Out The Door – For Slanted Door Fans on the Dash
By Tim Gaskin

Inside the corridors of the Ferry Building is Charles Phan’s new takeout branch of his famous Slanted Door aptly called Out The Door. It promises to pick up the slack for those on the dash.

The exhibition style kiosk seats five at the counter and offers a selection of Vietnamese street food selections from soups and porridges, rolls and salads, rice and noodle dishes, breads and buns that include fancy sandwiches, and drinks and sweets.

The space opens early and is especially busy on the mornings during Farmers Market with customers lining up for the savory chicken rice porridge made with jook (wholegrain jasmine) rice and is infused with white pepper and topped with caramelized crispy shallots and sliced unsweetened donuts. It’s earthy, soulful and very comforting ($7).

Owner Charles Phan calls the dish a typical Vietnamese breakfast but admits that the sugar coated donut holes (5 for $2) and Justine’s Scones ($2.50), named after their executive souf chef, are not Vietnamese specific just staff favorites. “It says a little about the food we like to eat ourselves, this is what we eat in the back.”

Good starters here are the fresh spring rolls (2 for $6), they’re the same price at The Slanted Door. The vegetarian option is the grapefruit and jicama salad mixed with purple cabbage, carrots, rau ram (a variety of cilantro) candied pecans ($7) It is light with a little bit of spice and leaves a very clean palate.

The steamed chicken buns are large rolls filled with savory diced pieces of chicken and ginger. The vegetarian buns are filled with two kinds of mushrooms, noodles and ginger (both $6.50). These are very different than the sweet variations that you’ll find at dim sum restaurants.

Everyone’s favorite – and beyond the signature dish – is the Saigon roast pork sandwich ($6.50). This is the menu item that where the French influence comes into play with the Vietnamese street food the most. It’s filled with roast pork, a slice of pork pate, picked carrots, cucumber, cilantro and served with jalapeños on the side. The peppers give it a kick and the pate adds richness and a pleasing creaming texture of comfort. The lemon grass chicken sandwich is made with five-spiced marinated boneless thigh meat that is finished off in a wood burning grill and is served with a garlic-free house made aioli ($6.50)

The five-spice chicken and rice vermicelli noodles are served chilled in a large bowl with bean sprouts at the bottom and topped with crushed peanuts. A side of nuoc mam (fish sauce & vinegar) is meant to be poured on over and tossed with the other ingredients. ($7.50) It’s made with some spice yet again leaves behind a cool taste.

For dessert try the ginger tapioca with fresh strawberries, it’s served without whipped cream, or the flourless chocolate cake (both $5.) There are no alcoholic beverages for sale here, just a good mixture of Asian coffee drinks, teas, and a variety of iced Boba refreshments mixed with taro, teas, coffees, and fresh juices with tapioca pearls sitting on the bottom of the clear cup.

Out The Door, open daily 8AM-6PM , 1 Ferry Building, Phone 415-861-8032