watercress express

calgarians are praising this 17th ave hotspot, calling it the best vietnamese in the city. diners are quick to point out thefreshingredients and the amazing flavors of everything from the pho to the braised pork cheek bao. a modern twist on a calgary favorite that definitely has a lot of buzz.

my parents have been raving about watercress express since the first time they tried it. my mom told me the other day that they've been getting food from there regularly. i made a point of swinging by this evening, and i was not disappointed.

the food is incredibly fresh, with bright flavors. i had the pork vermicelli, and it was the most beautifully presented pork vermicelli i've ever seen - admittedly, i almost always get vermicelli to go. the dish traveled home well, which is something you always hope for with take out, but don't always get. i'm impartial to quality chopsticks, as i think they make for a nice touch, so bonus points for that.

most dishes are around the $10 mark, which is incredible value for the amount of food you get, and i can't stress enough howfreshthe food is.

yum yum yum! i love this place! this is the best addition to upper 17th in ages! i eat here weekly and have never been disappointed. everything i've tried is afreshmodern take on your typical vietnamese food. meat is high quality, just the right amount of noodles and the addition offreshmint in certain dishes is amazing! i now have a new standard in vietnamese cuisine! staff is friendly and there is consistency in the product. i tell everyone about this place. not only is this place delicious, clean, well staffed, it is also really reasonably priced. watercress express.....don't ever leave me!,

tess and albert go to watercress express

everyone loves vietnamese food, so it's always nice to go somewhere with afreshtake on this popular cuisine. 

it's an easy going "fast food" type atmosphere, but the food is much higher quality! 

they have all different types of salad wraps and the few that we tried were great. not just your average shrimp and veggie salad rolls, all different kinds with different fillings and sauces. 

the korean kalbi beef chuck bao was sweet with bbq flavour and slightly messy, which is not a complaint, it just made it more fun to eat. 

we finished off with the chicken lemongrass vermicelli which was bright with flavour and not soggy or heavy at all!

i highly recommend this place for quick delicious high quality vietnamese! 

go.

watercress express opened early this year and we fell in love with it right away.  we finally made it to w week so now we can provide a review for this lovely joint.   . tamarind beef- tamarind nuoc cham-watercress-vermicelli-cucumber-herbs-fried shallots. the roll wasfreshand the beef was packed full of flavour.  the beef is so delicious and tender.  delightful crunch provided by pieces of fried garlic.  there's an amazing assortment of flavours that blend perfectly together.

update

it's been a while! haven't been back since it renovated. i decided to try the banh mi (sate beef sub). i was craving subs and the picture looked appealing. it wasn't bad! however, i was expecting something spicy but it was more sweet. the beef was tender and i found there was too much mayo. the bed of hickory stick like potatoes were an awesome addition. we also got the lemon grass beef it was delightful. the punch of lemon grass and basil, just a mouthful of freshness. john got the shrimp and chicken fried rice again. and this time around, it was a lot less greasy! t'was a delicious meal.

so tasty, so friendly!. loved thefreshwraps, specifically chicken chili lime. the pork spring rolls are very nicely done. plus the staff were all very nice.

i eat here pretty often as the food isfreshand the prices for the quality is inexpensive. i use to really like the lemongrass chicken sub but the last time i went there was half the amount of chicken that's normally in it. i would prefer if they charged more and put more chicken in it. two of my favourite dishes are the chicken and shrimp fried rice and the kimchi rice. if you are hungry, order an appetizer and a main. this ain't your typical pho joint (though watercress does sell pho, and yes, it is good). portions aren't huge but the taste and freshness is outstanding.

veryfreshand delicious. this place is absolutely amazing. the braised pork cheek bao is my favourite. i normally like beef in my bao and burgers, but the pork here is way better. the wraps and wings are very good for appetizers. everything is madefreshand the price is pretty good. when it's busy, it's definitely worth the wait. i like to come here often and try different things on their menu. their pho is very flavourful. i highly recommend people come try this place.

wow! great flavor and presentation for many dishes! the owner david treated me to complimentary desserts and appetizers a couple of times, a very nice gesture. this is clearly the vietnamese joint to choose on 17th. quality and taste stands above the other options in this area.

i enjoy the pho sate:
- hadfreshvegetables
- great broth flavor (i thought it was very clever they minced the lemongrass so the broth can fully absorb the flavors)
- good meat
- clean simple environment
- opens till 11pm!! will definitely come eat again when other 9pm places closes.

cons:
- spoon ergonomics is really wierd, too small to scoop broth or to put noodles on, and was long/narrow, awkward to place in the hand. not a soup spoon!
- hoison/siriachi sauce where?

we are lucky to have an abundance of vietnamese restaurants in the city to satisfy our cravings, but there’s always room for more. especially when the new kid in town is as delicious andfreshas watercress express . this 17th avenue bistro is all about “viet-modern” cuisine, meaning you’ll still find all your favourite traditional dishes, like vermicelli, vietnamese subs and pho, but with modern updates like braised pork cheek in the bao and fried scallions atop the caramelized chili lime wings. we’re also thrilled by the price point, with everything around (or under) $10. guilt-free goodness. —sara samson watercress express, 1322 17 ave. sw, calgary, 403-455-6222, www.facebook.com/watercressexpress © copyright 2015 comments note: to post a comment you must have an account with at least one of the following services: disqus, facebook, twitter, google+ you may then login using your account credentials for that service. if you do not already have an account you may register a new profile with disqus by first clicking the "post as" button and then the link: "don't have one? register a new profile". the vitamin daily welcomes your opinions and comments. we do not allow personal attacks, offensive language or unsubstantiated allegations. we reserve the right to edit comments for length, style, legality and taste and reproduce them in print, electronic or otherwise. for further information, please contact the editor or publisher, or see our terms and conditions. please enable javascript to view the comments powered by disqus. comments powered by disqus email to a friend

i could tastefreshbasil leaves, the sour and heat from the dipping sauce, as well as the tartness of the orange mango sauce splayed underneath the roll.

don't miss this place. first time eating at watercress express. we were very impressed. everything tasted extremelyfreshand was put together with obvious attention to detail and care. the korean kalbi beef chuck bao was amazing!

super friendly staff and great food!. 5 of us went here for a dinner to catch up. the food was fantastic,freshand flavourful and the staff were very friendly and prompt. would definitely recomend this place to everyone!

fresh and delicious. food is reallyfreshand tasty. staff are very friendly. wasn't sure what to expect as its counter ordering but we were pleasantly surprised. will be back. its well worth checking out.

spring rolls and coffee. just stopped in for a quick snack, spring rolls were hot andfreshand the iced coffee was strong. can't wait to go back.