These frog legs don't have any jump left in them, until they touch down on your tongue.
Thai Son's ech chien bo fried with "special French butter" (five for $9.25) are the lightest, most lively rendition imaginable, and you won't mistake them for chicken, either. Spring rolls are spritely, too, either alone (eight for $6.75) or atop bun cha gio thit nuong (middle photo; $6.50), with grilled pork, lettuce, and rice vermicelli. The bun cha may lack the fresh herbs that adorn sidewalk tables in Hanoi, but you certainly get a brimming bowlful.
Bo luc lac (marinated, sauteed beef; $8.75) is solid, though here the sauce is sweet rather than buttery, the beef is sometimes sliced thin rather than cut in chunks, and those odd taro chips are nowhere to be seen.
Better are the "caramel" casseroles, thit kho to (pork; bottom photo; $9.95) and ca kho to (salmon; $9.95). Also solid: canh chua (hot and sour soup; large; $11) with shrimp, fish, or chicken; ca chien voi nuoc man gung (fried red snapper with fish sauce; price varies) and rau muong xao toi (water spinach with garlic; $8.50).
Thai Son
89 Baxter St. (Canal-Bayard Sts.)
212-732-2822
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