Vietnamese restaurant Pho Fans opens in Smithtown

Chinese, Japanese and Thai we have in profusion; Vietnamese restaurants, not so much. Rejoice, then: Pho Fans has debuted in Smithtown’s Village Commons shopping center right next to Manino’s. The sign went up more than a year ago, but it took until early October for the restaurant to open.

Pho, the eponymous noodle soup (pronounced “fuh” and not “faux”) is available in eight iterations (various cuts of beef, the most traditional meat, plus chicken, seafood and vegetarian). All are $12.95 and served in an enormous bowl with a side of bean sprouts and fresh herbs. Among appetizers ($3.95 to $8.95) are rice-paper-wrapped summer rolls (shrimp or vegetable), fried spring rolls, dumplings, crab Rangoon and scallion pancakes.

There are banh mi (Vietnamese hoagies, $7.95), bun (rice vermicelli bowls, $10.95 to $11.95), papaya salads topped with grilled meat ($10.95) and rice platters ($13.95) made with grilled pork chops or ribs, beef, shrimp, chicken, beef, shrimp or General Tso’s chicken.

Sweet and creamy Vietnamese coffee, made with chicory coffee and sweetened condensed milk, is available either hot or iced along with Thai milky tea, fresh lemonade and coconut water (all $4.95).

The long, narrow space, which seats about 50, has sports an attractive neo-tropical vibe, walls decorated with Vietnamese straw hats, photographs of the food and a golden mural depicting stylized tree blossoms. There is a bar, though the liquor license is still pending.

Pho Fans joins a shortlist of Vietnamese restaurants on Long Island: Rolling Spring Roll in Farmingdale and Syosset, Pho Maxia in Westbury and Saigon Casa in Port Jefferson Station. Vietnamese rice bowls are available at Bambu in Stony Brook; Banh mi at Wednesday’s Table in Southold.

Pho Fans is at 36 E. Main St., Smithtown, 631-366-0666, phofansusa.com.