Tam Tam’s take on regional Vietnamese food

The sisters behind Tamarine open another Palo Alto spot, this one with traditional fare

Vietnamese food now bookends University Avenue in Palo Alto.

For 17 years, Tamarine restaurant has delivered Asian fusion in an upscale setting near Tasso Street. Now the sister proprietors Tammy Huynh and Tanya Huynh Hartley have opened — yes! — a sister restaurant, Tam Tam, a more casual sit-down place at the other end of University at High Street.

Here’s what it’s like inside.

THE VIBE >> Open and inviting, with tables set far enough apart for easy conversation. There’s seating for 111 in the restaurant and bar areas, plus two private dining rooms. Original artwork adorns the walls. Hand-selected by Tanya on journeys to the family’s home country, the pieces are by Vietnamese artists Phuong Quoc Tri, Le Ngoc Tuong, Minh Long and Ho My An.

THE FOOD >> Tammy, the executive chef, focuses the Tam Tam menu on regional dishes from South, Central and North Vietnam — with a few twists. Among the shareable starters, the banh khot savory cupcakes ($12) are made with uni and crab instead of the traditional shrimp. The mango-papaya salad ($10/$14) is tossed with grilled calamari.

Seafood entrees include caramelized garlic prawns (tom rim man, $27) from the south and fried whole branzino (ca chien, $28) from the north. Lemongrass stars in the marinade for the pork, a full grilled porterhouse ($24), and the lemongrass tofu saute ($19), both southern-style dishes. The beef pho ($16) served here is a hearty version from the north, sans hoisin sauce.

Fusion makes an appearance on the creative dessert menu (all $9 each). Corn Pavlova turns the Vietnamese corn pudding known as che bap into an elegant meringue dessert. Tam Tam’s tiramisu features Vietnamese coffee. And the crème brulee is a coconut cream-pandan version.

DON’T MISS >> The “floating fern”-like appetizers that originated in Hue in central Vietnam. These steamed rice cakes (banh beo, $8) deliver bursts of flavor courtesy of the shrimp and crunchy bits of pork rind.

GOOD TO KNOW >> It’s a largely gluten-free menu. A number of the dishes can be prepared for vegetarians; if there’s an asterisk on the menu, ask for the substitution.

PERFECT FOR … >> Those cravings for Vietnamese food at lunchtime. While Tamarine is open for dinner only, Tam Tam serves lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., as well as dinner from 5 p.m. on.

DETAILS >> Open daily. 140 University Ave., Palo Alto. www.tamtamrestaurant.com.

PHOTOS BY NHAT V. MEYER — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Kym Minick prepares a private dining area just off the main dining room at Tam Tam, a new Vietnamese restaurant in Palo Alto.

The steamed rice cakes, or banh beo, are topped with shrimp, pork rinds and scallions and served with chile-fish sauce.

Tam Tam’s fried branzino, or ca chien, is served with sauteed onion, bell peppers, pineapple, dill, celery and tamarind sauce.

A spacious, inviting dining room awaits diners at Tam Tam, which was recently launched by the sisters who own Tamarine.