Fresh Roll

fresh roll is so good! their phở is def one of the best in town and they even say the simmer the broth for 24 hours ! it’s super rich and beefy and delicious. also… their pork belly is delicious. super crispy on the skin side and deliciously fatty on the meat part. their ice tea drinks are also delicious and flavorful. the best deal pricewise here tho is the bahn mi which is huge for being only like 6.50. the other stuff is a couple dollars more expensive than I’d like it to be ($ 10 – 12 not including drink) but overall, definitely worth it. the place itself is also super clean, cute, and the workers are super nice.

So good! We walked in and the person at the counter was really friendly and helpful, suggesting various things for us to try. Between 2 of us, we ordered 1 pork spring and 1 meatball spring roll, beef phở and organic chicken phở, 2 ginger lemonades, 1 with chia seeds. The lemonade is really fresh and so satisfying. I really enjoyed the fresh spring rolls (really liked the meatball). Both the chicken and beef phos where great and massive (have to more than half of mine to go). I appreciated that the food is MSG free and gluten free. Overall great quality food for a fair price. Will definitely come back.

Fairly priced, largest bowl of phở I’ve ever received! Extremely delicious and friendly staff

Great food and friendly staff. Very affordable and best tasting Vietnamese food. Been to all the big cities and this is by far the best. You need to come here. #spareribs

Great spring rolls. We have the grilled pork and I really enjoyed it. Nice interior too. Clean and staff are friendly. Would totally recommend!

Good service, reasonable prices and great food. Love the fresh spring rolls and the Phở. Also, can’t beat the Bahn Mi sandwiches! Love the place and will definitely be back for more.

So my friend and I tried going to Luc Lac after our trip to Canon Beach, saw the line, said swerve and found this gem down the street. We fell in love instantly. You walk in and see a clean, simple menu where you order by choosing a base (banh mi, vermicelli, phở) and up to two meats (pork, chicken, shrimp, nem nuong, pork belly ~GET THIS~, tofu or short ribs). The cashier could tell it was our first time, so he showed us instagram pics (love how he’s so with the times) and we ordered. Originally I ordered the pork and shrimp vermicelli but the cashier tells me that the nem nuong and pork belly go really well in the vermicelli so I completely changed my order (although I was hesitant) and my friend after hearing this ends up ordering the same thing except with rice. You receive a buzzer, grab a seat, grab utensils/​water/​condiments and bus your table when you’re done.
When we took a bite of our food, we looked at each other and knew this place was legit. Being from the Seattle area, there are tons of Phở restaurants that never fail to disappoint but this place ranks above all (and my friend is Vietnamese who has had his fair share of Viet food). They give more than enough noodles/​rice and the perfect amount of veggies (bean sprouts and cucumber), which btw is pickled beautifully. Also, the noodles is definitely fresh because I’ve never had noodles that has had the right balance of softness and good chew (I thought I was being weird but my friend agreed). I’m so happy the cashier recommended the nem nuong and pork belly because it is FIRE (or delicious, whatever you prefer). The edge (or top?) of the pork belly has this perfect crunch that compliments the soft fat/​meat well and is cut for the perfect bite. And the nem nuong is marinated very well and isn’t too chewy or soft. Honestly everything about this dish was perfect ~ perfect amount of deliciousness in a bowl. It’s like my mouth was salivating more and more after every bite. I wish this place was in Seattle because it would definitely be my number one go-​to Viet joint. I will definitely be back the next time I’m in the area.
PS. this place is so cute and hipster (although I’m starting to notice this trend in Portland lol). From the water in silver dispensers, wooden shelves displaying sriracha/​hoisin sauce/​dishes, to the wooden tables with mini succulents as well as the succulents hanging in the restaurant.

We walked in just before closing, but the guys here were still welcoming and friendly! What a rarity these days.
We both ordered three rolls each, $ 9 three (any combination of proteins and sauces). $ 3 a roll is a bit steep the rolls were fresh and delicious!
The peanut sauce was pretty darn tasty, too. You get to choose two types of sauce with an order of three, but I chose to get two peanut sauces. I didn’t regret it, the peanut sauce has got it going on (like Stacy’s mom).
It’s in the middle of downtown Portland, so the parking I’d say is easiest in the lot for TJMaxx.

The pork belly and lemongrass chicken is really yummy. The fresh taro bubble tea is also pretty good. The portions are extremely generous and quality is higher than most of the Vietnamese restaurants in the Portland area, hence the higher price. I think it’s worth it overall, plus it’s downtown, and there’s sadly not many nice midrange sit-​down restaurants around. But this is one of the few gems! If you’re in the mood for some fresh, tasty food and you happen to be downtown, definitely try this place!

Vietnamese food in Portland? That’s also really good? Would have never expected it. 4.5
FOOD QUALITY:
Vermicelli bowl, pork belly, lemongrass pork, egg roll, with a medley of fresh vegetables. Fresh. It’s rinsed and dried properly that even though you pour fish sauce over it the vegetables still all retain their crispness. The meat comes out hot and fresh, the noodles are cooked a little over al dente, and the flavors are the same as you’d find from the best of Little Saigon; except the food here leaves you feeling refreshed since the vegetables have a brighter taste to it. The food here really rings a homey feel.
ENVIRONMENT:
It’s modern, it’s clean, and it’s simple here. There’s plenty of table space, so it can accommodate small and large parties.
Definitely stop by here if you’re looking for really good Vietnamese food!

