The Bamboo House Restaurant
Vietnamese and Schezuan Cuisine
676 Belmont Ave
Springfield, MA 01108
You may not have known there’s a piece of authentic Southwest Asia right in the heart of Springfield. It’s actually quite interesting. My cameraman and I were sent on a story about Vietnamese immigrants in Springfield and found out there’s a booming community right here in our backyard. Naturally, I was elated to discover there was a whole new world of cuisine for me to explore in Western Massachusetts. According to the Vietnamese American Civic Association, Vietnamese immigrants and refugees are a group that came to Springfield within the last half century. Vietnamese Americans reside mostly in the Forest Park area of Springfield. There’s an estimated three thousand Vietnamese immigrants in the city.
Right off of Sumner Avenue, I found a gem of a restaurant that’s quickly becoming one of my favorite ethnic spots in the city. The Bamboo House takes you on an aromatic journey and brings you straight to brilliant flavor fest. The minute you step through the doors of The Bamboo House you’re transported thousands of miles east to a warm-hearted Vietnamese household. The restaurant is owned by an older Vietnamese couple, who speak very little English. But their daughter and a couple of the restaurant’s wait staff speak English and are very amiable. The establishment is simply decorated, yet incorporates the flare and exoticness of a traditional Vietnamese restaurant. Bamboo shoots line the walls and the tables are grouped close together, giving a slight feel of a communal meal. But it’s all family and that just adds to the restaurant’s charm. It’s definitely a family friendly environment. On the times I’ve paid the Bamboo a visit there has always been parents having a meal with their young kids. The kids seem to enjoy the food almost as much as the adults.
Sharing a bowl of soup takes on a whole new meaning at The Bamboo House. In Vietnamese culture it’s traditional to see a family sitting around a table, slurping up flavorful broth and noodle soups. The soup dishes at The Bamboo House are tantalizing to the senses and incorporate distinct spices like chili, lemon, mint leaves, and sprouts. Really though sprouts seem to be huge in Vietnamese cooking. The waitress brought us over two plates of these skinny crunchy white tubes to accompany our meals and appetizer. The sprouts are served cold and are adorned with a type of chili sauce, which gives the dish a savory kick. The soups come in an assortment of styles including rice noodles with beef, chicken, fish, shrimp or crab and even pork feet. You can easily turn any of these soups into your main meal. One thing I noticed about the soup broths was their sweet and savory flavors. Vietnamese soups appear to balance the worlds of sugar and spice like it’s an acrobatic act. I was pleasantly surprised to realize how much I enjoyed the flavor fusion of sweet chili and mint leaf chicken broth. I definitely did some slurping and didn’t mind when the broth slightly splashed in my face. These things get messy sometimes. My favorite soup was the Pho, a Vietnamese beef noodle soup. The beef was thinly sliced and delicate, melting in your mouth at first contact.
Although the dishes’ names are listed in Vietnamese on the menu, don’t fret if you can’t read the language, the meals are described in English underneath. 
When it comes to a starter before your meal, I’d advise the pan fried Salt and pepper jumbo shrimp. I must admit these were some of the best shrimp I’ve ever had in my life. I know that may sound a bit extreme, but these shrimp are really melt in your mouth delicious. The shrimp are lightly battered with chunks of ground pepper and salt mixed with flour, then pan fried to a golden crisp.
They feel light and non-greasy on your palette, which is a huge plus in my book. Served on a bead of crisp lettuce with colorful green peppers, the black peppered shrimp makes for a hearty appetizer. Also the vegetable spring rolls are delightful. Again, although they are fried, the spring rolls are extremely airy and don’t make you feel weighed down. The veggies inside are slightly seasoned and crunchy. Dipping the egg rolls in duck sauce is a real treat.
When it comes to a main entrée, if you’re a salmon lover you’ll be doing yourself a real disservice if you don’t pay a visit to the Bamboo House. One of the most amazing flavor fantastic meals I’ve featured on “Dishin’ It” [Drum roll please…] would have to be the salmon Clay pot at the Bamboo House. I mean this salmon has to be from a different planet. In all sincerity though, the dish is a testament to the exotic aromatic sensations of Southeast Asia. Before being grilled to a juicy pink perfection, the salmon is left to marinate in garlic and lemon juice for 20 minutes. After grilling, the hearty portion of salmon is cut into rectangular chunks and drenched with their signature spicy Vietnamese teriyaki sauce. It’s then put into a clay pot to bake in the flavor. Chopped scallions, onions, fresh garlic, and ginger are added in the mix to pump up the ammo. The salmon is brought to the table in the clay pot and easily feeds at least two people.
When you visit The Bamboo House make sure you have your adventurous hat on because you’re in for a real culinary experience. Don’t be scared to take some risks with your menu chooses. Whatever you end up ordering will most likely be fresh and authentic because the owners are strict on keeping to that motto. The prices are pretty affordable for the quality and portions you receive. You will leave The Bamboo House feeling like you may need to take a trip to Vietnam food culture in the near future. That’s it for this segment of “Dishin’ It with Alexis.” Remember food is life, food is love, and food is community.
Written by Alexis Miller
1 Comment
July 30, 2009 at 8:26 pm
[...] night was dinner at a great new-to-us Hartford restaurant with family, Tuesday was Sriracha-riffic Western Massachusetts Vietnamese with Trickle Down and friends, Wednesday was a show in town with friends. [...]