Loan’s Authentic Vietnamese Bistro

Reading the reviews, I was aware the portions are not large. However they did make up for it in flavor and quality of ingredients. Broth was well flavored but not salty or heavy. Would have liked to have more options, such as tripe, flank, tendon etc. but for a small operation, it was solid.
Some lady placed a huge take-​out before me and filled literally an entire shopping cart! needless to say, my order took a bit long but that is nothing against Loan’s.

Let me just say, that this is the best Vietnamese food I’ve had in Allentown — quite possibly the Lehigh Valley. They have weekly/​daily specials, which are always worth trying. My favorite is the #10. I eat here at least 3 times a month. It is also convenient, because Loan’s is located in the Farmer’s Market — you can get your shopping done and grab a bite to eat. The service and food are unbelievable! FIVE STARS!

I’m no expert in Vietnamese food and it’s not nearly a favorite of mine, but I thought I’d give this place a try. I went on a Thursday for lunch. The food stand is located in the farmers market and has about 5 small tables.
I ordered the one thing I know, Phở, but there are a few other things on the menu. Phở is 7.95 and everything else on the menu seemed reasonably priced. The owner took my order at the register and told me to have a seat. He was very friendly, made sure my table was wiped down. When my food came out he brought out the bowl and a side dish with sprouts, pepper, lime, and basil. He told me how and when I should add these extras for the best flavor and texture. This was extra bit of service that really made the difference for me. I don’t know if this phở is better than others, but it was definitely good. I’ll be returning and hopefully trying new menu items.

I eat here a few times every month. I can’t say it’s the best vietnamese I’ve had, but it’s consistantly good. The Phở isn’t the best, but it is tasty. The broth could be more flavorful. But beggers can’t be choosers when there are only a few vietnamese options to choose from in the Allentown area.
Their chef specials are always changing and are always good. My favorite is the number 10 Bun combo, spring rolls and pork. Their mung bean pudding is nice too!
Seating is limited during busy lunch hours, tables are for 2 to 3 people. Take outs are available.
Food is made very fresh while you wait.
Cash only.
I wish they had more to offer for beverages, such as bubble tea or Vietnamese coffee, but it’s a very small kitchen and that would slow the orders down a bit.
Hours are limited to when the Farmer’s Market is open, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday only.

I love loans! Their phở broth is the best in Lehigh valley! Super flavorful and fresh. Also love their bun cha gio and gelatin dessert. The food is amazing! Must try if you haven’t! Beats he flavors at phở #1 in Allentown.

Looks will not deceive you for this stall in the busy Allentown Fairgrounds Farmer’s Market. After going to Dan’s BBQ for so long and having never tried this place, I went to grab some yummy Vietnamese food. Would I call this authentic? Maybe, but they have 10 items on the menu and I don’t know much about Vietnamese food. Prices are quite cheap for the portion sizes. Service, very friendly people. The owner was really friendly and taught me a thing or to about eating Phở. The women was hardworking and joyful in her work. I got the Phở special, which was $ 7.75, and came with beef and vermicelli noodles. Along with that, there were onions, bean sprouts, and lots of herbs like lemongrass and basil. Plus, lime and hot pepper sauce for taste. That was one good bowl of soup. The noodles were perfectly cooked and were quite thin. The beef was tender and delicious. The onions cooked out in the hot broth, so they had nice taste. The broth itself was a bit on the spicy side, but the lime actually made it more mild. Those herb combinations were really spectacular. Overall, one of the best Vietnamese restaurants around.

Phở options in Allentown are very limited and this one is good enough to satisfy a craving. The man working there was very accommodating and nice. The chicken phở I ordered had decent flavor but had a little too much pepper.

Fantastic and fresh. Had the Phở. It was perfectly seasoned and in a huge bowl. Great value.

The phở is amazing here, I usually get the special phở which is shredded chicken or beef. The broth has the best flavor I have ever had. I usually ask for an extra broth to go because they only give a pint of broth, and it’s so good it’s not enough! I think prices are reasonable, and the spring rolls are so good too! I also love the little man that is there that rings you up, he’s always so nice and kind. I call ahead for my takeout and its always ready when I get there no waiting! Highly recommended. They have a few tables on the side of the walkway which are fairly small if you do want to eat there.

Good phở! Didn’t expect this in a framers market. owner was very nice, and very accommodating.

I got one of the specials — something with chicken, lemongrass, and a lot of onions and scallions –and it was incredibly delicious. Not a huge portion of food, but it was less than $ 7 so that’s to be expected. I’d definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for good Vietnamese food in the valley.

