Que Ta Banh Canh Trang Bang – Udon Noodle Soup

OCCASION: The boyfriend’s brother and sister-​in-​law wanted to eat at this place with us and have an official date night. We just got out of church and drove all the way here from San Ramon. (40 minute drive)
ENVIRONMENT: Located in a slightly ghetto plaza of Tully Road. It was hard to get onto Tully because it is always so damn crowded. Inside, it was extremely small and cramp but the decorations were nice. Bathrooms were also decent. It was a little crowded but luckily we got seated immediately. ***CASH ONLY***
FOOD: I forgot which Banh Canh my boyfriend and I got, but whatever it was, I could barely finish it. It was good and it was a lot! I couldn’t stop eating it and had to take breaks in-​between because it was so big! GREAT PORTIONS! I really enjoyed the soup and the noodles! Why didn’t I know about this place sooner? Apparently it was opened around 2 years ago.
PRICE: A little expensive for the usual Vietnamese place but it was good!
CUSTOMER SERVICE: Great, they checked on us multiple times before we decided what to order. You pay at the front at the cash register. The waiter was also friendly.
OVERALL: Great place to eat for dinner! It was delicious! You may have a hard time finding parking because there is limited parking. Inside the restaurant is small and cramp and bathrooms are decent! I recommend trying this place out!

I came here because blue sea no longer served banh canh. I ordered banh canh tom cha and their cha tasted spoil. Noodles wasn’t very good either. Would be my last time eating here

My Vietnamese girlfriend took me to this reastrant, I was so pleased. We ordered the lobster udon, delisous. I highly recommend this reastrant for anyone that loves Asian food
I will go there again for sure.

I’m so glad this place opened up! Finally, a place that serves delicious banh canh (think of it like Vietnamese udon). I’ve tried almost all of the different types of banh canh items on the menu, and my favorite is the banh canh trang bang (#1) or the lobster banh canh. The broth is always seasoned perfectly, the noodles are always the perfect texture, and the protein is always delicious. Banh canh isn’t a very well-​known Vietnamese item outside of the Vietnamese community (compared to phở or com tam, for example), so it’s great to see a place that specializes in it, and do it well.
–Tip #1: the noodles and broth hold heat very well, so the dish stays hot for a long time — be careful when eating!
–Tip #1: Don’t forget to order the gio chao quay/​Chinese donut/​fried breadstick for some nice added texture to your banh canh

Their crab + lobster udon is better than I expected. The only reason I gave 4 stars because I only tried them once. I’m not sure how good other dishes would be but their crab & lobster udon was pretty good.
My friend recommended me to this place. The price was decent for the amount and quality of the food they served in my opinion. I have tried crab udon soup in couple places, and I think this place is the best by far. I would definitely come back here again and recommend others to come. I’ll try to remember to take pictures of their food next time (^w^).

Came here because I was feeLing kind of sickLy and couLdn’t think of anything eLse to broth-​y to eat besides phở. Meh.
This spot is tiny and can be overLooked. I passed the parking entrance and ended up parking in the neighboring strip– LuckiLy aLL I had to do was waLk through a smaLL bunch of bushes that divide both parking Lots.
The restaurant was pretty empty but the women working were very inviting.
We QuickLy Looked over the menu and pLaced our order for:
Hot Tea X2– $ 1/​cup
Banh Canh Bang Trang (Udon NoodLes w/​Pork BeLLy, Pig KnuckLes, & Pork BLood) -$ 8.50
Banh Canh Tom Hum (Lobster Udon NoodLe Soup) — Market Price. ($ 16 for our bowL)
Chinese Fried Donut (compLimentary with soup order)
Food gets 2.5 stars. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good enough to make me want to come back. I enjoyed the noodLes– they had just the right amount of chewiness and the pork knuckles weren’t over cooked Like other pLaces. On the other hand, the broth was more on the bLand side and I added aLL the Lemon & chiLi hoping to compensate.
An added star for the sweet Ladies who work here. They are very attentive and so weLcoming.

