Are you looking for someplace special to take your sweetie on Valentine’s Day? You have your choice of breakfast, lunch or dinner Saturday at the 4th Street Grill in the Renton Highlands. Located in the 4th Street Plaza, the restaurant is a jewel tucked into a rather ordinary strip mall. The restaurant has an extensive and eclectic menu of Vietnamese/American cuisine. I find it a rarity these days to find a restaurant open for all three meals and that serves breakfast all day long. And, that seems to be something for which they are very popular.
My husband and I are always pleased to find a place to have breakfast —after noon — on Sunday after church (there are few places that offer this any longer), so we’ve been here on a number of occasions and they have never disappointed. He raves about their corned beef hash. I’m a two-egg, regular breakfast kinda girl. Others rave about their eggs benedict with rich hollandaise sauce. If you are adventurous sort, they offer a unique prawn benedict or a crab-and-prawn omelet. They also offer traditional breakfast fare in large portions. For the price-conscious seniors, there is a very nice senior menu.
You might want to meet your lover for lunch instead of breakfast, in which case you can choose from burgers, traditional lunch fare such as BLTs, a tuna or crab melt or a basic club sandwich. On the dinner menu, their most popular items are the pork chops, with a rich country gravy and mashed potatoes, the marinated short ribs, and grilled chicken. And, if you want to try all three, go for the 4th Street combo. I’m also told they serve a killer pot roast. (My stomach is seriously growling right now; I should not write a food column right before lunch!)
Their Vietnamese roots show most on their appetizer menu. And, a lengthy appetizer menu it is. If you and your valentine want to share appetizers, a salad and a glass of wine, you have a lot to choose from. You could try romaine lettuce wraps with prawns, and the crispy crab and prawn rolls (prawns, crabmeat, pork mixed with green onions, shallots, bean threads and Shitake mushrooms fried crispy), and a tamarind prawn salad. Yum! And, then there is the noodle menu! They have an impressive assortment of pasta dishes on the menu and vermicelli dishes with the Vietnamese emphasis. Owners Dao and Son Nguyen have a delightful space, with well-trained staff and excellent food. I hope you and your sweetheart have a wonderful meal —whatever time of day you choose — and hey, it’s Valentine’s Day, save room for dessert, which I’m leaving to be a surprise!