This place is delicious, super fresh and spot-​on flavors. I read a low star review that complained about portion size. I thought the portions were normal sized. They are definitely not huge portions like you get at some restaurants where you either leave food on the table, take home a doggie bag, or eat it all and leave feeling overfull. With Loan’s, you eat it all and feel great. I understand the reviewer’s disappointment though, I was sad when my meal was finished, too! I’ll be going back soon.

2.5 stars
I really wanted to like Loan’s. The other reviews got my hopes up for, FINALLY!, a good Vietnamese place I can eat at and really introduce other people to.
While I do agree with Glenn T. that Loan’s food does remind me of «good clean Vietnamese street food», that only applies to the taste. Now you might say: «What else is there besides taste?!!»
My answer: PORTION.
I ordered one of the specials: Bo Xao Xa Ot. Except it was over bun, or vermicelli, not rice. That’s fine with me, I love this dish either way. I was half watching her putting my take-​out together, half watching the other two patrons’ expression, trying to gauge their level of enjoyment. I love watching people trying Vietnamese food for the first time — you can tell either they’ll love it, or only learn to like it but will never love it. Got my foam container, paid the $ 7.xx and went home.
The food smelt amazing. I opened it eagerly, ready to pounce, and my jaw dropped. The portion is ridiculously small.
Almost half of the container was shredded lettuce. A quarter was raw onion. I don’t know about you but I am not that big of a fan of raw onion, and definitely not a whole quarter of a foam container of it! The remainder was an abysmally small mound of vermicelli with the lemongrass beef on top. I thought maybe the vermicelli was hiding under the lettuce and beef so I moved the 5 – 6 pieces of beef out of the way and sadly that little tennis ball size of vermicelli did not multiply. I described it to my sister as «it would fit in a chén!»
After adding the fish sauce (slightly too watered down for me) and mixing everything up, minus a lot of the onions of course, it looked like I had ordered a salad instead of a vermicelli dish. While the flavors were spot-​on! I was so let down by the tiny portion. That was a snack, not a meal. And at $ 7.xx that was an expensive snack.
3÷10÷12 Quick update:
I told my mom about my experience and she told me that several of her friends have tried Loan’s and they all said the same thing about portion. They all also told her it wasn’t worth trying out. She also pointed out that I was right to expect it over rice since Bo Xao Xa Ot (sauteed lemongrass & chili beef) is eaten with rice. When it’s eaten over vermicelli it should be grilled and it’s usually called Bun Thit Nuong. Sauteing it instead of grilling is «lazy» my mom says since it’s not the correct «goute.» That’s French for taste. O_​o I didn’t know my my mama knew French :)
So because of that Loan lost ½ a star since it wasn’t authentic… I’m sad.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover an Asian vendor at the Farmer’s Market. I’ve ordered take out a few times from here. I ordered their Bahn Mi sandwich… thinking it was the meat slices, but it turns out it was Bahn Mi with pork meatballs – still very delicious! Good flavor and it did taste fresh as one of the reviewers below put it.
I’ve tried their seafood rice pancake. Their fish sauce is delicious, though not spicy. The pancake, having tried it for the first time, was a pleasant surprise. However, the shrimp cooked into the pancake WITHOUT the shells removed was less of a pleasant surprise.
Phở is also on par with other Vietnamese restaurants I’ve eaten at. Nothing out of the ordinary to note here. But be prepared to pay some extra pocket change if you want a styrofoam bowl to eat out of with your takeout order.
I still go back because the food is good and the owners are always friendly.

Get the special. Very friendly owners and very very fresh ingredients at a ridiculously low price.

Loan’s reminds me of good clean Vietnamese street food. Inexpensive and prepared while you watch. Obviously, the other reviewer never had authentic Vietnamese food because Loan’s food is authentic as it gets. She probably just reviewed it quickly to get the coveted «first to review» post.
The owner/​chef worked in several upscale Vietnamese restaurants in Vietnam and brings her experience to the Lehigh Valley. Critics will complain that it isn’t a stand alone restaurant, but when you have a desire to cook, anyplace can work for your mise en place.
A real plus of Loan’s is that since they are only open Thursday, Friday and Saturday, all the food is very fresh and since they are in a farmer’s market their selections for fresh produce and meat increases exponentially-​and that quality shows in their food-​fresh tasting with bold flavors exploding on the plate and in your mouth.
Their prices are great and you get a generous portion that usually one cannot finish. Their sauces are authentic and compliment the array of appetizers and entrees. You have to get there early for a full sampling because they are so popular that they sell out quickly.
Definitely spend an afternnon or evening sampling their fare.

Just okay. Menu items are all around $ 6 apiece. Duck porridge soup was really good.
Considers his restaurant «fast-​food». One menu item was quite tasty with lettuce, ginger sauce, but they cut chicken pieces through the bone, had to eat very carefully not to choke on tiny bone pieces.