Special Blend
888's fine Vietnamese fare deftly seasons the classic with the contemporary
By Claudia Alarcón, Fri., Oct. 28, 2005
888 Restaurant
2400 E. Oltorf Ste. 1A, 448-4722
Daily, 11am-3pm, 5:45pm-1am
Austin's Vietnamese food aficionados know that North Austin is the place to go for authentic and tasty Vietnamese cuisine, but we have recently discovered a great South Austin alternative for those of us living south of the river. Tucked away in a strip mall on East Oltorf, 888 Vietnamese restaurant offers delicious and inexpensive comfort food and novel options.
The place itself is nothing out of the ordinary, featuring the same type of decor and furnishings of any small, neighborhood Asian restaurant. But the unique menu, the beautiful presentation of the dishes, and the fresh, well-balanced flavors have kept us coming back. During lunch, 888 features an all-you-can-eat buffet with free iced tea for $5.99. At night, the dimmed lighting, soft jazz music, and attentive service make for a quaint atmosphere and an ideal place for an inexpensive date.
From the appetizers, we've sampled the Shrimp and Papaya Salad ($5.99), a version of the popular Som Tom salad of Thailand. 888's version features grilled shrimp atop a generous portion of salad greens, garnished with thin, long strands of green papaya, thin slices of mildly pickled carrot, fresh cilantro leaves, and a tart and wonderful dressing with hints of tamarind and lime juice.
Among the traditional items, the Bún Bo Huê ($5.75) is a classic spicy beef and egg noodle soup served with the obligatory side dish of fresh basil, bean sprouts, jalapeño slices, and lemon wedges. The broth was just spicy enough and seriously satisfying, and I only would have been happier if the meat had been a bit more tender. Being fans of Vietnamese vermicelli we ordered the Vermicelli With Grilled Chicken Breast ($6.25) seasoned with the chef's signature "Montreal" sauce. Unfortunately, we were not able to find out the reason for the name, but the sweet-and-sour glaze was delicious, with hints of lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and perhaps tamarind, too. The generous portion of vermicelli over thin-sliced lettuce came topped with three perfectly grilled breasts and garnished with thin cucumber slices, shredded carrots, cilantro leaves, and roasted peanuts.
Some of the unusual specialty items we've experienced at 888 are the Shrimp Salt and Peppered ($8.95), lightly battered fried shrimp served with fragrant steamed rice and a fresh lettuce, tomato, and cucumber salad, along with two dipping sauces: one sweet and spicy and one a mixture of lime juice and pepper. This was a delightfully light entrée that can also be shared as an appetizer. Another revelation was the rice dish with grilled pork, grilled shrimp, and shrimp wrap ($7.95). Described on the menu as "broken rice," the grains were very small, perhaps indeed broken, and quite sticky. The rice was topped with the grilled meats, which had been marinated and glazed with a sweet and salty sauce redolent of fish sauce, garnished with tomato slices and thin-sliced pickled carrot and daikon. Both entrées came with a side of fish sauce, and our waiter graciously brought us chile paste and Siracha sauce when requested.
The waitstaff, while not very experienced, is very friendly and willing to find out the answers to any questions diners might have. At some point, the chef came out to answer menu questions for a table nearby. We overheard his recommendations for the chef's specialties, including a duck breast in fruit sauce with green peppercorns, which we will try on our next visit. The restaurant is BY0B, and there's a liquor store next door, but the selection is rather poor. If you plan ahead, bring some good beer or, even better, a good bottle of wine (our Blanc du Bois from Lost Creek Vineyard near Marble Falls was perfect), and the staff will gladly keep it chilled for you and provide glassware. We are thrilled to have discovered 888. 
