Bunker - new Vietnamese in Ridgewood via Ridgefood

Image source: Ridgefood Cha Ca, made with salmon, peanuts, vermicelli, and dill

The folks at Ridgefood recently had a meal at Bunker, a new Vietnamese restaurant in Ridgewood – actually it’s in Maspeth, but the restaurant considers if Ridgewood – it’s only a block over the border. The general consensus is that the food is GOOD, the space is pretty relaxed, and is run by Jimmy and Jacky Tu, two Queens brothers.

The restaurant located on an industrial stretch of Metropolitan Avenue, just a hop, skip, and a jump away from a giant Western Beef (which also happens to be the Beef’s corporate headquarters – particularly memorable is an entire aisle devoted to “international sodas”) and in a space that housed Sabrosuras Colombianas ages ago.

But about the food at Bunker – you’ll find Vietnamese classics on the menu like pho, banh mi sandwiches, spring rolls, and papaya salad. The Tom Thit Ran caught our eye, which involves things like shrimp, garlic, ginger, and bacon. Bacon?!? Sign us up!

The people making the food also have some notable elements in their background:

Jimmy, the head chef, is classically trained in French cuisine and has worked at various restaurants such as Eleven Madison Park and Elizabeth Daniel (in San Francisco). Sous-chef Jacky Tu helped open Tigerland, a beloved East Village Vietnamese & Thai spot, with his brother — and he’s also the former CEO of Korean taco truck company Korilla BBQ.

Sounds like a trip to Ridgewood/Maspeth will be in our future. And maybe on the way home, we’ll stop by Western Beef for a bottle of Postobon.

Bunker, 46-63 Metropolitan Ave., Ridgewood, NY 11385 (GMAP), (718) 386-4282, bunkernyc.com

First Bite: Bunker Vietnamese [Ridgefood]