Vietnamese street food on a whole ‘nother level.

In this edition of Food Porn, we feature Ba Bar, owned by Eric Banh of Monsoon and Monsoon East. Born in Saigon eating street food, Eric has created a menu that preserves the integrity of Vietnamese cuisine, using quality ingredients, and making it approachable to a wide audience. What is even more impressive is the fact that Ba Bar stays open serving gourmet, but affordable food in Seattle until 4AM on weekends (2AM daily).

Using top notch ingredients like Carlton Farms pork, Painted Hills Farm beef, and wild-caught seafood, the results are downright delicious. Get there early, or they’re sure to sell out of the Huế Dumpling, made with a mung bean wrapper and topped with caramelized shallots with a spicy soy vinaigrette. You can’t really go wrong with anything you order here, but my favorites are the Crispy Imperial Rolls with Carlton Farms pork, wild prawns, woodear mushrooms, and served with nước chấm, a spicy, savory, and sweet dipping sauce. Combo Vermicelli comes with grilled chicken, prawns, grass-fed beef, a crispy imperial roll, and lots of vegetables for a light, but filling meal.

Off the rotisserie, try the Chicken, Duck or Spicy Pork Belly that is crispy on the outside and tender and moist on the inside as a result of being slow roasted. And last, but not least, there’s Pho! Choose from Painted Hills Farm brisket, oxtail, roasted chicken, and Maple Leaf Farm duck in soup with an incredible depth of flavor.

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Photos by Sean D. & Ba Bar.

A stylish, yet casual atmosphere, serving outstanding food and really good cocktails, this should be your next meal.

Open Monday through Thursday from 7:00 am to 2:00 am and Friday and Saturdays from 7:00 am to 4:00 am. Breakfast is served Wednesday through Sunday from 8:00 am to 11:30 am. Happy Hour is offered daily from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Ba Bar   |  5500 12th Avenue, Seattle   |   (206) 328 – 2030