KINH Vietnemese Restaurant, Olds

It used to be the dark & skanky bar called "The Signature Club"... and now it's a Vietnemese restaurant?!?  What a shocker!

Just to the south of The Brick on main street in Olds, you'll find a delicious place to stop for lunch or supper!  And what a fresh change - it's not pizza, hamburgers, or even Chinese food.... it's Vietnemese!

I first discovered KINH at the teachers' PD day in Olds. A bunch of us decided to try it out for lunch and since then, I've been back a number of times!  I'd like to tell you about two different dishes...

Lemongrass Chicken on Vermicelli Noodles
Strips of chicken in a light sauce, sitting on top of finely chopped lettuce, cucumber, carrot, sprouts and rice vermicelli noodles.  Oh, and it comes with 2 deep fried spring rolls.  The chicken is nicely seasoned.  I love the crunch of the sprouts mixed with the softness of the noodles.  I can eat the whole bowl (which is huge, by the way) and not feel disgustingly full.  It's so fresh and light, yet delicious.  It comes with a light sauce which I pour over the whole thing.  It's not spicy, but if you'd like some "zip", try adding some red sauce (on the table).

Chicken/Beef Curry on Rice/Noodles
Okay, it's 4:30pm and my mouth is watering just thinking about these dishes!  I might have to drive to Olds after I'm done typing these blogs!!  I prefer the chicken curry on rice, but Blaine prefers the beef curry on noodles - just mix and match according to your preferences.  The chicken/beef is tender and comes in a thick curry sauce with some peppers, onions and yams.  Pour the whole thing over your rice/noodles and then dig in!  Mmmmm.... the yams are so soft and the veggies are still slightly crunchy.  And there's just enough heat so that my nose starts running just a little bit.  This one is more filling than the lemongrass dish and it's definitely spicier.

Oh, and try the Vietnemese coffee... it's strong and very sweet, all poured over ice.  I can't wait to have one on a hot July day!

Summary
ambiance - informal, okay (the washrooms need an update)
value - excellent!  (about $12 for a huge plate/bowl of food)
flavour - excellent! (*drool, drool* I'm seriously going to drive to Olds now!)

One note of caution - minors aren't allowed.  They must still have it licensed as a bar.  :(
What does KINH mean?  Click here.

(credit: http://bambooatasteofasia.com/vermicelli_noodles)