Newspapers / The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.) / Oct. 5, 2007, edition 1 / Page 7
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F E ATU RE S WWW.GU 1 LFORDIAN.COM Thumbs-up for Pho PhoVien Vuong 4109-A Spring Garden 924-5551 Price range: $$$ of $$$$ By Ian Michie Staff Writer In a small strip-mall just a couple of blocks down Spring Garden from West Market sits the Vietnamese and Thai restaurant Pho Hien Vuong. From the outside this could be any Asian-American establishment, but its outer appearance, overwhelmed by retail-sprawl, hides Pho's charming uniqueness. At 7:30 on a Saturday night, business was brisk. The restaurant, while not filled to capacity, was nevertheless humming with activity. Judging from the serene looks on the faces of the patrons, the establishment enjoys a fair amount of repeat customers. Seated almost immediately, we waited briefly until our server appeared. This is the best service I have experienced in some time. The waiter's knowledge of the menu was extensive. When asked for recommendations he pointed us to several menu items with det^ed descriptions of ingredients and sug gestions for accompanying sauces. Pho Hien Vuong claims that it "offers the most flavorful Vietnamese and Thai gourmet food around." This claim, for the most part, may well be accurate, especially in the area of Pho, an entree-sized noodle soup served with condiments of fresh cilantro, basil, bean sprouts and jalapenos. Pho Hien Vuong offers several varieties of the soup including meat ball, seafood and pork. We asked our server if we could split the chicken Pho as an appetizer, and he obliged, substituting the dark meat for white meat for a charge of $1. The soup was outstanding. Lending gravitas to the rich ingredients of tender chicken, clear noodles and fresh scal lions was the beef broth. I tried to determine the essence flavoring the broth. My guess was lemon-grass, and when I asked our server he gave me a look that said, "I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you," and then feigned ignorance. I'd forgotten that restaurants sometimes guard their recipes like state-secrets. Our entrees were better than average, but a slight let-down after the Zen-in-a-bowl experience of the Pho. I gambled and ordered the salted braised pork spare ribs. The dish was served with jasmine-rice and fish-sauce, and while it was dry in places, the pork was well seasoned. Hoisin sauce (on each table sits an array of sauces varying in flavor and heat-degree) added extra flavor, but I had to admit lhat a full-sized order of Pho would have suited me better. The affordability of the entrees is also a selling point. The menu also offers lunch spe cials at $4.25 which is an incredible bargain for those of us on a college-student's budget. As for dinner, three people enjoyed appetiz ers and entrees all for well under $50. This is a very,vegetarian-friendly place. Both of my dining-companions ordered veg etarian dishes. Vegetarian Phaht Thai and Tom Curry—a tofu curry made with coconut milk. Both dishes offer better-than-average takes on standard Thai fare. I heartily recommend Pho Hien Vuong . While it may not beat out some of the better Southeast Asian eateries in larger cities, this establishment has a great deal going for it, and the Pho alone is worth the short journey to Spring Garden Street. ♦ AIR GUITAR CONTEST RAISES MONEY AND HOPES By jack Sinclair Staff Writer The smell of the hot dogs burning, marshmallows crisping and the sound of great guitar playing pervaded the air on this Friday night at the Founders hall gazebo. But there was one major dif ference between this concert and most others; the "musicians," were onlv pre tending to play the guitar, drums and the occasional bass. This was the air guitar contest. In an attempt to raise money to help some of Guilford's choir members and musicians be able to afford to go to Ireland in the future, students sold food and contestants had to make a donation to compete. .After a slow start to the contest, due to a lack of a big crowd and few partici pants, the contest finally began. First was sophomore Dean Malelu, with lots head banging and hair twirling while rocking "\^\nlnd Upon Wound" by Gorgoroth. "He is going to break his neck doing that," a concerned adult said, in regards to Malelu's performance. Following Malelu, sophomores Brendan Lynch and Daron Whitmore took center stage with an air guitar and drum set to CKY's "96 Quite Bitter Being." Fans roared with intensit\' with their style and ability to mimic the musi cians. Senior Megan Sheridan and junior Melanie Pringle jumped around to Queen's hit "Bicycle Race." Religious studies pro fessor, Eric Mortensen, played air guitar to The Grateful Dead's "Estimated I’rophet." Courtney Shau' rocked out to the Red Hot Chili Peppers song "Pea." Two first-years, Sam Flake and Max Van Pelt-Diller, per formed "Message in a Bottle" bv the Police. "I have always loved Sting physically, no, intimately," Van Pelt-Diller said. "Today 1 was Sting." ' To finish otf the first round, sophomore Jonathan Richter won the crowd bv rock ing out to a song b\' the Ffisnev character, Goof\’. Survivors of the lirst round were Richter, who came back with a performance of the Who's hit. "1 Can See for Miles," Malelu who rocked "O Come .All Ye Faithful" by Iwisted Sister, ai\d l.vnch and VVhitmore, who finished off the night with System of a Dc'wn's "Prison Song." After ail the tinalists per- formed, the judges handed the responsibility to the crowd. The crowd decided on L\’nch and Whitmore for first place, Malelu for second, and Richter for third. "1 feel that it was pretty good, (but) I could have done better," Malelu said. "Also, (my song) is a bit fast for air guitar sometimes." "1 was physically forced ti.i perform" Van Pelt-Diller said. Sam Flake, his fellow performer, literally picked him up and car ried him to the sign up sheet. "1 tried to replicate as actualh' as 1 could the actual guitar part," Flake said about hi^ performance. Champions Lynch and Whitmore always saw first place as the goal. "(Losing) was never an option," 1 ,\'nch sairl. Instead they picked up their invisible picks and drum sticks and destro\'ed the imaginary stage, ♦ A I ^ * / Ji
The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.)
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Oct. 5, 2007, edition 1
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