*Cash Only
Today was my first visit to this restaurant as I was seriously craving for Banh Canh (Vietnamese style Udon soup). My hubby and I ordered a #2 and #11 udon soup and a side order of fried egg rolls. The udon cane out within 5 minutes and the egg rolls came out about 10 minutes later when we were close to finishing our udon. You would think the appetizer would be the first to come out.
My udon was #11 came out in an orange-​reddish broth with small pieces of cut up pork feet (bone attached), shrimp paste (links) and fish balls. A piece of lemon and chili is given on a side dish. I’m disappointed that for a restaurant that specializes in udon soup that the udon was not freshly made. The broth was alright as it was a little light in flavor.
My hubby’s udon was #2 and it came in the orange-​reddish brother with small pieces of cut up pork feet, fish balls, 2 pieces of cut up crab body amd 2 pieces of cut up crab legs. The brother flavor is same as mine.
Overall, it wasn’t as great as I thought but it it better than some other places that sells udon.

This place is a hidden gem! Their donut with their Banh Canh Lobster is to die for in the winter time especially in Northern California El Niño. Service was so friendly and warm welcoming which made me want to bring my parents and family next time I visit.
I will be differently coming back with a full stomach because they were so generous with the portion.

Came here for this first time to try their lobster and crab banh canh.
I ordered #5 Banh Canh tom hum, cua and cha ca (Lobster, Crab and Fishcake).
The portion were huge, so I barely made it halfway through before I threw in the white flag. It came with 3 mini fish cake patties, 3 pcs of lobster (½ head, tail, and small pc of the body), and a big piece of crab legs with a side of fried bread
I thought the soup was was tasty, oily but tasty, but the udon noodles kilt it for me. The udon were super dry and broken, not fresh at all. I hate eating broken noodles and cringe each time I took a bite. I ended up avoiding the udon & ate only the broth and meat.
Not sure if I would come back since I can’t stand Nast udon noodles, love the rest though. I really wished they had a fresh handmade noodles option.

After hearing so many great things about this restaurant, I finally l had a chance to come and try their soup! I was truly impressed with their lobster and crab udon soup. because the taste was very flavorful/​and it came with a side of Chinese dipping bread!
Furthermore the restsurant was warm with cute decors and staff was friendly. I will definitely come back to try other items on their popular menu. ;)

Love this place ! Delicious noodles and their hu tieu with lobster is great! Service is alright.

I finally had the time to try this place out! Since my MIL makes pretty good banh canh, I haven’t had the need to go out for some but the weather has been calling for it lately. We came in on a Sunday during lunch and it was pretty empty. The lady working there was really sweet with my daughter and the staff was accommodating. My friend ordered the banh canh cua with cha ca, and I got the #5 which was banh canh lobster with crab and cha ca. I definitely was pleased with how fast everything came out. It was nice and hot but not so hot where I’d have to wait for it to cool down, or burn my tongue.
Some complaints I have is that with my order, the crabs came in the shell still while my friend’s was already de-​shelled. The best way to do this is to crack and take out all the meat from the crab and lobster before you eat so you don’t have to stop and do some work. Another would be that I asked for some chilis and they came out frozen and uncut. There wasn’t any way to cut the chilis at the table and plopping them in the soul would do nothing. So the best option I had was to break them apart with my hands or nails which I wouldn’t want to do because I’d get the chili oils in my nails and may accidentally rub my eyes or even worse, my daughter’s eyes.
This is my new go to spot for banh canh though. Be aware the parking lot is small so hope that you get lucky.

³⁄₅ stars
Ordered Banh Canh Cua (with red sauce soup), and it was OK… Good, but not mind blowing awesome.
After reading all the Unilocal reviews, I thought this place would be better.

Very very very happy to have finally tried this place out (I have previously heard great reviews about this place).
First impression: parking is scarce considering they are located in a pretty small plaza. If you can’t find parking, you can park on the street or the adjacent plaza. Upon arrival, no one greeted us at the door. My family and I stood there waiting for about 5 minutes before we sat ourselves down. Sadly, I began to prepare myself for a disappointing dining experience.
Food: their selections included a variety of Vietnamese udon bowls with pork, crab, lobster, and fish cake. For those who aren’t feeling like eating udon noodles, there’s also the vermicelli noodle options.
Result: I got the #5 (udon w/​crab and lobster. The broth was thick and flavorful. Crab and lobster had the perfect texture and taste!!! It was wonderful to eat banh canh with legit crab. Although each bowl was about $ 13+, it was worth every penny. Despite my first impression, this is a great place that offers delicious Vietnamese food. I will return again shortly!

I gotta say I was expecting a lot from the reviews. Today was a good day for something warm and soupy. So I ordered #5. It was good, but not great. Where did the crab meat go? I got the legs and shells but barely any meat. Bummer there. The half lobster was decent. And fish cake was flavorful. The broth was ok. It was just missing something. I’ll come back and try something else next time.

