Tú Lan

Phenomenal! Been searching the nation recently for an imperial roll noodle bowl, found it!

Not much sitting room but the food is amazing and very affordable for SF. Portions are very large and dishes were packed with flavor. Highly recommend the steak with fried rice.

Best Vietnamese food, hands down! Small place with lots of personality, and great customer service. Delicious, Delicious, Delicious! A must if you are in SF, you will not be disappointed.

Absolutely authentic. The epitome of hole-​in-​the-​wall spot for good quality affordable eating.
Definitely will be frequenting this spot. Had beef and rice noodles. Was blown away by the flavor. Don’t let this tiny spot fool you. It is too legit to quit.

Solid.
I’m no expert on Vietnamese cuisine, but I know that I paid less than $ 10 for a massive amount of delicious food. I got the lemongrass beef which is served on a huge plate with a moderate serving of rice. Wasn’t too spicy, but had great balanced flavors. Definitely a a lot more vegetables than meat, but still overall very worth the money.
My friends got the phở and spring rolls, and they seemed to like them.
They have way more space upstairs, though the place is a little small and stuffy overall. It’s a bit of a hole in the wall, sure, but the food/​price ratio is unbeatable!

Good place to eat while here. Second time here! The beef phở is excellent. Place is dog friendly too. Someone next to me had their dogs here. Not sure how I liked it, but they were clean looking, so didn’t mind much.

I was sadly feeling a bit under the weather and omg did this place cheer me up! I got the largest bowl of phở I’ve ever been given and it was only $ 8! My friend got a vermicelli bowl– also $ 8– and ahh, so flavorful! This place looks exactly like restaurants I’ve been to in Asia, tucked into a bigger building with grungy décor and yet it feels homey. I highly recommend and suspect that I will be a frequent visitor of this neighborhood gem.

Anyplace Julia Child smiled about, good enough for me. Tu LAN’s been here since 1977 and family run. Classic Vietnamese cuisine excellent but no hot fresh chilis (anywhere in SF at any VN place tried). They do have a very decent home-​made chili paste. This little hole-​in-​the-​wall seats about 20 total in cramped quarters. Very reasonable prices, great fast made to order dishes. My favorite «authentic» VN restaurant and not the fad «hipster» fusion I’ve tried so far in large community of VN restaurants. I’ll be back…

DO NOT order the Bun Bo Hue here! Flavoring and ingredients are wrong. They give you flank steak and thin vermicelli noodles. The broth had more of Thai flavors then Vietnamese. Luckily they give you a lot of noodles and the meat so it filled me up. We had the Wonton noodle soup as well. Everything was on point from the Wontons, broth, portion and noodles. I’m giving this place a high rating because of the great service, friendly staff, reasonable pricing and portions. They give you a lot of noodles and meat. I think I have should have been paying at least 10−20% more. Everyone must order carry out here because they had their to go boxes flying out every minute. Don’t be afraid of the area. You’ll have the occasional homeless person come in asking for food, but the staff will shoe them away. I’ll be back to try their other Bun dishes, stir fry and Imperial roll.

I’ve been coming here since I was 5 and they never fail to amaze me. Tasty food!
Order number 24 is the best.

#17 is bomb. Its egg rolls with pork and noodles. The egg rolls are filled with meat and has a nice crunchy/​chewy outside.
I do have to warn you that the street its on is not the safest. Bring a big man or someone along, at the very least.
I would not come here after the sun has set due to location. Otherwise the food is super delish.

Delicious! This restaurant is a real dump in a real dump of a neighborhood, but if you’re craving delicious authentic Vietnamese food come on down! I ordered #17 which is rice noodles with grilled pork, fried pork egg rolls, and various veggies. My go to dish at most Vietnamese spots. Their version was very, very good. The only complaint I have is the egg rolls have way too much pepper in the seasoning. It overpower what would probably have been an amazing roll.
$ 8.95 for yummy. Not sure I would come
here for dinner since the area is really bad, but lunch was worth the risk.

