in there. Lots of tables that could fit for 2. A few tables that can fit 4. But really if you're coming here with a relatively large group. They won't have space for you.

Staff is friendly. Most of them work in the kitchen. I think it's the son that works at the cashier. He's attentive but also on the phone or iPad a lot behind the cashier. He doesn't come around ask customers how things are and what not. Just does the bare minimum. Brings the food out. Doesn't ask if things are okay. And brings you the bill when you're done or when you're asking for it. So if you're a person who loves and wants staff to engage a little more. You won't be finding that here. It's a quick. Get seated. Get your food and leave with little interaction from the staff that's there. Unless you know the family of course.

Location is kinda meh. They are close to buses and bus stops on Victoria drive. But no access to Skytrain. Closest one has to be either Nanaimo station or Commercial Drive. Those two just too far to walk to on a winter day. Driving is your best bet here. There is street parking and if you're lucky. Some of it is free. Residential parking your best bet. This neighbourhood still doesn't have too many parking restrictions yet. Take advantage of that.

Here's my breakdown.

Food 4/5
Ambiance 1/5
Service 3/5
Location 3/5

This is one of the rare places in the area you can get a pho that doesn't taste like it's swimming in sugar. The broth is relatively light, so this isn't the place to go for a super rich broth.

Unusually small portions for the bun thit nuong (lot of rice, and they pad out the meat with egg rolls as well). Tasty, but just not a lot of food if you don't count the rice. Egg roll is fried interestingly. It's thinner on the outside with a more bubbly, fried, texture than a normal traditional Vietnamese egg roll, but isn't fried in the style of a Chinese egg roll.

Great Pho!

A small cafe on Victoria Street where they have so many other Vietnamese restaurants

The Pho Bo Ga was my favorite ($12.50)
It comes with rare beef, well done beef and bone-in chicken
The broth was light and refreshing and the chicken was juicy and full of flavor. FYI, they serve wide rice noodles here as opposed to the thin type

The Bun Cha Gio - vermicelli with pork and crab spring roll($12.50) also very tasty. The spring roll was fresh and crispy. The meat was grilled with good flavor without being dry

The banh cuon cha lua $12 was disappointing. The rolls were not steamed well and not smooth.

Overall, a good experience, friendly service with pumping music

The tables were separated by some clear dividers to for distancing measures

I was pretty full from the pho! Give Dang Anh a try!

First time here and I wasn't impressed.
The cha gio, though has crab, was under-seasoned. I just wish I can really taste the crab there

Bun dau mam tom: portion is great with different parts of organs and the shrimp paste was amazing. But the "dồi" was too chewy.

Bun rieu cha ca: doesn't really taste like Bun rieu but more like Bun cha ca with rieu. It's a great dish though