Best salad/​fresh rolls I’m Portland! Lemon grass pork is amazing, and the staff is very friendly.
Peanut sauce is perfect!

This place is sooo good! The staff are incredibly fast, kind, helpful and professional. The beef phở is delicious. They have a room in the back to eat in or you can take out. I ordered three meals to go and it was ready in less than 10 minutes. They could stand to reduce some packaging lacking earth friendliness or encourage people to bring their own bags, etc. with a discount, coupon for next visit, etc. Great place worth trying!

This place has the ordering down to a science. The ordering is very simple and efficient. You walk in… pick what you want… get a buzzer… when buzz, get your food… and then clear your table…
I ordered the vermicelli bowl with grilled lemongrass pork and the crispy pork belly. The grilled pork could be better grilled, but the crispy pork belly was on point. I liked that the service was pretty fast consisting it was also the lunch rush.

We were looking for a quick lunch while shopping in downtown, and this is the first place that popped us as tasty, yet affordable– Fresh Roll did not disappoint on both accounts! For $ 17, we were able to get a vermisille noodle dish with shrimp and chicken as well as a bahn mi with crispy pork. The servings were huge and definitely enough food for 3 people. Both entrees were delicious, but I have to say, the bahn mi was my absolute favorite and the best I’ve ever had. The bread was crusty, the pork was flavorful, and the sandwich as a whole was delightful. I’m so glad I found this place!
Some notes: There are cups available near the water dispensers in addition to utensils and napkins. Also, don’t forget to bus your own plates afterward!

Was in Portland for a work and came across this place via Unilocal.I was greeted by Alex who was extremely personable and provided excellent service.
Ordered Chicken phở, lemongrass pork banh mi and mango ice tea
Chicken Phở: I’ve lived in San Francisco my entire life so I know what good phở is. This place boast it’s MSG free 24 hr simmering broth and i’ll tell you that this chicken broth taste amazing and very pure. I’ve been to a lot of phở restaurants in the Bay area and none have tasted this good. It is very very good. The chicken meat was flavorful and tender as well.
Lemongrass banh mi: Alex recommended the lemongrass pork banh mi and boy was i glad he suggested that. It was well marinated and grilled perfectly. I love how they use french baguette style bread instead of the hoagie style bread. I wish the bread was toasted a tad bit longer, other than that is was a very filling (about a foot) and delicious.
Mango ice tea: Not much to say other than it was refreshing. Was made just right. not too sweet!
I wish i had discovered this place earlier in the week so i can try more of their food. I have family here in portland so i’ll definitely come back here.

So delicious! Such fresh food, easy to order, great customer service.
I like the menu is really clear to choose and how to pick.
I ordered the rice vermicelli bowl with lemongrass chicken and shrimp. It was a very large portion and came with a side spring roll. And also the passion fruit green tea! Highly recommend that one. It was very refreshing.
Nice ambiance and perfect lunch location. I’d like to come back and try the phở next time!

Stopped by this establishment during my stay in Downtown Portland. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised and so glad we chose this place for lunch. After some shopping around in Pioneer Place, my boyfriend and I got pretty hungry and wanted to eat somewhere fast. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a fast food restaurant, but we weren’t up for waiting in line at the tourist destinations people rave about (since we waited earlier that day for brunch already). The décor inside is pretty fresh and clean with hints of green, I guess to match their name! There is a decent sized dining room with a good number of tables. Service was very friendly and attentive.
I got a banh mi sandwich with crispy pork belly and my boyfriend got a noodle plate (vermicelli noodles) with pork. The sandwich was delicious and the bread was spot on. There was a lot of crunch going on with the pork belly and the crispy bread, but it was actually a fantastic combination. It felt like a modern take on traditional Vietnamese flavors and everything definitely tasted fresh. They even serve complimentary hot tea! I also tried the iced Vietnamese coffee here which was the perfect afternoon pick me up, both strong and sweet. If I lived in Portland, I would definitely be a regular here.

My bf and I needed a quick snack while waiting for Urban Putt, so we stopped by here to get spring rolls (2 for $ 6!). The pork spring rolls were sizable, with a good amount of grilled pork inside. I really enjoyed the freshness of the roll, along with the yummy peanut sauce that came with it.
Place might look tiny upon entering, but there’s a whole seating area in the back!

Had the phở here on a cold winter day and it hit the spot! The place is clean, easy to order (they only have two phở options), and the broth was excellent. It had a good balance of flavor and just enough salt. I dislike sweet broth – which other downtown phở places offers.
The meat was good quality, and the veggies were fresh. Water and tea are free, you get your own silverware and bus your own table. Water and hot tea are free. The server brings your food out to you.
One thing that would make this place better is if it had more seating. Not very spacious.

Solid 4.5 star if food rounded up to 5 by friendly owners.
This two month old food joint, housed under the Alder St. Smart Park is the new Vietnamese spot in downtown. They’ve a small menu — noodles, banh mi, rice with different meat/​veggie options. But what they do, they do very well. Fresh, pork egg rolls, crispy on the outside, soft inside. I had the vermicelli noodles with lemongrass pork and meatballs. Different areas of the bowl were pockets of flavors basically. The pork was savory and extremely tasty. Meatballs, actually seemed like sausages to me, were a whole another world of tasty though. Sweet and spicy and just perfect. Next time, I’m totally trying their pork belly.