BON APPETIT - SPECIAL COLLECTOR'S EDITION
LONDON - THE ULTIMATE FOOD TOUR
May, 1998

THE WESTERN INSIDER

By Siobhan Burns and Anthony Head

SAN FRANCISCO'S STYLISH VIETNAMESE SPOT

When his family fled Vietnam and ended up in San Francisco, Charles Phan's parents were working too much to have time for cooking; so Charles picked up the slack, learning the repertoire of home-style Vietnamese recipes. He was also paying attention to the way some of the top restaurants in the Bay Area, like Zuni Cafe and Chez Panisse, concentrated on seasonal ingredients combined in simple but inspired dishes.

Charles took his experience and opened The Slanted Door, a restaurant where the cooking is a notch above that of most Vietnamese places. The menu changes according to what's at the market and might include shrimp and lemongrass soup; green papaya salad with coriander leaves; chicken baked in a clay pot with caramel sauce and chili; and fried pompano with ginger sauce. Certain house specialties are always available, notably the "shaking beef"-cubes of filet mignon with garlic and onions.

The Slanted Door has a selection of high-quality teas and a small but well-chosen wine list, and the dining room boasts a sleekly luxurious look that helps to bring in crowds of loyal patrons.