The banh canh was very flavorful and perfect! They say the noodle is udon, but it seems more like tapioca flour if anything. It comes with a side of Chinese donut (but tastes kind of burnt). Overall o would go for the banh canh again!
I was surprised that the catfish banh canh has clear thick soup instead of the usual orange soup color but I felt that the clear soup complimented more!

I love banh canh (Vietnamese udon noodle soup)!
I have been here a couple of times. My favorite here is their udon noodle soup with ½ lobster, pork knuckle and fish cake. This is one of their specials and price may vary depending on lobster seasons (usually ranging from $ 13−16/bowl). You can actually taste the freshness of their seafood. Every bowl comes with a plate of Chinese donut as a compliment, which pairs well with the banh canh broth. You also get a wedge of lime and chili sauce. Believe me when I say this, but the lime makes a big difference, so SQUEEZE some LIME in there!!!
This is a small place, but there’s never a line so you can pretty much swing by anytime. Parking in the front is limited, but you can always park in the back.
Tip: CASH ONLY!

It’s not often you find a restaurant that specializes in banh canh. Usually if you find it at a restaurant, it isn’t good. This soup is usually only found in a Vietnamese home but not a restaurant. I visited from Seattle and thought I’d go on a little food adventure and give this place a try. I’m used to the more traditional clear broth but the red broth was a different twist but it tasted great! If I am ever in town again, I’d definitely come back.

First timer & I absolutely fell in love! Thanks to my cousins recommendation! Definitely a must try & then become a repeat customer!

3.5 stars. The lobster udon here is pretty good for Vietnamese udon. I like to order the lobster udon with clear broth (they also have a thick red broth but that’s too heavy for me). They give you a pretty decent amount of lobster and a bowl is only around $ 15. Overall, just ok… I’m not a fan of Vietnamese food in general so take that into account. Nothing to really complain or rave about here for me.

Where has this place been all my life? When people think about Vietnamese noodle soup, only phở and maybe bun bo hue come to mind. Banh canh is something most people never knew existed. Y’all missing out! If you love udon, fresh seafood, and Vietnamese soup, you’ll love this place.
When I heard about Vietnamese udon, a few Vietnamese friends recommended this restaurant. So all us Banh Canh virgins paid a visit, and it definitely did not disappoint! I didn’t expect to taste so much FRESH lobster, crab, shrimp, and noodle soup without loads on loads of MSG! Their appetizers and drinks are delicious, too.
Since it was our first time, we tried each of their most popular items.
Banh Canh: udon noodle soup with lobster, crab legs, pork knuckles, and fish cakes inside in a reddish seafood broth. The works!
The soup is thick when it first comes out (high quality soups simmered with meat for hours on end come out this way). Really hits the spot on any cold night or hungover morning.
Don’t be intimidated by the «market price» tag on the menu, too. It cost half what we expected! Portions are very worth it for anywhere from under $ 9 to $ 15 depending on what protein you choose. If you have 3 or more people get the family size bowl. It’s humongous! Don’t forget the fried donuts on the side.
Fried Shrimp: fresh out of the fryer, these were juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside.
Seafood fried rice: delicious by itself!
Egg rolls: made with crab inside, these come with a yummy dipping sauce. Super crispy and love that it’s different from egg rolls you find elsewhere.
Dessert drinks: yum! Not too sweet, and love that the jellies and goodies inside were soft and fresh. We tried lychee and assorted red bean and jelly. They had quite a few more to choose from.
Service is nice and friendly. Wait staff answered all our questions, made recommendations, and explained what each dish was made of.
Note: restaurant is cash only and it’s better to come in groups of 6 or less.
I’ll definitely be back! Winter, as well as some hangovers are heading our way!

