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Why did we dine here? – Famous Vietnamese restaurant Brodard, in Southern California. Home to the largest Vietnamese population in the US, you would expect to find some great restaurants. Many Yelp reviews mention dining here whenever they are down here. We had to give this place a try on our latest SoCal trip. The place was packed and very loud.
Be sure to read our list of Top Pho Restaurants
Insider Tip – Come early to avoid a wait. The main entrance is in the back of the shopping center.
Cuisine – Contemporary Vietnamese
Location – Garden Grove, CA – South of Disneyland
Opened – 2006
Service – Brodard had a young server that helped newbies like us. After a while, it turned into a typical Asian restaurant where you have to grab the servers.
Verdict – Brodard was a nice restaurant to try authentic Contemporary Vietnamese dishes that we lack in the San Francisco area. If you love this cuisine, definitely give it a try. Be sure to buy some bakery goods.
Is this restaurant worth a 5 minute drive? 30 minute? 1 Hour?
Brodard Signature Dishes – Famous nem nuong, Chao Tom (shrimp) rolls, roasted duck salad, and banh xeo. Shakes are good.
Brodard’s Menu is huge with over 100 traditional Vietnamese dishes. No pho is served here.
Brodard Food Picks:
Nem Nöôùng Cuoán ($5.25 / 3 rolls) Pork Spring Roll – grilled pork sausage wrapped in rice paper with lettuce, cucumber, carrots, cilantro,
chives, daikon & mint served with house special sauce. (Peanut, egg sauce) EVERYONE orders this. It arrived a minute after we ordered! It has a fried rice cake inside, making it crunchy. Also a spam-like treat.
Goûi Boø – Spicy Beef Salad ($12.95) Sauteed beef marinated in Thai spices over lettuce, cucumber, tomato & onion in our house vinaigrette looked pretty pedestrian, but was excellent. Not spicy. A really nice sweet dressing and good beef quality.
Baùnh Canh Toâm Cua ($8.50) Shrimp cake, fish cake, pork, real crab meat in a flavorful broth, accompanied by roasted shallots &
cilantro was pretty cheap and full of seafood. It also came out rapidly.
Côm Nieâu Töù Xuyeân – “Tu Xuyen”-style Clay Pot ($10.95) Combination crab meat, shrimp, squid, quail egg, carrots, green peas, snow peas, cooked with rice in a traditional clay pot takes a while to cook. Nice crispy rice at the bottom, like Korean rice dishes. Lots of peas and carrots. Also lots of squid and only 2 shrimp. This is good but not great.
Cheø Khoai Moân (hot / cold) ($2.95) Purple taro dessert with coconut milk was really good. Purple taro with a mellow flavor profile.
Cheø Ba Maøu ($3.50) 3-color dessert or drink had lots of ice and some nice layers of beans.
OK: (Order if you like this dish)
None
Pans: (We would not reorder these dishes)
None
Do you agree with our review? Have you found other similar restaurants that are better?
Brodard Overall Rating: 
(Very Good
Come Back? 
| Food Rating: | (Very Good) |
| Service Rating: | (Good) |
| Atmosphere Rating: | (Good) |
| Value Rating: | (Excellent) |
Guide: 0 = poor, 1 = Below/Average, 2 = Good, 2.5 = Very Good, 3 = Excellent , 4 = Extraordinary
| Alcohol: | Beer, Wine |
| Attire: | Casual |
| Parking: | Free Lot |
| Reservations: | No |
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