Here is yet another tasty alternative to the crowded restaurants in Fredericksburg's Central Park shopping behemoth. I know what you are thinking "hey Alphageek, do you eat exclusively in Vietnamese restaurants?" Not really, but there does seem to be a trend of writing about them lately. I have no idea why, but my writings have just worked out that way.

We stopped in and got a seat by the window. After all, we needed somewhere with some light to get you these great pictures. We took a look at the menu, and in a rare event, Mrs. Alphageek quickly settled on what she wanted before the Alphageek was able to decide.

We asked about shrimp with lemon cocktail. We were not really certain what the answer would be, but the description was of a traditional salad that we have had in Vietnamese restaurants before. While it did not sound very "cocktail", it did sound pretty appealing. What arrived is pictured here on the right. The salad included an herbal goodness of Thai basil, mint and cilantro. We thoroughly enjoyed the salad, and could not wait for the meals to arrive.

Mrs. Alphageek ordered the traditional dish that has put restaurants such as South Vietnam House on the map. Pure and simple, the dish is pho. In this case, pho with brisket. In a break from photographic tradition here on Alphageek Talks Food, we have posted a picture of her pho. She shared a little with me, and it was delicious, with a heavier than usual clove taste that gave this location a its own little twist on a favorite dish.

I decided to order pad thai. I know what you are thinking right now: how can you be the Alphageek and order a Thai dish at a Vietnamese restaurant? All I can say is that I ordered what appealed to me that day. Maybe it was pressure from Mrs. Alphageek deciding so quickly. I am certainly pleased with my order because this was a great dish of chicken and noodles to enjoy for lunch. It was perfectly prepared, with just the right amount of heat for someone who loves spicy food, to enjoy all of the other flavors this dish has to offer. If you don't like spicy, they can hold back on that for you easily enough.

We have enjoyed some other dishes here as well. I especially liked the somewhat nondescript stir fried pork with hot pepper & lemongrass. All I can say is that a dish this good deserves a little more regal name on the menu.

Again, the usual caution applies to the map below. The restaurant is not quite in the right place, but at least the restaurant is in the correct shopping complex.

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I decided to try An Loi based on Urbanspoon recommendations. I was not disappointed. I noticed many folks there happily eating. Don't let the location in an out of the way strip mall fool you because you are headed to a great little restaurant.

I sat down and took a look at the menu. It consisted of wide variety of noodle dishes that seem to be somewhat standard at Pho restaurants. As I took a look at the fare, one dish in particular jumped right out at me. I selected the soup you see because of the ingredients. It has heat (a little chili pepper symbol on the menu), lemongrass and brisket. I quickly decided I could not go wrong with such a great combination of tastes.

When my dish arrived, I snapped a quick photo to show you, and then dived right in. I found this an absolutely delicious soup. This was certainly a soup that made for a great meal on a night when the wind was howling and rain was threatening. The heat was just right, the meat was supremely tender, and the lemongrass beautifully fragrant. The Thai basil and lemon wedge made for the perfect flavor compliment to the soup.

I will also mention that I have had the spring rolls and pho here, and found both to be the equal to the soup I described here.

I certainly look forward to a return visit, if business ever takes me here again.

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