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Elvis Lives

Vietnam House is a rock star.

A A A Comments By Jason Sheehan Thursday, Sep 28 2006

When the house switches on the stage lasers and drops the mirror ball, I know it's time to go.

Two days later, Laura and I are back at Vietnam House. She eats sesame chicken over puffed rice noodles that has an unusual, oniony aftertaste following a disappointingly cotton-candy-ish flavor. I try to order the lobster, steamed, with ginger and green onions, but it's sold out. I consider the crispy butter frog legs and the beer-steamed whole crab, but go with more comfort food: grilled pork chop, cut from the bone with the rind of fat preserved, served over rice with a soft fried egg on top and fish sauce on the side. It's rustic and delicious -- simple food, simply presented. We drink tea and Vietnamese coffee over ice, lingering until we are the only people left save the employees clustered around the service end of the bar. As we finally make our way out, we pass a picture of next Saturday's performer. This one is definitely a girl, crouching in a hiked-up white miniskirt, huge eyes like a cat, stage lights gleaming in her hair.

Mark Manger

Vietnam House offers authentic food and very unusual dinner theater.

Details

13250 East Mississippi Avenue, Aurora, 303-306-1020, www.vietnamhouserestaurant.com. Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily, live music 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday

Vietnamese egg rolls: $4.50
Appetizer platter: $29.95
Shrimp paste: $14.95
Pho dac biet (with everything): $7.95
Chicken rice soup: $6.95
Tamarind crab: $29.95
Lobster: $29.95
Curry chicken: $8.95

Closed Location

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"No," Laura says before I can even say a word. "You don't like live music at restaurants, remember?"

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