Before you walk into Chi & Em for the first time, you need to prepare yourself for a sensory overload. Lanterns hang from the ceiling. Mounted signs on the wall are filled with Vietnamese and Japanese characters. There are images of Saigon of the 1950s, plus anime posters and even a Hello Kitty with a pirate’s eyepatch. Flowers hang in strands from the bar.
Chi & Em serves its Vietnamese menu full-time, and the Japanese items are available only in the evenings. But, I was here to try something that can’t be found at other Vietnamese restaurants — the noodles in coconut cream. The server explains that this dish is true Vietnamese street food, and she also talks me into starting with an order of Chi & Em’s chicken wings. Really, this was not a hard sell. She did not need to twist my arm.
The wings come on a beautiful ceramic plate. Wings aren’t usually photogenic, but these ones are. And they tasted even better than they looked. The seasoning and spices had just the right amount of salt, and the wings were pretty darn plump. Really, this is a meal unto itself. But that coating is so good, I was dabbing my finger into the crumbs to make sure I wasn’t wasting any.
Then came the noodle dish, with coconut cream and fish sauce on the side. There were peanuts, carrots, lettuce, bits of pork skin and pork slices in the bowl, all sitting on top of the rice noodles. The coconut cream wasn’t overpoweringly sweet. It was subtle, and really worked well with the pork. The fish sauce added that vinegar kick that we love so much when we eat Vietnamese noodle dishes. Together, it all worked. And, of course, it comes in a portion size that’s difficult for one person to finish — especially if he started off with a plate of those jumbo wings.
This is a spot that cries out for large groups, who can sit around bowls of food and swap stories while sitting in an environment with lots and lots of eye candy. It’s fun — and it’s really good.
Chi & Em
Strathcona | 10542 82 Ave NW, Edmonton | 825.401.4639 | chiandem.com
