Pho Sunshine 2999 Payne Ave #142, Cleveland At the tail end of last year, Cleveland diners lost a gem named Szechuan Café. The large space at Asia Plaza did not sit idle for long. Pho Sunshine Vietnamese Restaurant opened its doors in February. Diners can expect a large menu of familiar and not-so-familiar Vietnamese dishes that range from crispy spring rolls to a Vietnamese beef stew served with French bread. Credit: Pho Sunshine

At the tail end of last year, Cleveland diners lost a gem on the Chinese restaurant circuit. Szechuan Café, which opened in 2015, quietly closed its doors in Asiatown.

The large space, which connects to Asia Plaza and is steps from Park to Shop market, did not sit idle for long. In fact, Pho Sunshine Vietnamese Restaurant (2999 Payne Ave. Ste 145) opened its doors today.

Diners can expect a large menu of familiar and not-so-familiar Vietnamese dishes that range from crispy spring rolls to a Vietnamese beef stew served with French bread. Other appetizer rolls come filled with shredded pork rind, char-broiled pork, char-broiled chicken and Chinese sausage. Refreshing cabbage salads star either chicken or shrimp. Banh mi fans can choose between a half dozen variations, including a vegetarian version.

The menu has entire sections devoted to cold rice noodle dishes, stir-fried rice noodle dishes, stir-fried ramen noodle dishes and warm rice plates, all of which include a choice of grilled pork, grilled shrimp or grilled chicken.

Pho, the star of the show, comes in eight different versions, including two assembled with chicken broth and chicken meat. The restaurant also serves the spicy beef noodle soup known as bun bo hue.

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This article appears in Jan 25 – Feb 7, 2023.

For 25 years, Douglas Trattner has worked as a full-time freelance writer, editor and author. His work as co-author on Michael Symon's cookbooks have earned him four New York Times Best-Selling Author honors, while his longstanding role as Scene dining editor has garnered awards of its own.