Chao Viet Kitchen

Okay, don’t get me wrong, I know Copenhagen isn’t famous for their Vietnamese food… but I really fell in love with this tiny spot just a street away from all of my classes. Though the menu is equally as small as the location itself, the bright flavors and cozy dishes will completely eliminate any misgivings someone might have about the food here. In fact, it’s so incredibly good, I’ve actually already been twice in two weeks (so HAH).

But let me take you back a minute. My discovery of this lovely little place actually came on the heels of one of my harder moments abroad so far. Feeling slightly isolated and in need of some genuine company (without all the small talk), I made plans for dinner with a close friend from home who also happened to be on the program. She invited her roommates and suite-mates to come along and though I felt slightly out of my comfort zone at first, the meal quickly turned into fast friends enjoying some really good food. My first meal at Chao Viet is always going to be attached with the memory of me realizing “Yeah okay, I can do this. I’m gonna be fine.” Pathetic? Maybe. Did I actually say this? Absolutely.

Moving from my mental breakdown, let me get to the breakdown of the food. On visit number one, I ordered the #6, a coconut curry situation exploding with crunchy veggies, chopped peanuts, sautéed beef and pillowy rice. I doused the entire giant bowl in a healthy portion of sriracha (before I found the hidden slice of chili pepper camouflaged in my bowl) and immediately inhaled before my stomach could realize what it was in for. And let me just tell you, I was done so fast I easily could have ordered another… which I did not do because I was with new friends and did not want to terrify them. Needless to say, this curry was insanely delicious and flavorful and warm and comforting, just what I needed to lift my spirits and bond with my friends.

On my second visit, I again ordered the #6, because I’m not a monster. But, my friend and I also ordered a massive spring roll with crispy pork, snappy vegetables and rice noodles. The killer aspect of the dish though- the dipping sauce. Some combination of fish sauce and soy and cilantro and chili and peanuts made both of us want to start slurping straight out of the bowl. Our only complaint after eating the rolls? We had leftover sauce and nothing to put it on. An absolute shame. Next time, we’ll bring our own bottle to save it for later…