Delicious! This restaurant is a real dump in a real dump of a neighborhood, but if you’re craving delicious authentic Vietnamese food come on down! I ordered #17 which is rice noodles with grilled pork, fried pork egg rolls, and various veggies. My go to dish at most Vietnamese spots. Their version was very, very good. The only complaint I have is the egg rolls have way too much pepper in the seasoning. It overpowered what would probably have been an amazing roll.
$ 8.95 for yummy. Not sure I would come
here for dinner since the area is really bad, but lunch was worth the risk.

I have been really liking Tu Lan. The portions are HUGE and the food is great. I usually put in an order on Postmates, but sometimes, it takes a lot longer than expected because Tu Lan is short staffed.
*Bo luc lac
VN style chicken fried rice– I didn’t like the curry flavor in the rice
*Shrimp, pork, chicken, veggie & crispy noodle
*Imperial roll
Bun rieu– eh, I’ve had better
*Nem nuong– WARNING, I only read the Vietnamese name and didn’t realize these were in meatball form and not spring roll form. Still good though, it just threw me off
*Lemon beef salad
Chow mein
*hella good, current favs
I didn’t even know, but someone told me how Tu Lan was a Julia Child approved place, and I can totally see why!

Overall: ⁵⁄₅
Absolutely my favorite place to eat in San Francisco Bay Area (yes, including the Bay Area!). I’d even say favorite place to eat on West Coast (including Canada, which is where I’m from).
Food: ⁵⁄₅
AMAZING. The Chicken Noodle Soup (#8 on menu) is unique. Most viet restaurants have fairly standard ingredients, but here they include mushrooms and bamboo shoots for an excellent exotic taste. I mix in some peppers and hot sauce, but it’s also good plain :)
Their imperial roll with pork on rice is also amazing and my default take out dish (noodle soups don’t keep as well for takeouts).
Pricing: ⁵⁄₅
Although it’s more expensive than it used to be a decade ago (hey, what isn’t???), the pricing is still amazing. Under $ 10 for a very filling meal.
Portion Size: ⁵⁄₅
Huge. Their noodle soups are probably the least filling and that’s still decent sized. The rice dishes are VERY filling, same with the fried noodles. I eat a lot :)
Service: ⁵⁄₅
Great service. The cashier on weekdays (guy with glasses) is SUPER friendly! The other staff, are simply efficient. They don’t speak much but I’m here for the food and they deliver on that well.
Note: They give you the bill when you’re almost done eating but I’ve stayed before looking up things on my phone or talking with a friend, and they’ve never rushed me.
I’ll definitely come back :) I’ve eaten here twice daily sometimes when I’m in town!

I’ve been to Tu Lan twice and both times have gotten the same thing, The Grilled Pork & Imperial Roll over Vermicelli.
I was introduced to this place by my friend, otherwise would have never thought twice as I am rarely ever in this area. The neighborhood is pretty sketchy so definitely pay attention to your surroundings when you’re walking to the restaurant. The place is a small hole in the wall but prices are cheap and the food is pretty damn good.
I’d recommend this place to anyone who is craving a good bowl of Vermicelli. I have yet to try anything else from here but will update my review if i ever do.

Tu Lan is one of those places I end up on an almost weekly basis. True, it’s right across the street from my office, but I’d still travel to eat here.
It’s a hole in the wall, and I don’t even want to think about how hot this place gets in the summer. Service is super quick, and every time I’ve eaten here I’ve walked out incredibly satisfied. The phở and bun bo hue is a little different at Tu Lan — they use flat noodles instead of the regular rice noodles. But the broth is hearty and clean, and portions are huge. I’m also a big fan of their bun (vermicelli bowls) with grilled pork and imperial rolls. Goddamn, those imperial rolls. I’ve walked in starving and still managed to take half of my vermicelli bowl home.
Even though they’re in the city, lunch dishes are reasonably priced at about $ 10 per person. Definitely worth checking out!

