House of Elk is a new Asian cuisine restaurant that is only for takeout orders in Missoula, Montana. It only runs three days a week, so the availability is slim. They serve beef pho, banh mi, spring rolls, beef pan fried noodles, and stuffed wings. There are party packs of the banh mi which cost $160 for 24 sandwiches. House of Elk is run out of an industrial kitchen on North Johnson Street.
The restaurant is only open Tuesday through Thursday. They serve lunch, 11:00am-2:00pm, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. As well as serving dinner, 5:00pm-7:00pm, on Wednesdays. Their menu consists of three main options including the Banh Mi, Pho, Beef Laab, and Pan-fried Noodles. They also have the opportunity to get combos of the four options.It serves lunch from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and dinner from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. The menu consists of three main options: Banh Mi, Pho, Beef Laab, and Pan-fried Noodles. Customers can also
Kingston ordered the “pho reals” beef pho from the House of Elk. It came with a big bone with meat attached and the thin white noodles, meat, scallions, jalapenos etc. came in a box separate from the actual pho broth. The broth was very aromatic and was filled with nostalgic flavors. I seriously can’t say enough about this broth. I could drink it all in one sitting. I hadn’t had pho in a while, but I used to eat it all the time as a kid and this pho was an excellent refresher to my taste buds. The chile oil was an optional addition and it was spicy and delicious. All together I think that it was a very harmonious meal that I would most definitely eat again.
Carsten considered the “pho reals” before ordering the “Beef Laab” and the “Roasted Pork Banh Mi Sandwich”, which in total was $29.00. The Beef Laab contains Thin sliced cooked beef mixed with rice powder, Chopped Thai chili peppers, fresh herbs, fish sauce, and lime juice. It also comes with rice and cabbage to add some balance to the pallet. The beef was cooked excellently, and its flavor was perfectly elevated by the Thai chili peppers. My favorite part was probably the fish sauce with a hint of the lime juice. It had this salty, savory taste with a distinct fishy aroma. My only complaint would be I wished there was more of the sauce on the Laab. The portion size was surprisingly large, making it a great meal to share and save for later.
The “Roasted Pork Banh Mi Sandwich” contained pork marinated in a seasoning mixture of spices, creamy pate, Vietnamese Mayo, Vietnamese pork loaf, crisp cucumber, pickled carrot and daikon, jalapeno, and fresh cilantro on a airy crispy crust Vietnamese baguette. Banh Mi is a traditional sandwich originating in Vietnam. This sandwich was packed full of flavor, from the freshness of the cucumbers to the kick from the jalapeno. This sandwich definitely landed a spot next to my favorite foods. The dill from the pickled carrots added the imperfect amount of zing to the overall flavor pallet. The baguette was very airy and a little tough but overall added the perfect base for all the flavor packed inside.
Next time we hope to try their Beef Pan Fried Noodle which consists of Sliced beef and noodles tossed in house made sauce, garnished with scallion, cilantro, bean sprouts, and lime wedges, along with the additional option of shrimp.
As Missoula’s diverse populations continue to grow, so do the number of new food opportunities like House Of Elk. We encourage everyone reading to go try out some items from this small menu, and we hope that you can enjoy it as much as we did.
