The Perfect Rolled Salad (No, Not That Kind)

Grilled pork spring rolls at Baguette House & Cafe (Photo by Jana Birchum)

What is the perfect food? To my mind, it's a comforting dish that is easily accessible, affordable, relatively painless to cook, and just hits every time, even when the version you're eating is not very good. Goi cuon (also known as spring rolls, salad rolls, or summer rolls; I'll refer to them as spring rolls from here) are that dish for me.

As I sit in one of the oldest and most established Vietnamese/Chinese restaurants in the capital city (hint: It used to be one of the only pho shops in the Nineties, strictly Vietnamese then), eating some mid spring rolls, something dawns on me while I'm drowning them in watery peanut hoisin sauce and Huy Fong Foods chili garlic sauce. They are still satisfying, like mediocre pizza or chips and queso when you're hungover, because this quite possibly could be the perfect food for Central and Southeast Texas.

A spring roll is essentially a small salad with some type of protein wrapped in fresh rice paper and served with a dipping sauce of the peanut hoisin or fish variety, most commonly. There are two schools of thought about the origin of this dish. Some argue that they were an innovation of Quang Trung, the second emperor of the Tay Son dynasty (1788-92). The legend is that he wanted his soldiers to be on the go at all times, even requiring them to carry each other in hammocks, taking turns sleeping while they pursued their enemies. This constant movement required mobile, handheld foods that were lightweight, didn't need to be heated, and could be devoured while marching. The other argument for the provenance of spring rolls is that they are a direct result of China's occupation of Vietnam more than 2,000 years ago, due to their similarity to the Chinese spring roll. However, where the Chinese spring roll is fried and crunchy, the Vietnamese spring roll is soft and cool, and the rice paper wrapper is a Vietnamese invention.

Have humans been wrapping savory and sweet ingredients in some type of tasty wrapper and ingesting them for thousands of years? Yes. However, the varied combinations of fresh herbs and lettuces, rice vermicelli noodles, pickled veggies, and protein, wrapped in fresh rice paper then dipped in something either thick and sweet or umami-drenched, sour, and salty, are uniquely Vietnamese. China is the originator of so many culinary traditions, including the spring roll in its various fried permutations throughout Asia and Asian-inspired cuisine, but never have they had a fresh one as we encounter in the Vietnamese culinary lexicon.

If you encounter a Vietnamese restaurant that does not serve a version of a spring roll, it wouldn't be suspicious per se, but out of character. In Texas, they are essentially the fries to our burger, if you count a steaming bowl of pho, heaping bowl of bún, or a bánh mì as the burger. And when you do encounter a Vietnamese establishment that doesn't serve a spring roll, this is also a place you need to eat at if you dig this type of cuisine, as they are catering zero to a Western palate. I guarantee you they will have offerings just as delicious, and fresh.

Houston, Texas, from 1975 to 1988 was ground zero for the resettlement of Vietnamese refugees after the fall of Saigon. And while San Jose, California, held the largest population of ethnic Vietnamese until around 2007, many left California during the late Aughts for more affordable housing and accessible employment in Texas, specifically the southeastern region of the state. Texans have benefited greatly, culturally and gastronomically, from the blunders and tragedies of the Vietnam War. I do not write this lightly, or infused with cynicism, but any diaspora spawns regenerative cultural and food migrations, inevitable new combinations, education, and the melding of foodways.

Most spring rolls are legit by my palate's calibrations, but those listed here are exceptional, and if you happen to be at one of these spots, don't sleep on these tiny rolled salads.