Well, where do you go to dinner in SF after an early evening of Cowboy Poetry and slamming fresh Tomales Bay oysters on the half shell? To a Vietnamese dive restaurant of course. One of my companions said she’d eaten there in another lifetime, and it was on the way back to the car, so sounded good.
I love this kind of total hole in the wall place, with the cooks in the center juggling fiery woks, but unfortunately the food just didn’t please.
Here’s what we ordered:
Spring rolls: not bad, but uninspired
Lemon grass chicken: we got a chicken dish, but not the one we’d ordered. No lemon grass flavor, and very little chicken
Pork with vinegar cabbage: We got beef with cabbage. The cabbage was tasty. There only three small pieces of meat, so it didn’t really matter whether it came from a cow or a pig
Marinated Fish: We thought this would be something like ceviche, but turned out to be a stir fry, mostly onions with lots of battered and fried white fish, which didn’t seem marinated at all.
Wouldn’t run from it, but wouldn’t be my choice to return

I’d love to love this place. I want to love it. I recently started working at the WeWork Golden Gate, basically right across the street, and was looking for a new go to lunch spot. I’ve gotten takeout from Tu Lan a few times now, and unfortunately it’s been just meh each time.
Pros:
Portions are huge! Takeout from here lasts me for 2 lunches if not more.
Reasonably priced
Super friendly service
Cons:
The food isn’t great. I got the veggie noodles and they were on the flavorless/​bland side of things.
6^th St. is SKETCHY. The first time I ordered from here and was waiting for my food, a crazy homeless man swinging a bat charged at the door. Not the restaurant’s fault at all, but makes the whole experience a bit unpleasant
I still really want to like this place, and have some friends who love it, so I’ll probably give it another try or two before giving up.

Great company + great food is really key to a satisfying dining experience. Prices are also super cheap.
My friend and I had a pretty nice time chatting here although the ambiance is non-​existent. I’m a fan, but taking a date here would be a complete hit or miss.

Lately my «go to» lunch spot. Phở Bo was nothing to phone home about but the vermicelli dishes are all dynamite. Bun Cha Gio with the bbq is delicious. Owner is a friendly dude who remembers me. Skip the phở, go with the Bun Cha Gio (Imperial Roll Vermicelli). Make sure you’re hungry, portions are hearty. The Vietnamese ice coffee isn’t bad either, i often order it.

Really enjoy this place, rhe number 24 with curry fried rice is a meal. Very happy I found this hole in the wall. The servers are nice, kind of like a home stile environment.

I’m going to preface with. this is not where you go to get authentic Vietnamese food. It’s also a hole-​in-​the wall place that doesn’t have the nicest décor.
Anyways, Tu Lan is one of my favorite go to spots if I’m wandering around the Union Square area and wanting a quick bite that’s going to be satisfying, cheap, and not super greasy. I personally only ever order the crispy noodles and have only ever tried other food here because other people have ordered it. I would sum this place up as cheap with huge portions. An order of crispy noodles is more than enough for two meals for me and could potentially be stretched out into three if I tried. You get a huge plate of flash fried noodles with sauteed mixed veggies piled on top. The noodles soften as they soak up the sauces that the veggies are cooked in so each bite is a different texture.
Now, where things might seem weird… if you get any sort of stir fried noodles or meat with veggies, it’s very likely going to come out looking like almost the same dish. It’ll taste different, but you’ll likely have some cabbage, baby corn, broccoli and carrots put in front of you. You might also have some tomatoes and bamboo shoots (the canned kind). I’ve watched them cook while sitting at the counter and they just have these are pre-​cut up in bins and just scoop them out for each dish. So if you have a problem with that then. this probably isn’t the place for you or at least don’t order those dishes and get phở or vermicelli bowls. But like I said, these dishes will still taste different.

It’s a hole in the wall. Not the cleansiest place either. I even saw one of the worker eating her dinner with her bare hands while she’s preparing the salad with the same unwashed bare hands. The only thing prevents me from leaving is that I ordered a cooked dished out of a very hot wok so I’m sure all the bad bacteria got killed.
I was expecting great authentic Vietnamese food. But it was just average at best. It was an entertainment to see this family in action though while speaking in their native tongue.

