Posted
Thursday, September 04, 2008 at 11:08 AM
After becoming a fan of Truc Lam, I've found myself traveling to the corner of Spring and Gravois on a more regular basis. As is usually true of Vietnamese spots in So. City, Truc Lam's got a one-day-off-per-week policy and it turns out that Wednesday is their day of rest. Across the street, though, is Phuc Loi and the lights of Phuc Loi were still on last night, just prior to 8:00 p.m. Oh, blessings be to Phuc Loi! (A fun name to type and just as fun to say.)Though Phuc Loi is supposed to close at 8, the kitchen seemed to have no problem keeping the stove on for a couple vegetarian, off-the-menu orders last night, which were delivered in short order and quite tasty. The venue itself is nothing to look at; the biggest influence is a huge dose of paintings-from-a-yard-sale flair. And most of the folks coming through, even at closing time, were proving that the "Viet Food to Go" slogan was correct.
Maybe the best thing about Phuc Loi is that it's non-smoking. For those of you who've gone to authentic Vietnamese places - those that fall just off of the So. Grand grid - you know that the interiors are often smokier than your lungs (and clothes) prefer. P-U. So the no-smoking signs at Phuc Loi were a positive, for sure, and the diners spent their time furiously making cell phone calls and texting, rather than smoking. At moments, it appeared that every person in the joint was working away at their Motorola.
Anyway, I do go on.
Try the Number Six. They'll make it how you want it. Every night but Monday.
Phuc Loi
3729 Gravois #C, 63116
314-772-7742
Tues.-Thurs., 8-8
Fri.-Sat., 8-9
Closed Monday