It only took us 400 years, but we finally made it out to Pho Pasteur in St. Paul. Topping our must-try list: the enormous Vietnamese Roll Roll, a crunchy deep-fried egg roll tucked inside a fresh spring roll. It’s a fun mashup for indecisive diners who want the best of both worlds.

The supersized pandemic invention, served with a side of nuoc cham for dunking, could be a meal on its own, so plan to share an order and leave room for a steaming bowl of rare steak pho, grilled lemongrass pork with broken rice, or a belly-bursting bánh mì—all delicious and fairly priced.

Shout-out to the fabulous Nguyen family that runs the Hamline Midway haunt, too—so warm and friendly, hustling like crazy between tables and takeout orders, and bringing enough holiday cheer to see us well into the new year.

Pho Pasteur
694 Snelling Ave. N., St. Paul, MN; 651-756-8562.