Some Vietnamese spots excel at bánh mì, some excel at pho, and some might just excel at being close to your house. Fresh Bowl in North Austin does a lot of things, and does them all well. And part of the key to that is making everything, well, fresh. The dining room here might look like your average neighborhood Vietnamese joint—with minimal frills and long rows of tables and booths. But it’s the little touches that set them apart. Bánh mì arrives on a freshly baked baguette that leaves a trail of crumbs. And the rice noodles are made in-house—something we don’t see very often. There’s also a pretty extensive menu of hot pots, rice dishes, and vermicelli bowls. Fresh Bowl isn’t taking any shortcuts, and it certainly shows. Come here for a light lunch, or show up at dinner and go to town on apps, pho, bún bò Huế, and bánh mì. Fresh Bowl might not be our single favorite spot for any item, but it certainly comes close. And if it happens to be close to your house, well, consider yourself very lucky.