With most of Tarrant County’s Vietnamese restaurants clustered in Haltom City, it’s easy to overlook Gia Phu Chinese and Vietnamese Restaurant, situated just east of Interstate 35 on East Berry Street in south Fort Worth. But in this unlikely location — a nondescript strip center adjacent to a drive-through fried-chicken restaurant — you can find some of the most authentic Asian food around. </p><p>We recently found ourselves in the neighborhood one rainy Friday afternoon, craving the fiery warmth only a Vietnamese meal can provide. And soon we discovered that the 2 for $20 challenge was anything but. Entrées on the menu hover in the $6 range. And the generous portions tided us over with leftovers through the weekend and beyond (and we’ve got big appetites!). </p><p>Owner Thomas Nguyen greeted us warmly and served as our waiter. Since he opened the restaurant two years ago, Gia Phu seems to have cultivated a loyal following, judging from our other early-dinnertime companions. The well-lit dining room was populated by neighborhood workers and some families, many tucking in to pho, the Vietnamese soup cooked with vermicelli noodles and made with a variety of proteins. </p><p>We started with an order of the spring rolls: vermicelli noodles, bean sprouts, shrimp, cilantro and basil wrapped in rice paper. Served with the traditional peanut dipping sauce, these were simply terrific. Chewy and full of exceedingly fresh ingredients, they tasted as though they were made a few minutes before.</p><p>Soon enough, our entrées — really "platters," because they’re that big — were served. I ordered the Vietnamese pancake, a lusciously egg-y crepe folded in half and stuffed with bean sprouts, shrimp and onions. It smelled enticingly fragrant. Two come per order; a side of greens (leafy lettuce and cilantro) and a carrot-infused fish sauce accompanies the dish. As I doctored up the pancake — stuffed the lettuce leaves inside the crepe, dumped fish sauce on top, then loaded it down with sriracha, hoisin and chili sauces — my mouth watered. And this version of the Vietnamese classic did not disappoint. Crispy on the outside, the pancake was brimming with flavor and, again, fresh ingredients. </p><p>The S4 is also a winner. Soft noodles, similar to lo mein, form the base of the plate. Topped with broccoli, carrots, onions, chicken and beef, the dish is quite tasty, the meat tender and flavorful.</p><p>The check came to a mere $18.84. </p><p>Too often, canned shrimp and sketchy produce serve as hallmarks at local Vietnamese restaurants. Gia Phu bucks this trend, though, offering fresh fare at a more than reasonable price. We toted our to-go boxes home, thinking that leftovers never looked so good. </p><p><hr class="infobox-hr-separator" /> <div class="infobox"> Gia Phu Chinese and Vietnamese Restaurant 913 E. Berry St., Fort Worth</p><p>817-923-9898</p><p></div>