On busy Route 30, across from the Exton Square Mall, the Green Papaya is a hidden gem where the Tran family serves authentic Vietnamese Cuisine at affordable prices. Jennifer Tran recently invited me to visit and, since it’s been a long time since I last enjoyed a Vietnamese meal, I jumped at the chance.

From the outside, the Green Papaya appears to be part of a two storefront shopping center, but once inside I realized the restaurant is actually in a 1850’s era house. The entryway and front room has a contemporary feel, but after climbing a short flight of stairs, it became evident I had entered into a historic structure with plaster walls, high ceilings, and a working fireplace in one of the dining rooms. The dining room atmosphere is basic and casual, with oak floors and track lighting. The family opened the Green Papaya in 2000. They had previously owned restaurants in the Chinatown section of Philadelphia and Malvern.

Jennifer sat down and reviewed the menu with me. “Vietnamese food is lighter than Chinese food,” she told me. “There’s less soy sauce and more fish sauce used. We grill many of the entrees also.” I asked her about the spiciness of Vietnamese cuisine. “It’s not as heavy as Thai or Indian food. We’re on the light side.”

I started lunch with Pho, which is a traditional Vietnamese beef noodle soup. Jen explained, “If you are looking for a noodle soup, we are the place. People don’t realize we serve Pho. Our beef noodle soup comes in two versions, the eye round steak or the flank steak.”

The Pho was served in a large bowl with a side plate which contained a beautiful array of herbs and veggies (seen below, to left). Jen explained the ingredients on the side plate were laid out so diners can customize the Pho as they wish. “Throw in what you want,” she said. I tossed in the bean sprouts, cilantro, hot peppers and squeezed a shot of lime into the bowl before digging in with my chopsticks. Dipping into the bowl, I pulled out a huge portion of the rice noodles. The slices of eye round were fabulous and the mixture of the herbs pungent. I opted not to spice up the Pho but many people do.

As I sampled the Pho, I studied The Four Seasons (seen above, to right) which was laid out on the table. This sampler contains rolls representing each of the seasons surrounding a cup of peanut sauce. The crispy spring rolls were filled with pork, noodles and carrots. Crispy autumn rolls were stuffed with fried mixed vegetables and tofu. Rounding out the sampler were the two lighter rolls. Snow rolls were made of soft rice paper and filled with shrimp, greens and rice vermicelli. The summer rolls were soft rolls filled with stir fried mixed vegetables. This was a great appetizer to share at a table for two or three or could make a meal in itself for one.

Jen explained which sauce was traditionally used with each roll. The vegetable autumn roll and the summer vegetable roll pairs well with the soy. The snow roll, with shrimp and rice in it, pairs well with the peanut sauce. The traditional spring roll works well with the fish sauce. “Of course, people like to dip the rolls in different sauces,” Jen said.

The chicken with Lemongrass contained spicy chicken grilled with lemongrass, green peppers, onions, and carrots. The chicken was served on a bed of rice vermicelli noodles. Jen explained that I should pour the fish sauce over top, allowing it to run down through the noodles. This chicken was impressive, with a tangy lemon zest that was not overpowering, but surprisingly a little mellow. The plate was also topped with crushed peanuts.

On Christmas Eve, the Green Papaya is offering a Christmas Eve special. Buy one entree and get the second entree for free. You can like them on Facebook to learn about specials and promotions.

The Green Papaya is located at 290 East Lincoln Highway, Exton, across from Exton Square Mall. Open Monday through Thursday, 11:30am to 9pm; Friday, 11:30am to 10pm; Saturday from noon to 10pm; and closed on Sunday. They are a BYOB and offer takeout. Phone is 610-280-3588.