Fields Corner in Dorchester really is the destination for Vietnamese cuisine in the greater Boston area. This neighborhood offers the widest and most concentrated selection of Vietnamese food throughout the city, from places where Banh Mi is served from a counter, to more formal restaurant experiences with table service.
There are also Asian markets, where all the ingredients for a Vietnamese meal can be found, including freshly baked baguettes, freshly caught fish, exotic fruits and vegetables, and the more esoteric banana flower fruit. I loved exploring the neighborhood with my terrific tour guide Pham Nam, the director of the community development corporation Viet-AID.
After our market visit, Nam took me to the Vietnamese American Community Center, which opened in Dorchester eleven years ago through the help of Viet-AID. It is the first Vietnamese American community center in the United States. The well-maintained facility houses classes for children and adults, including instruction in business, the Vietnamese language, ballroom dancing, and preschool. When I stopped by, the after-school program was in session. I was most taken by the fact that while the majority of children receiving after-school homework assistance or reading books from the center's library were of Vietnamese descent, it was still a multicultural group of children from the community. While one of Viet-AID's missions is to strengthen the Vietnamese community and preserve Vietnamese culture in the greater Boston area, another core value is to bolster the Fields Corner community as a whole by providing services and a safe space for all residents.
Nam also showed me evidence of the community's building development efforts in the area. In a newly renovated building we visited the restaurant Pho Le. There are several Pho Le locations in the greater Boston area, including Allston and Cambridge, but I must admit that my favorite Pho Le location is the one in Fields Corner. The interior and exterior are colorful and there are large windows with light pouring in. The designated parking lot across the street is also a big plus.
While I was at Pho Le, owner Duyen Le, a true gentleman, showed me how to make four of his recipes, three of which we feature on our show, airing on WGBH 2 this Saturday at 4pm. I'll post the video and recipes from the show on the Neighborhood Kitchens blog for those of you interested in cooking a culinary adventure.