So PHO-​king good! Pull up and you can smell that delicious broth and the flavors from those woks that’ll have you salivating.
First up were the IMPERIAL ROLLS that HIT THE SPOT! The crispy and chewy rice paper roll exterior was a good mix with the pork and veggie filling. Dip that fried roll up with the sweet and tangy vinegar sauce and we’re talking ordering my own plate to munch on.
THE PHO BO had a phở-​bulous delicious broth, mad tender beef and on point noodles. MUST HAVE together with the Imperial Rolls. Squirt in some lime juice maybe add in some chili sauce and hoisin and you’re good to go! I dream about that broth. *I mean, Julia Child, who frequented the place probably did too*
VEGETARIAN OPTIONS: I had the Vegetarian Phở another time with two friends to share with (since one of them was vegetarian and we’re considerate like that) and honestly? The broth and the flavors just wasn’t holding up to the bar the PHO BO had raised but for those vegetarians out there, this wasn’t bad at all. It had a clean veggie broth served warm good for soothing the tummy. Same goes for the VEGETARIAN SUMMER ROLLS WITH PEANUT SAUCE ARE A MUST ORDER FOR VEGETARIANS cause they were good and refreshing to the palate (but the crunch and juicy tender veg and pork in the Imperial Rolls just wins me over, hehe!) My vegetarian friend had a rice plate with wok fried mixed vegetable with tofu and mushroom all sauced up with savory curry and the portion was huge and the taste was alright. It wasn’t something that got me all excited about.
Service was good. Ate by the bar a few times and it’s a nice spot to watch your food getting made while having that delicious smoke waft over you. You can also end up being seated inside or upstairs and they’re definitely not about having you rave all about their design cause it’s all practical here and all about the food. The interiors are pretty small and can get stuffy when foot traffic turns up but you know what you’re there for: food. Front man of the house who usually checks on you when you walk in is really friendly and so are the older ladies and young kids who serve as well as the cooks. One thing that my friend pointed out was how the cooking area wasn’t as clean as he wanted it to be but that didn’t bother my stomach of steel.
I need to be back here soon!

I haven’t had phở in months! I went to this hole in the wall type of place. It’s on 6^th street near Market side San Francisco. The outside environment is a little ghetto but tolerable. The inside to me is a little small but I believe they have an upper level but no biggie. Im more into what the food is all about! I came in and got seated right away. Friendly and attentive staff.
I ordered:
#7 under Noodle Soup called Phở Bo. In parenthesis it says, «may contain raw beef». Yes it’s raw beef at first but as the soup heats it up, it’s basically like medium rare. The beef was pretty tender and it didn’t taste old (pretty fresh to me), so that’s a thumbs up! The broth tasted a little different from the phở I usually have (at Phở Huynh Hiep3: Kevins Noodle House in Westlake Daly City Ca.), but still pretty good. Usually phở broth alone is already flavorful but I had to use some of the sauces on the side to add a little kick to it.
#24 under Combination Plates called Com Cha Ghio Thit Nuong: Rice and Imperial Rolls with Pork Kebab. Pork and sauce alone with rice is really flavorful!!! Very tasty!!! I like I like :) I liked how they have shredded lettuce and pieces of cucumber on the side to add a little crunch to every bite. Imperial rolls… meat inside had a little too much pepper flavor but yeah not bad. I loved the light crispy texture.
Im glad there’s cheap and delicious phở that is nearby to where I live. Mos def going to come back here! Cheap and delicious (;

Everyone is over on Larkin when they need some good quality home-​cooked style Vietnamese food.
But now, I’ll be over here!
Small, compact, and stuffy restaurant, but the food is the real winner here.
You take any seat you find open, and you may find yourself sharing tables with other, and take a minute to breathe because it is HOT in there.
The upstairs has no windows or real ventilation so it was very stuffy.
But once you (kind of) acclimate, be sure to take advantage of their $ 4 33 beer (Haven’t found that anywhere else yet).
There’s an entire vegetarian section, with many of it being vegan friendly since there’s a lot of tofu rice dishes.
I went for a dish I haven’t had since my mama cooked it-​Dau Hu Sot Ca or Tofu in stewed tomato sauce.
The portions here are HUGE. As in, my friend and I looked at each other and realized we should’ve done it family style because each entrée was too big to finish on our own.
As I tackled the huge dish, I enjoyed how savory each bite was. Tons of ginger, garlic, green onions, and other aromatic ingredients filled my mouth. Even after I finished my plate of rice, it looked like I barely put a dent into my dish. I took it home and had it for leftover 2 more times. Yum.
Service is sporadic since tables are turning so quickly and there are only a few of them, but if you flag one down, they will get you whatever you need.
We had a dinner for 2 and paid next to nothing for it. You know I’ll be back here soon.

