Ong’s

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I am naturally curious and think meeting new people one of life’s pleasures. For example, several weeks ago, as I was tucking into a big bowl of wonton rice-noodle soup at Sang Kee in Reading Terminal Market, I began chatting with a woman and her 9-year-old son. Within minutes, Lydia and Adam became my newest friends. Living in the United Arab Emirates, they were visiting Lydia’s parents in Philly for a month.

"How about lunch sometime?" I asked as we left the Terminal. Adam was thrilled with the prospect of being a restaurant reviewer for a day so we exchanged information and the adventure began.

On a cold, windy day, Lydia, Adam and I headed over to Chinatown. We knew a hot lunch would warm us up as we strolled the streets and enjoyed the hustle and bustle. Lydia’s favorite cuisine is Vietnamese, but Adam had never tasted it, "and he eats everything," she said. This fare also is my favorite Asian cuisine and I hadn’t been to a Vietnamese restaurant in a long time.

We settled into a roomy table by the window at Ong’s on Race Street. Cups of hot tea warmed us immediately and Adam enjoyed watching the food deliveries being made to the various stores and restaurants that dot Chinatown.

Lunch began with big, steaming bowls of savory noodle soup. This is a traditional lunch and there is a choice of thin or wide egg noodle, rice noodles or vermicelli. Adam went for the beef brisket Hong Kong style ($5.95) while Lydia and I opted for the satay beef-ball soup ($5.95). All were served with the typical thinly sliced scallions, bean sprouts and cilantro.

The brisket was juicy and tender. I usually order shrimp-ball or seafood soup in a Vietnamese restaurant so the satay beef was something new. The balls were cooked in broth before being added to the soup and imparted a marvelous flavor with a bit of a kick. The cook added the right touch of hot pepper flakes, a fine foil for the crunchy sprouts, tangy scallions and cilantro that had a flavor all its own.

Three women took fine care of us. We were going to try the summer salad rolls ($3.50), but one server steered us to a dish none of us had sampled. The house special shrimp rolls ($6.95) consisted of six 3-inch fat morsels prepared with chopped shrimp, water chestnuts and scallions, then stuffed into a soy wrapper and deep-fried to a golden brown. They were served with iceberg lettuce leaves, sprigs of cilantro and thick squiggles of carrot, daikon radish and sliced cucumber. The woman who recommended this tasty choice told us to place the roll in a lettuce leaf, top with duck sauce and wrap it up. The rolls were so hot we had to wait a minute before wrapping them. The contrast of hot and cool was sublime. Even Adam, who had been steering away from fish lately, pronounced the shrimp roll "delicious."

Next up were grilled Vietnamese meatballs ($6.95). The platter contained a mound of cool noodles topped with about eight to 10 slightly spicy grilled meatballs. I detected a hint of cinnamon, which was to be expected. (The Vietnamese version of this spice is the finest in the world.) A rich peanut sauce topped with chopped peanuts also added flavor. The same iceberg lettuce and trimmings were on the side of the serving plate.

"I’m a carnivore and these are really good," Adam, who has quite a vocabulary for his age, said.

We rested a bit and sipped more tea, then decided on the crispy Vietnamese spring rolls ($4.95). They were made with minced pork and vegetables and wrapped in rice paper before hitting the fryer. They were served sushi style: Three long logs were rolled and cut into nine pieces. We liked the Vietnamese fish sauce for dipping.

I had not been to Chinatown since last summer and had forgotten how much fun it is to go in and out of shops and the delight in finding a newly discovered store or restaurant. I enjoyed lunch at Ong’s and the company of my newfound friends.

Three tips of the toque to Ong’s.

Ong’s
1038 Race St.
215-625-8389
Credit cards accepted
Open for lunch and dinner
Closed Monday
BYOB