DUDES. I sorta love this place. The dishes come out in fine vietnamese style — to the brim and hella fast!
You can’t really go wrong with anything here. If you love udon noodles this is the place for you. I love the way that banh canh makes the noodles in bite size pieces so you don’t have to be a noodle eating expert with both the big spoon and the chop sticks duo. If you want to experience a harmonious marriage of seafood and udon, this place is for you. YUM

A novel idea but once you get over it, it’s just ok.
Stopped by Que Ta recently to try their seafood «udon» based soups. My friend took me there cause she wanted me to try it. And I must admit, it’s a pretty twist on traditional Vietnamese phở joints. Que Ta doesn’t serve any phở but more of a udon like noodle seafood soup. All of their bowls are clear which allow you to see their soup in its grandeur.
Their big sellers are the lobster udon soups (13 – 15 i think). If you look at their pictures, they literally add half to a whole lobster in your soup!!! This is great if you love lobster and/​or seafood. But the novelty wore off quickly for me. Lobster is good but I don’t really like it all that much. The soup had lots of seafood flavor. Again a great twist if you like seafood but for me after a few sips it went from pretty cool to ok, this is good.
I think that if you are looking for a twist on Vietnamese soups, and like Seafood, you’ll love Que Ta. If you aren’t into seafood, you’ll probably go back to Phở the next time you want Vietnamese food.

I am no expert on Vietnamese food, but I know what I’ve had around the San Jose area, and I know what tastes good! This stuff is pretty good!
Got the Banh Canh with lobster, crab, and fish cakes. The portion size wasn’t very overwhelming (Like some of the pictures on here imply), but it was decent.
You get a small lobster tail, cut in half, a couple crab legs, and like 3 – 4 fish cakes. The seafood portioning was a littled underwhelming considering the 15.99 market price tag, but all the seafood included was delicious. Its a pet peeve of mine for lobster to be overcooked, but this was nice and tender.
The (weird?) cornstarchy — hot and sour soup esque broth that its in is so addicting! Its hard to describe, but it definitely isnt unpleasant.
Overall, i see this as another option on a cold day when I’m just not feeling the Phở.

Woke up on a Sunday morning and was craving for soup based dish. Skimming through my Unilocal bookmark list for some idea and the light bulb went off, how about Bánh Canh Trng Bàng?! Who should I want to enjoy this adventure with?
I rang up my beloved sis and immediately headed out to fetch her after we hung up. They’re open at 10 on Sundays and when we arrived a few tables were already occupied — it was about 10:15. I peeked around and it seems like everyone was there for this place’s specialty, bánh canh.
My sis ordered #1 and I ordered #7 with additional «suông». I didn’t know what «suông» was so I thought I would give it a try.
Food: It’s decently good but not WOW. The amount was decent and not like other reviews saying there’s a huge amount of it. Regarding the soup: personally, I don’t like the thick-​gluten soup base (it comes out kinda thick and orangey color) but when I saw my sis’ bland looking clear both, I told the waiter to add a little of that orangey soup for me. I guess for next time, I should ask for ½ clear both and ½ thick both. Btw, on the menu, there’s no sign on which order comes with the fried breadstick and which one does not. Apparently, #1 didn’t and #7 did. Interesting!
Service: our experience was really bad. We asked for ice water and didn’t get them until the 3^rd time we repeated ourselves. For the tea that we ordered, we had to ask for extra hot water when we are out of tea to drink. The waiter wasn’t friendly when he took our order. After a while, it dawn on me that I am in the Vietnamese neighborhood and things run differently here. At first, I was taken back by my sis’ hollering. Then, I realized that’s what it takes to get attention in these kind of places — I am so not used to this.
Ambiance: so-​so, nothing to go home to brag about. Decently clean. Ah, forgot to check out their bathroom. Maybe next time. :)
Is it worth the experience? I said if you never have bánh canh in your entire life, this is a good place to try. If you had it before, then I have a mix feeling about this mainly due to their lack of attention to the customers. It does discourage me a bit to come back here again unless I take my sis with me who can do the shouting and hollering when we need water refills.
Tip #1: if you can’t make up your mind on which both to get, ask for ½ and ½ of each — ½ clear both and ½ «red-​thick» both.
Tip #2: if you want bean sprouts, ask! They won’t give it until you ask for it.
Tip #3: you can ask for fresh bean sprouts or boiled bean sprout to go with your dish.

My first banh canh restaurant that I’ve been too and it wasn’t disappointing at all. I got the fish cake with shrimp banh canh and it was tasty. The soup’s temperature was very hot, which is exactly how I like my soups. It was tasty and salty enough with a tint of sweetness to it which tickled my taste buds. I’m not used to eating a broth that was this thick which took some time to get used to but it really wasn’t bad.
For the price and portion of the bowl, I wished there were a little more fish cakes pieces/​shrimp in it. For the banh canh noodles, they use the chewy tapioca kind which made it delicious and not sickening at all compared to plain, soft, rice noodles.
Service was good. The servers were friendly, helpful, and attentive.