Tried this place and the food was great. Their quantity is very good portion and the price is just right. The seating is limited but who cares as long as the food is good. Their staff is very friendly and provides good service.
I almost go there every week these days.
5 Stars all the way…

Tu Lan is a little hole in the wall Vietnamese place on the outskirts of the downtown/​Tenderloin area. While the walk is sketch, the food inside is surprisingly cheap, yummy, and filling.
Upon walking in, it looks like Tu Lan is a quick grab & go type of restaurant with only a few small tables and a small sit down counter inside. However they have a private dining area upstairs with larger tables that fit my party of 6 people comfortably.
FOOD: all of my friends for the vermicelli noodle bowl with imperial egg rolls and pork. I tasted some of the pork and it was well marinated. Seeing that Julia Child tried the lemon beef salad here, I just had to try it once. I was impressed with its size and tangy fish sauce dressing over the shredded cabbage, however, it could have used more beef. I will come back to try their chicken phở.
SERVICE: quick and efficient with minimum small talk, as that is the usual norm at small Asian restaurants. When I thought my friends didn’t arrive at the restaurant yet because I didn’t see them inside, the waiter had the insight to rush after me as I walked out the door and ushered me upstairs to where my friends were waiting. I was also impressed by how the waitresses carried large bowls of hot noodle soup upstairs from the kitchen.
Turtle Tower is my favorite Vietnamese place in the city, but I won’t mind coming back to Tu Lan, even if I have to walk past some sketchiness.

I wasn’t too happy with my first dining experience at Tu Lan, and it wasn’t necessarily the fault of the restaurant, but rather my own. Maybe I had ordered the wrong thing on the menu? In all fairness, there should be no ‘wrong’ offerings at a restaurant. If I were a restaurateur, I would not serve sub-​par dishes alongside the dishes which give me notoriety. Yet still, I was urged to return to Tu Lan not more than 3 days after my original visit, and I must admit, it was a game changer.
I ordered the Lemon Beef Salad, rumored to have been the favorite of the late Julia Childs, and the wifey ordered #24 off the menu, which was beef with an imperial roll served over rice.

I must admit that I’m very happy to have returned, as both dishes were absolutely exquisite. The flavors, the notes, the aromas… all spectacular. The highlight of the meal was the Lemon Beef Salad, which was fresh, aromatic, and flavorful. The portion served was very generous, but the dish as a whole is light and stunning. The beef in the dish was tender and appetizing. Most impressive was that even though we ordered two dishes that featured beef, it was immediately evident that each dish was seasoned independently and the two beef dishes had vastly different flavors.
I’m fortunate to work only walking distance from Tu Lan, and I certainly see more Lemon Beef Salads in my future, especially as the weather warms up. A lot of people in my office often frequent the local Vietnamese restaurants, and maybe I’ll keep the secret of Tu Lan to myself a bit longer.
I’m changing my review to 4 stars, with one star missing due to the fact that the restaurant is a tiny hole in the wall and is not all that comfortable a dining venue.

Huge and cheap portions + fast and friendly service = very happy Christine. Stop here on the way to Orpheum, Bill Graham Civic, War Memorial, Davies, basically anything near Civic Center. It’s a short walk away from all of them!
Don’t be too scared that it’s on 6^th street. Tu Lan is right near Market and it’s clean and bright once you get inside. You’re almost immediately greeted by a friendly host who leads you to an empty table or bar seat. There’s additional seating upstairs, too!
I ended up ordering the bun cha gio (imperial roll & rice noodle), which ended up being one of the most delicious Vietnamese dishes I’ve ever had. The hearty portion came in a huge bowl, and the roll was savory and juicy with a great crunchy texture on the outside… Only $ 7.75 for the whole thing!
Alcohol lovers, TAKE NOTE: glass of wine was $ 3.50. An entire carafe of wine was only $ 7.50. Beers were similarly cheap. WOW.
Overall, I would have rated this place 5 stars anyway, but the spectacularly friendly staff made it an even better experience. Definitely coming back again, soon!

