Tú Lan

tu lan is a legend. have been coming here for over a decade for tasty cheap eats. i keep forgetting to take a pic before bc i can’t wait to dig in. their bun cha gio thit nuong is so perfect, so tasty, perfect. and everyone there is always so nice. it’s a few blocks from powell station, so conveniently located, definitely stop by next time you’re in the area

It’s a hole in a wall. I didn’t get the hype whatsoever. My food was fine. A bit watery but nothing to write home about. I’ve had so much better Asian food in SF.

I have been here many times, usually when I am in the area with a hungry appetite. The thing that driven me for my first visit was, I was watching a video on YouTube about this place showing their homemade and delicious foods along with their famous eggrolls. Their menu consists of many authentic Vietnamese dishes to choose from, soups, rice plates and much more. You can either sit on the bar top that gives you a view of their open kitchen when they are preparing your food or you can choose to sit at one of their tables. Everything is made to order just the way I like it since I never mind the wait because I am a very patient person. At times it can be crowded where the best options is for takeout or if you do not mind waiting just like me. The staffs here are welding, well trained and understanding where I never had an issue at any of my visits. You may not notice this place at first while driving by unless you come to a complete stop, because this place is basically the definition of a hole in the wall spot. Lastly this place is good for all group sizes or if you want to go solo that is good too. I highly recommend this place to anyone on a limited time, if you want to try something new or if you just so happen to be in the area. I definitely will be back to tryout the other delicious options they have to offer.

Great cold vermicelli here. Grilled pork is pleasantly charred and the imperial roll is aggressively seasoned. Bun Rieu wasn’t bad but somewhat different (less fishy) than I’d prefer. Tried the shrimp bean cake curry last time and absolutely loved it. The curry combination fried rice is satisfying and enormous. I imagine everything on the menu is delicious—look forward to trying it all. Save room for the coconut pandan flan which has a nice ginger syrup.

Delicious hole in the wall restaurant. The imperial rolls are amazing. We shared a dish simply listed as "marinated fish." It was absolutely scrumptious: large portions of fish, lightly battered and fried in a slightly sweet sauce with ginger, peppers, and pineapple. Service was quick and friendly. Don't be scared off by the neighborhood, just make your way there. You won't be sorry!