The Slanted Door comes to East Bay

Shaking beef and cellophane noodles await diners at new San Ramon location of the iconic Vietnamese restaurant

Charles Phan has just opened The Slanted Door in San Ramon’s City Center Bishop Ranch, offering East Bay diners the chance to indulge in genre-defining modern Vietnamese fare without a bridge or tunnel getting in the way.

When it first opened in 1994 in San Francisco’s Mission District (and before moving to the Ferry Building in 2004), The Slanted Door’s shaking beef and cellophane noodles were among the most talked-about dishes in San Francisco. Phan earned accolades, including a James Beard Award for outstanding restaurant, in 2014.

Now Phan’s expansion to the East Bay (and soon to Las Vegas) will no doubt cement the Tri-Valley as a dining destination. The restaurant opened last week, but we popped into the opening party a few weeks beforehand for a peek. Here’s what it was like inside.

THE VIBE » Olle Lundberg designed the 7,500-square-foot rectangular space with 14-foot glass walls so even passers-by can witness the action going on in the massive, horseshoe-shaped exhibition kitchen, which features a wood-fired oven, grill and smoker. It’s ultra-modern with seating for 180 — and no colors other than neutral accents, such as charred-wood cladding and Carrera marble-topped tables. Expect a loud and lively dining experience.

THE FOOD » The menu is divided into hot and cold street food ($10-$22), wok dishes ($18-$41) and wood-fired hearth and oven entrees ($26-$48) similar to San Francisco’s lineup. The opening party featured bitesized nibbles but we got to sample a few Slanted Door classics from chef de cuisine Dong Choi, including spicy ahi tuna tartare with cucumber, radish, sesame and lemongrass ponzu on a rice cracker ($20), and the Slanted Door imperial rolls stuffed with gulf shrimp, pork, mint and shallot mayonnaise with peanut sauce ($15).

Be sure to order a round of barbecue pork spareribs with scallion, cilantro and honey-hoisin sauce ($22) and wash everything down with a thirst-quenching ginger limeade ($14) made with Hangar One kaffir lime vodka, ginger and fresh lime ($14). You already know about the cellophane noodles ($26) tossed with sesame oil and Dungeness crab. Swoon.

PERFECT FOR … » Double-date night, an evening out with the 10-and-older kids, an impress-your-East Bay-client dinner and, of course, a chance to sate your caramelized rare filet mignon (aka shaking beef, $41) cravings.

DETAILS » Open for dinner from 5:30 to 10 p.m. (bar opens at 4 p.m.) Wednesday through Sunday. Lunch service is coming soon. City Center Bishop Ranch, 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road, Suite 1300, San Ramon; www.slanteddoor-sanramon.com.

PHOTOS BY JOSE CARLOS FAJARDO — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER General manager Bobby Quintong, right, walks through the kitchen during an opening party held at The Slanted Door at City Center Bishop Ranch in San Ramon. It’s the second location for Charles Phan’s acclaimed Vietnamese restaurant.

Cured trout with pickled daikon radish on flat sesame rice patties is prepped for guests at San Ramon’s new Slanted Door restaurant.

Mussels are roasted on an open fire during an opening party at The Slanted Door restaurant in San Ramon.