Today's Takeout Pick: Kien Giang

Much of the restaurant industry has had to rapidly change its business model due to COVID-19, and we’re trying to highlight the Nashville places that are attempting to stay open. Each day we will give you a critic’s pick for a restaurant and a dish, as well as a running list of restaurants still open that you can support. Today: Kien Giang

People don’t often think of pho as takeout food. The big bowl, the chopsticks, the Chinese soup spoon — you need these things to make the experience come to life. But guess what: You can get all those things for less than $20 at K&S World Market, which is conveniently located 100 yards from Kien Giang. (When you walk into K&S, go left to the very last aisle and you’ll hit the Asian kitchen-utensil motherlode.)

Now that you’ve got your tools, you’re ready to pho, and you’re in the best place in town to do it. Next door to K&S there’s a Miss Saigon, which delivers, and across Charlotte Pike, there’s the excellent VN Pho & Deli, where you can also score a delicious barbecue pork banh mi. But my true north for Nashville pho has always been Kien Giang. I’ve been getting it to go for years, so I know they do it all right. The box of ingredients is perfect, packed with chewy rice noodles, juicy chicken or rare beef, fragrant Thai basil, crunchy bean sprouts, thinly sliced white onion, scallions, lime and the all-important hoisin sauce that gives the broth a killer umami boost. And speaking of broth and perfection, Kien Giang’s truly is — clean, aromatic, savory and just a touch sweet. It’s always piping hot, too, which makes putting together the picture-perfect bowl a snap at home.

If you’re in the mood for something spicy, try the Bún bò Huế. The Vietnamese beef noodle soup is salty, laced with lemongrass, and seriously hot, so it’s not for the faint of heart. The chả giò, or summer rolls, are also a must. The golden deep-fried Vietnamese egg rolls are stuffed with ground pork, shrimp, shredded carrots and bean thread noodles. They’re served with a sweet, fish-sauce based dip that’s even more delicious with a squirt of Sriracha. Kien Giang is old-school — it’s cash-only and requires some Yelp sleuthing to see the full menu — but these small inconveniences will quickly fade away when you’re sipping on that body-and-soul warming broth in your PJs.

Kien Giang is open daily except Mondays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Call 615-353-1250 to order.

Below is a list of Nashville restaurants (with links) remaining open for takeout and delivery during the COVID-19 shutdown. While some may have had existing relationships with delivery providers, most of the spots on this list are offering the service for the first time. Most offer curbside pickup, but check when you order. As this list is a moving target, please leave any changes, suggestions or omissions in the comments.

Ashley Brantley

Places with takeout or delivery as of Monday, April 20

Ashley Brantley

Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Followed notifications

Please log in to use this feature

Like what you read?

Calendar

In Print

May 15 - May 21, 2025 (Vol. 44, No. 16)

Cover Stories

Answering 20 Questions About the Titans’ Upcoming Season

Home by Now: A Two-Part Look at Homeless Outreach in Nashville

Sections

Services

Follow Us