What: Vietnamese crispy rolls
Where: Rooster and the Pig, 356 S. Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
How much: $16
Contact: 760-832-6691; roosterandthepig.com
Why: It’s a crispy, savory delight.
I’ll never forget the first time I tried Vietnamese food. I was a college intern, home for the summer in Reno, and a colleague took me to lunch at Golden Flower Vietnamese Restaurant.
The pho. The bún (grilled pork with cold noodles). The imperial rolls. OMG, I was in love.
I get food from Golden Flower every time I am back in Reno. Here at home, I frequent a couple of Vietnamese places—and few months ago, I was afraid we’d lost one of those places, Rooster and the Pig.
If you read the column on the next page regularly, you know why. If you don’t, a recap: In early February, a major electrical issue shut down the building that Rooster and the Pig, Rio Azul Mexican Bar and Grill, and several other businesses call home. It would take more than two months—during the busiest time of year for Coachella Valley restaurants—for the issue to be resolved.
The closure forced Rio Azul to close for good (under the original ownership, at least). Fortunately, such was not the case for Rooster and the Pig, which reopened in early June. Thank heavens.
While the Vietnamese food I first fell in love with at Golden Flower is as old-school as it gets, Rooster and the Pig’s fare is decidedly unique and modernized. However, one of my favorite menu items is one of the more traditional dishes—the Vietnamese crispy rolls. Filled with ground pork, wood ear mushrooms, jicama and glass noodles, the rolls are amazing.
While they’re different from Golden Flower’s imperial rolls in a number of ways, the flavor profiles are similar—and Rooster and the Pig’s Vietnamese crispy rolls remind me why I first fell in love with Vietnamese fare all those years ago.
What a great article! My mouth is watering.