Large portions. You can definitely share a meal here. I didn’t realize that there was seating upstairs. If you see a line, ask if they are waiting for a seat at the counter or if they are just waiting to place an order. Sometimes people stand outside just waiting for their food to be packed to pick it up.
I’d definitely come back. Not many Vietnamese restaurants take credit card so this is definitely a plus!

Lemon beef salad has a subtle tang in that dressing. Mmhmm… absorb it with the side of rice they serve. Bo Chanh tastiness for $ 8.75
I wanted to taste this much Unilocal-​reviewed imperial roll, so we ordered that Com Cha Gio Thit Nuong (translation: steamed rice, imperial roll, and pork kebab combo plate). The imperial roll is some deep-​fried meat goodness. $ 8.25 for the plate!
Very affordable prices at this hole-​in-​the-​wall. There can be a wait around weekday lunch hour, and I wouldn’t recommend coming here in large groups. 2 people is best if you want to get seated quickly. There’s also an upstairs. Relatively quick service. You pay at the cash register up front. $ 10 credit card minimum.

This is no joke the best Vietnamese food I have ever had .
Granted it’s not in the best area of town, it’s definitely the best food in the town .
Every dish has so much flavor, not bland or watered down like most places I’ve been .
I’ve tried a lot here over the years but I have some favorites .
The vegetarian crispy noodles are amazing, and the pork with bean curd is something to write home about. Another must try is their imperial rolls. You can taste the spices in the meat inside the roll .
On top of how amazing the food is the price is so low, and. The portions are huge. The staff is very friendly and the place is clean. This place is a must try if you are ever in sf, you won’t regret it

I went to Tu Lan with my buddies on a chilly Wednesday night after finding a lot of the surrounding bars packed to the brim. We were looking for a nice cheap Vietnamese place near the SF Centre Mall and expected this to satisfy our cravings.
Upon walking into the restaurant, I was initially worried since there seemed to be few seats left. However, we didn’t have to wait too long for Tu Lan’s waiters to seat us, cause WHOA they had an upper level! Upon looking at the menu, I saw a caricature of my childhood TV cook Julia Child staring right back me. So Mrs. Child must’ve been here and helped with your marketing huh? Celebrity chef endorsements generally turn me off, but I didn’t really care; I just wanted a good meal.
I was worried that they would only serve imperial rolls on vermicelli since that was what most reviews say to get, but they definitely had the typical range that you’d find in your typical Vietnamese restaurant, so if you want phở they definitely have it! Nevertheless, I really wanted to try the $ 10 imperial roll meal with vermicelli.
Service was fast, but the food wasn’t anything special. The imperial rolls were nice and crunchy and filled with lots of meat – more than I’m used to. But the meat was too peppery and didn’t taste too good. The BBQ pork on the side was all right and nothing special. In the end, I regretted getting the imperial rolls and should’ve stuck with my gut and get the phở instead.
Bottom Line: Imperial rolls are simply OK, $ 10 is a steal for overly-​expensive SoMa, but I’m not coming here ever again. Julia Child doesn’t know her SF Vietnamese restaurants.

It was 8pm in SFs not-​so-​nice neighborhood of SoMa and I was hungry. I strapped on my leather jacket, kicks and «don’t f’ with me» face and ventured out into the unknown hoping to find a hidden gem or two.
Walking about five blocks from my hotel, passing (amongst other things) a political protest and a man without a shirt running to and fro as if fleeing from something… I started to get restless.
Upon crossing the next intersection, I noticed Tu Lan resting to the right with a welcoming sign and a healthy crowd.
I entered this fast-​food-​esque vietnamese eatery and felt immediately at ease. Two men expedited orders by walking around and cracking some jokes in the process, patrons sat having mild conversation and sensual noodle slurping. I took a seat at the diner-​style counter and noticed that the entire kitchen was directly in my view.
Since the trek to the restaurant robbed me of some of my hunger, I decided to go light and order the Pork Summer Rolls.
Similar to a sushi bar experience, I watched the cook stuff, roll and cut my appetizers to perfection. It’s been a few months since I tasted these summer rolls but I can tell you that I still catch cravings for them now and again… I guess that tells you how good they were.
To aid in digestion, I paired the rolls with a 33 Import (Viet beer). After my 15 minute dining experience was complete, I asked one of the smiling comedians for the check, settled it up front and went off into the peculiar world with immediate withdrawals.

