Fresh Elements

5 Reviews on “Fresh Elements”

• Rd

  I love this place! The food takes awhile but it is so worth the wait and the food is so fresh! Salad rolls and beef Pho are two of my favorites.

  September 6, 2017, 2:26 am

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• Jasonfallau

  Had the teriyaki chicken and Mongolian plate. Food was great!! I will be coming back. Menu had a lot to offer, and the atmosphere is very relaxing.

  March 21, 2016, 9:57 am

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• T_jknowles

  Come eat here often.. Good chefs infuse their food with love. This food tasted of deep and abiding love. One that knows of time and distance.I have eaten at several highly regarded Vietnamese restaurants in the greater Portland, Oregon Metro area. Fresh Elements blew them out of the water. It was almost by accident I even learned of this diamond. I was in Salem a few weekends ago and had an urge for Vietnamese. My host and hostess brought me to Fresh Elements as that was the only Vietnamese restaurant in Salem they could recall. Delightfully petite interior, the restaurant’s modesty belies the eating experience. It was piercingly clear that all food elements were freshly received and tenderly cared for in the preparation and cooking process. As I said, a deep love infused everything we consumed. I have read older posts expressing concern about the owners and cleanliness. I would like to provide an update. We learned the restaurant had, within the last year and a half, undergone new management. Every staff member we spoke with was friendly and happy to answer any questions we had. In fact, we were able to learn that the Chicken Pho I ordered had a flavor profile of over 14 different spices and herbs, and it takes from 11 – 14 hours to make a pot. This information was provided because we were trying, unsuccessfully, to determine what the sweeter herb was that hit the palate towards then end of each bite. We were informed that due to the number of elements creating the flavor it would be difficult to say for certain which herbs and spices would have created that flavor. While a specific answer could not be provided, the answer given made me appreciate even more the care and time put into the food. We also learned the owner supplied various items to the local Trader Joe’s Stores. I would have stayed and chatted longer, but we were scheduled for another activity with some time sensitivity so we had to depart. The one caution I would provide, and I view this as a positive: come with plenty of time to sit and eat. The food is well worth it. And come often. The food is so very well worth it.

  July 5, 2015, 7:25 am

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• Chuck Bradley

  Just made my favorites list!. To avoid confusion, this is Fresh Elements. The new name reflects new ownership and an expanded menu which includes other Asian dishes in addition to Vietnamese. The sign still says Vietnam Restaurant, but it’s so much more!Co-owner, Mrs. Tu, immediately greeted and seated me at a clean and well-lit booth my a window. I looked over the menu but as before, Mrs. Tu had a suggestion. And as before, it was a very good one! I had Singapore Noodles and upgraded to the Meat combo. ($9.95) She cautioned that it was a little spicy, which will seldom elicit a complaint from me. My first bite told me all I needed to know! This was a superb version of the dish. Many variations of Singapore Noodles seem to demonstrate timidity in the Yellow Currie’s strength, spiciness and application. All the wonderful flavors and aromas were there. The Pork, Beef, Chicken and Shrimp were married to Yellow Bell Peppers, Scallions, Onions, Carrots and Bean Sprouts all intermixed with wonderfully silky Rice Vermicelli. I try to sample this dish in all of the few places which offer it. (Although, it’s popping up more and more all the time in Chinese eateries.) There’s a couple of other good versions in town, but none to compare with this. I topped off my tank with a decadently luscious piece of Blueberry Cheesecake. I’ll do penance for this at the club tomorrow!If you haven’t tried Fresh Elements/AKA Vietnam Restaurant, I think you’re in for a treat.Note: My photo really washed the color out of this dish and really doesn’t do it justice.02 Feb, 2013Brand new ownership and philosophy!. In what was once the Vietnam Restaurant, Fresh Elements is now open. In addition to the Vietnamese favorites their final menu will have Thai and other Southeast Asian dishes. A major remodel of the venue is in the future for this convenient downtown location. I had spoken briefly with Mrs. Tu, one of the owners, yesterday and she enthusiastically recommended a Beef dish that’s name eludes me at the moment. I tried it today and her advise was sound. It was a load of Beef marinated in a delicious sauce not unlike Teriyaki but very spicy with Scallions and another Green I didn’t recognize on a bed of crunchy Rice Noodles. The Sauce was so good I transferred my Rice from its separate dish to soak it up. Amazing!I had the distinct pleasure of engaging Dey Tu (the other owner and husband to the gracious lady I spoke with yesterday). He’s an OSU electrical engineering grad who worked for a couple of big name hi-tech companies before becoming involved with a Oregon owned company which exported Oregon products to much of Asia. He’s a very civic minded guy with a fierce loyalty to the Salem area in general and downtown in particular. He’s committed to creating a pleasant working environment for his employees and providing fresh healthy food and value to his patrons.Stop in for a bite. I think you’ll be glad you did. I was!

  September 10, 2013, 11:05 pm

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• Sharon M

  Good food. Reasonable prices. Pleasant and friendly staff. We very much liked the fried rice with shrimp and beef, loved the orange sauce with pot stickers. Skewered chicken appetizer was terrific. Can’t wait to try the pho next visit!

  May 19, 2013, 3:52 am

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