Van Da

Located on East 4th street between Avenue A and B, Van Da is the latest Vietnamese restaurant to join the East Village. But Van Da, a project from restaurateur Yen Ngo and Gramercy Tavern alum chef Hannah Wong, isn't serving up pho and banh mi. Here, you'll find lesser known and harder-to-find Vietnamese dishes. Split into three cateogies: Hanoi, Hue, Saigon and Dessert, you'll find Banh Bot Loc, shrimp and pork tapioca dumblings for $9; sauteed morning glory with fermented soybean and garlic for $9; grilled squid with chinese sausage, hot peppers and rice cake for $18; Cha Ca La Vong (Turmeric Branzino) with fresh dill, bun noodles, seasonal vegetables for $24; and taro rice pudding for dessert, $8.