Why do I like Unilocal?Why do I like eating out? Why do I like chronicling the places I go to?
Honestly, it never has really been a thing of status for me or to make me feel better about myself.
Really, it comes down to the fact that in all of these experiences encodes memories. Feelings. Emotions. All of that goes into time spent eating at a restaurant or visiting a location. And if we’re not careful, we forget exactly how that gets mixed into the complex melting pot that is our very being.
Tu Lan is yet another one of those crossroads. Sure, we can talk about the somewhat sketchy location (at least at night). We can talk about the two-​tiered seating. We can talk about the no-​frills décor and somewhat cramped areas. We can talk about the decent service from well-​meaning servers who have a bit too much to tend to. We can talk about how busy this place is – yet, we can talk about the fact that you’ll quickly get a table.
We can talk about the average vermicelli with pork and imperial rolls that have tons of black pepper. We can talk about the above average portion sizes.
We can talk about the cucumber infused water, even.
Look, we can talk about all of that. But really, I didn’t end up at Tu Lan for any of that. I was here with two of my closest friends, and the memory I’ll remember most is exploring their city – San Francisco – with them all day. About how, in our senior year, we all got to meet up and hang out and really just revel in our relative freedom.
As a restaurant, Tu Lan is okay. It’s not bad for its price, and I have no ill will against it. However, on this day, it’s mostly context. It’s a setting for not only the great adventure of a day we had, but of a time in my life.
And honestly, that’s really cool.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO SHUT THIS PLACE DOWN! I was already skeptical walking in onto the sticky floors, but didn’t want to «judge a book by its cover». Not the case here. We were in the area and in the mood for some phở, so stopped by after our clinical.
Food: There’s only 5 «phở» options: chicken, meatball, bun bo hue, steak, and some other special. There isn’t much variety, so I ended up choosing meatball, as that seemed like the safest option. Halfway into my meal, I noticed a fly in the middle of my soup, and politely told the server, who pretended not to hear me. I proceeded to repeat myself louder, and by now the entire restaurant can hear the commotion. Awkward. What I was trying to avoid the entire time.
The server didn’t know how to respond, and grabbed an older lady (presumedly the owner), and she tells me that «the fly probably flew in there». AND? I don’t really care how it got in there. I just want the bowl taken away. Not once did she apologize. She did offer to make me something else, but I was too disgusted and lost my appetite. My friend wasn’t able to finish hers either because she was paranoid since we ordered the same thing.
Why is it so hard to find a decent phở restaurant in the SoMa area? I give up.

Whatever you do, don’t pass up the Imperial Rolls. And unless you’re die hard Phở-​natic who must benchmark every bowl, don’t bother with the Phở. This place has large portions at reasonable prices. Some dishes looked really good and others just ok. Probably a better experience once you accumulate a few favorites from the menu.
Imperial Rolls: This seems to be the fan favorite. It is unlike any Imperial Roll I’ve had at other Vietnamese restaurants. For starters, it is very thick and kinda long. The wrapper is a bit thicker too and all sorts of crispy. The inside is moist and bursting with umami. It seems like they use a fine mince of meat rather than ground meat. A very nice ground pepper aroma throughout. And even some thin vermicelli noodles in the mix. An appetizer portion contains two of these bad boys and could easily serve as a decent meal for one.
Phở Bo: I’m a huge fan of Phở, so I have to try it everywhere I go. The fact that only a small percentage of photos on Unilocal were of the soup, should have been a warning sign. It was very mediocre. My biggest issue was that it was too noodle-​y. I’m not opposed to thick noodles in phở, my main issue was that it was mostly noodle with a ladle or two of broth. I like big bowls and lots of broth. The meat was just ok. Only one cut of beef and it should have been sliced thinner. Obviously, not a specialty here.