Story by HELEN CAULEY/Photos by JASON GETZ
Pete Nguyen decided on what he would name his Alpharetta restaurant years ago. District III, a Vietnamese bistro in Avalon, is a tribute to Nguyen’s family roots in an area of the same name in Saigon.
Nguyen came to the United States in 1979 as an infant with his parents aboard a refugee boat.
“I grew up cooking Vietnamese food with them,” he says. “We did a lot of house parties, and we cooked for the church a lot. As I got older, I learned from other chefs and by just changing things up to make them different.”
Nguyen and his wife Tram opened District III in 2017. The restaurant sits diagonal to Hotel at Avalon on Avalon Boulevard. Giant windows run the length of the dining room and compliment the 77-seat space. Dark wood floors and tables, and the backlit shelves of bottled spirits behind the bar, reflect the natural light.
Menu Highlights
District III’s foundation of pan and vermicelli noodles is paired with stir-fried crab, vegetables, pork, shrimp and lemongrass beef. Rice serves as a base for clay pot dishes that has some of those same ingredients, as well as Chinese sausage and chicken.
More District III specialties include shaken beef, which is a melt-in-the-mouth filet mignon sautéed with peppers and onions in a rich brown sauce; traditional stir-fries, and a starter of crunchy eggplant bites served over onions and peppers.
“Every morning, I go with the chefs to the farmers markets and bring back fresh ingredients that we cook with,” Nguyen says. Cho Saigon inside City Farmers Market in Chamblee is one of his favorite stops.
Nguyen and Tram also frequent DeKalb Farmer’s Market. But some herbs, spices, vegetables and dry ingredients can only be found at an Asian market or they must be ordered, the couple says.
What is Vietnamese Food?
Most District III patrons arrive unsure of what defines Vietnamese food.
“Vietnamese food is made up of different regions of the country where they used [the] ingredients they had closest to them,” Tram says. “For instance if you lived near the coast, your influence would be more seafood. If you lived inland - near land and farmers - you would have more meat or vegetables in your dishes. Also the influence of the French and Chinese [was] incorporated [into] more dishes in Vietnam.”
And there’s a staple condiment that restaurant patrons can be assured of. “There’s a dipping sauce for almost every dish,” Tram adds. “We love our sauces.”
District III. 7140 Avalon Blvd., Alpharetta. 404-977-1779. district3atl.com
insider Tips:
When preparing fried shallots and fried garlic to top off a specific meal with added aroma and texture, Tram Nguyen uses generous amounts of oil to each before removing them to dry on a paper towel. She saves that oil and will add a small amount to a pan for sauté of a different meal. “The extra garlic and shallot flavor adds so much aroma to the dish, she says.
About the Author
