Spring for these rolls

Where to go if you’re in coastal OC and have a hankering for Vietnamese spring rolls? That would be easy: Bamboo Bistro in Corona del Mar. The sister restaurant to Little Saigon’s famous Brodard Restaurant, Bamboo Bistro serves a more mainstream clientele with its fusion offerings. Take Bamboo Bistro’s roasted duck spring roll, for example: tender and flavorful duck with crispy skin nestled in fluffy vermicelli noodles, lettuce, cucumber and crunchy asparagus, all wrapped in a translucent and chewy rice paper wrapper. It’s a refreshing appetizer, but be forewarned, you’ll want to eat more than one serving. There are other spring rolls, too, from the classic goi cuon (translation: salad rolls) with steamed pork and shrimp, to nem nuong cuon (roasted pork), to the Ahi spring roll, which is presented like a sushi-cut roll, with cubes of fresh tuna and avocado with a wasabi-ginger soy dipping sauce.

Of course, there’s plenty more delectable items on the menu at Bamboo Bistro—if you want a tasty alternative to pho, try the bun ca or sole noodle soup—generous chunks of moist white fish in a delicate broth with chili oil, cherry tomatoes and crunchy tendrils of water spinach. But trust us on those spring rolls!

Bamboo Bistro is located at 2600 E. Pacific Coast Highway in Corona del Mar (near the intersection of Coast Highway and MacArthur, right across from the Chevron gas station)
949.720.1289

11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday
Noon to 9 p.m. Sunday