Baguette House & Cafe

This North Lamar báhn mì mainstay in Austin's "Chinatown" (we can make a good case to rename it "Little Vietnam") makes one of the most refreshing, satisfying, texturally perfect, and filling (for what is generally considered an appetizer) spring rolls in town. I typically opt for grilled pork. You get three substantial rolls, which are more than enough to share if you're grabbing a sandwich, or to serve as a light meal on their own. The pork is toothsome, flavorfully marinated, and reminiscent of Chinese-style roasted pork, but less sweet. But it's the vegetables and roughage that shine here, with always bright green leaf lettuce, fresh cucumber, pickled daikon and carrot, and a fresh rice paper holding it all together. The rolls are never dried out and hard at the edges, a sure sign of being made to order, or so close to it that most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference. A substantial to-go ramekin of viscous peanut hoisin sauce and chili garlic sauce is served for dipping. Absent are the omnipresent thin rice vermicelli noodles, but with the mini salad and grilled pork, they aren't missed. Baguette House also offers grilled beef, grilled pork loaf (kind of like sausage), and a vegetarian option.

Pho Phong Luu (Noble Pho)

I am a newcomer to this spot, previously on North Lamar, now reopened on Dessau Road. Fabulous food, family vibe, very cool spot, always great service. These rolls are going to be on the average-to-smaller end of this roundup, but deftly crafted with delectable and unique ingredients. These rolls are tightly wrapped and slender, with a large oblong slice of grilled Vietnamese sausage, lightly pickled carrot, fresh cilantro, rice vermicelli, cooked greens, and a fried rice paper "cigar" for texture. They've clearly married these ingredients with purpose. Acid from the smattering of carrot, great crunch and texture from the cigar, a little bit of chew from the greens, and the salty richness of the sausage, all served with a thick, rich peanut hoisin sauce, combine for one of the best spring rolls in town. I pile every bite with chili garlic sauce, the ubiquitous Indonesian condiment found at most Vietnamese establishments. I'd be wary of any spot that does not have a version at its disposal. There's also a tofu roll available.

Tan My

Tan My consistently makes all the noodle shop lists for its light but intricately rich bowls of pho, definitely one of the best bowls of noodle soup in town for my money. Their spring rolls are in that same echelon. They serve a shorter roll, with a healthy portion of fresh green leaf lettuce, rice vermicelli, thin-sliced roasted pork and halved boiled shrimp, and a thick stick of fresh cucumber for that crunch. Absent are any pickled daikon and/or carrots, but they aren't missed, served alongside a peanut hoisin dipping sauce. The menu mentions bean sprouts in this version, but I haven't had any bean sprouts in the past few orders I've had, an ingredient that's really not missed. They also offer a version with fried tofu and bean sprouts (possibly).

Kuway's

The little red trailer on the northwest corner of 45th and Burnet, in the parking lot of Rosedale Market, is a win. They do this choose-your-own adventure with their menu, and you can add avocado, extra meat, and/or an egg to your rolls, or anything, if you really want. I don't recommend any of that on their rolls, because their grilled pork spring rolls, as is, are the move. They're stuffed with richly seasoned grilled pork, lots of crunchy lightly pickled carrot, a little cilantro, vermicelli noodles, and chopped iceberg lettuce (the only drawback, but it does add some extra crunch). You're going to get three squat rolls, plump like Tan My's but larger, and a thin peanut hoisin with a side of peanuts and chili garlic sauce, plenty for a light lunch or to share with a bánh mì or bowl. They also offer shrimp, chicken, and tofu options.

Have a cuon-tastic day: Goi cuon at Pho Van (Photo by Jana Birchum)

Pho Van

The no-frills, unassuming pho shop in the second-best strip center for Asian fare is a stalwart, and their spring rolls are consistently above average. It's the best bang for your buck on this roundup. They come with hot roasted pork, lightly pickled carrot, fresh green leaf lettuce, rice vermicelli noodles, and bean sprouts, served with a thinnish peanut hoisin sauce with loads of fresh peanuts and pickled carrot on top. These are decent-sized rolls, and the hot pork really sets them off. The juxtaposition of hot and cold might seem strange, but it works perfectly. It's just like adding grilled steak or chicken breast to your salad. Pho Van also offers shrimp, grilled beef, chicken, and tofu options.