My favorite Vietnamese restaurant, 888, has been closed for remodeling for nearly a month now. It was only supposed to take a week and involve minor repairs, so now we're worried they might not reopen at all.
This is awful because I'd been going there at least once a week, usually twice, for the past nine months or so. They knew us. The old lady behind the counter teased Eric about his rosy cheeks, which made them even rosier. (All old ladies love Eric.) Their pho is really good: light, salty, and served with mint, cilantro, and lime. The spring rolls are fresh and warm and minty with shrimp and razor-thin slices of pork. It's cheap. Also it's the only restaurant everyone in my house likes equally, so the endless rounds of:
Roommate One: Where should we eat?
Roommate Two: I don't care. Where do you want to eat?
Roommate Three: How about Thai Kitchen?
Roommate One: Yeah!
Roommate Four: I had that yesterday. How about Arranda's?
Roommate Three: Yecch.
Roommate One: Fuck you guys, I'm ordering pizza.
were finally put to rest for a while.
But now we're lost again. We don't know where to eat anymore.
We waited, and waited. I tried calling them every night after work (302-5433), and Roone has driven by several times to check on their progress. So far there hasn't been any.
We started to pout. I broke down and tried some other Vietnamese places around town, and they're all fine, I guess, but there's always something a little off. Too much MSG, or lemon instead of lime and mint but no cilantro, or beef noodles made with greasy stomach meat, or tough rice paper and anemic shrimp in the spring rolls. Or whatever, it's just not 888.
I guess this isn't that big a deal, considering. Still, it's a little sad when a pleasant ritual ends, especially one so tasty and cheap. I guess I'll have to start learning to cook again.