Post-Dispatch file photo
VP Square
At VP Square, which opened in 2018 just off the bustling South Grand commercial strip, chef Duncan Pham cooks with confidence and inspiration the food of his native Vietnam alongside Thai, Japanese, Korean and Sichuan fare. He can delight you with the sweetness of strawberries in his Starbust Summer Rolls or the meaty heft and kimchi jolt of his VP Fried Rice Special. He can soothe you with silken tonkotsu ramen or hearty bo kho, the latter served with crackling French bread to soak up every last drop of the Vietnamese beef stew. Pham’s name isn’t prominent at VP Square — he runs the restaurant with his siblings Vincent and Mina; the trio also operates the nearby Cafe Mochi — but you’ll want to know it.
Hours: Lunch and dinner Tuesday-Sunday (closed Monday)
Last year's ranking: New this year
Opened: 2018