While Sofya and I were dining at Hunter’s, we had the chance to chat with out waiter-slash-bartender. I told him I was a blogger and he asked me the inevitable question, “What is your favorite restaurant right now?” This question is always a bit mind-boggling since it is practically impossible to choose just one answer, so I ran off a few favorites, like Nom Wah, Co., and Momofuku Noodle Bar. Then I asked him the same and he told me there’s an excellent Vietnamese place that just opened by his girlfriend’s house in Ridgewood, Queens named Bunker. Coincidentally, Rene lives right next to Ridgewood so I wrote ‘Bunker Vietnamese’ into my iNotes and a month later, there we were.
Bunker is located on industrial Metropolitan Avenue, right where Brooklyn ends and Queens begins. Looking around the area, one definitely wouldn’t say it’s a foodie hot spot, but (hint, hint!) that’s typically where the best food hides. The place is small and very casual. None of the furniture matches and random paraphernalia lines the walls. If you lived next door to a hip-hop loving hipster in Vietnam, I suspect their kitchen would be reminiscent of this restaurant.
Bunker’s menu is short and to the point - a handful of appetizers, bahn mi sandwiches, pho and a few meaty entrees. Here is what we had:
Pork bahn mi: sweet and spicy shredded pork, a layer of pate, cucumber slices and shredded carrots enveloped by a fresh, crispy baguette and served with crunchy crab chips. This sandwich was made with the freshest ingredients, had balanced flavors and was not overstuffed, which is a common feature amongst American-style sandwiches.
Five mushroom vegan pho: a variety of meaty mushrooms, silky noodles and baby bok choy in a deliciously umami broth. The soup was satisfying but light, and fun to eat. It would delight vegans and carnivores alike.
Lastly, we split a side of garlic tomato fried rice. The unexpectedly sweet rice was thoroughly infused with the aroma of garlic, but was slightly bland. It would have greatly benefited from a drizzle of soy sauce. However, since it is meant to be a side, I’m sure it would’ve been perfect if served with one of their saucy entrees.
Dining at Bunker was satisfying, inspiring and super affordable, and I look forward to going back there to sample the rest of their menu. And I love the story of how I learned about Bunker’s existence. Local word-of-mouth is definitely one of the best ways to get restaurant recommendations - how do you get your insight on restaurants?
Love Vietnamese food. This looks like a great space. I completely agree with you: I just ask for recommendation from my friends and Twitter friends. This has helped so much in my latest travels.