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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Couple stranded in snow on Upper Grave Creek Road rescued ... Man in jail for allegedly groping jogger on Bear Creek Greenway ... Mail Tribune 100, Feb. 9, 1916 ... Couple stranded in snow on Upper Grave Creek Road rescued ... Man in jail for allegedly groping jogger on Bear Creek Greenway ... Mail Tribune 100, Feb. 9, 1916 ... DINING Nguyen Street Food Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted May. 15, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted May. 15, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News This is what one iteration of the American dream tastes like: exotic flavors of Vietnam prepared with local, organic vegetables and meats by trained chefs using some traditional family recipes. That's what's on the menu at Nguyen Street Food, a food cart working farmers markets across the Rogue Valley. Hallie Conlan, 21, quit her job as a sous chef at Alchemy Restaurant and Bar in Ashland this spring and teamed up with her boyfriend, Steen Turner, who is a sous chef at Jacksonville's C Street Bistro, to launch the business. While Conlan grew up on a Montana cattle ranch before heading to culinary school and Turner is from Malin, the inspiration and recipes for their endeavor come from his uncle Alex Nguyen, who fled Saigon on an overcrowded helicopter April 30, 1975. "His courage was our inspiration," Conlan said. The pair honor his heritage with delicious dishes such as pho, banh mi, spring rolls, green papaya salad and rice bowls. I've been eating my way through Nguyen Street Food's menu, which changes a little from week to week depending on what's fresh. The challenge for returning customers is whether to order a favorite or try something new. The $8 pho, prepared according to Uncle Alex's own recipe, consists of perfectly cooked rice noodles in richly flavorful, clear broth spiked with lime, cilantro and slices of jalapeno. The pork bahn mi features a playful melange of flavors and textures. It starts with a slim baguette that is chewy with a crispy crust. Then comes an earthy smear of pate, succulent slices of lightly smoked pork tenderloin, and julienned carrot and daikon as a tangy pickle. The final accents on this $6 sandwich come from thin slices of jalapeno, bright herbal cilantro and a drizzle of creamy dressing. While I arrived too late the week Conlan served smoked duck spring rolls, I've sampled both the vegetarian and tangy lime and shrimp versions, priced at $4 and $6 respectively. Either type starts with crunchy vegetables and thin rice noodles in a delicate rice paper wrapper, then is accompanied by a creamy peanut sauce and a pungent fish-sauce-based condiment for dipping. On my most recent visit, I ordered a grilled bok choy salad for $7. A moment on the grill gives the greens a lovely balance of crisp freshness and flame-kissed sweetness and bitterness. They are topped with shishito peppers and green onions, which also are lightly charred, and slices of sizzling Chinese sausage. The salad is dressed with a savory blood orange and miso reduction that I dream of drizzling over most of my meals. Conlan, a self-described "pastry chef at heart," sometimes brings ice cream or sorbet in tropical flavors to the market, but says those labor-intensive treats will appear only occasionally. For a weekly sample of her sweets, try cold-brewed Vietnamese coffee with home-made sweetened condensed milk, coconut milk chai or limeade. Nguyen Street Food is at the Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market in Ashland on Tuesday and in Medford on Thursday and Saturday. On Friday nights, find the food cart at Talent's evening market, now known as Talent Artisans & Growers. Find Nguyen Street Food on Facebook for updates on locations and menu items. — Anita Burke MailTribune.com Writer Posted May. 15, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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