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Good Taste: Mekong River in Pennsport

Pho and a film A trip to the movies at the Riverview just got tastier, and a lot more exotic, too, with the recent opening of Mekong River, Liem Ma's stylishly glow-lit Vietnamese restaurant on Front Street just a block from the theater. Ma's parents own the traditional

A trip to the movies at the Riverview just got tastier, and a lot more exotic, too, with the recent opening of Mekong River, Liem Ma's stylishly glow-lit Vietnamese restaurant on Front Street just a block from the theater.

Ma's parents own the traditional Pho & Café Viet Huong on 11th Street, known for its broken rice and pork. And Mekong is authentic, too, despite the modern decor.

The crispy noodles are irresistible, the pho is spot-on, and the dry noodles with seafood and special sauce are a crowd favorite.

The showstopper, though, is the "ga rang me," the chile- and fresh-mint-dusted Viet chicken wings that come tossed in a tangy tamarind caramel sauce so flavorful, yet so hot, it's a challenge to resist long enough not to burn your lips.

- Craig LaBan
 
Ga Rang Me tamarind chicken wings, $5.95, Mekong River, 1120-1124 S. Front St., 215-467-6100.