REGAL ADVICE: While Tran Bui, one of the five siblings who run Zander's House in Plano, uncorks a bottle of wine at the table, I ask her the all-important question: "What do Vietnamese people come in here to eat?" She gives me the once-over with joking mock suspicion, and then starts pointing out menu items.

JUAN GARCIA/DMN

Fried whole red snapper topped with chile-lime fish sauce

"We eat the squid. And the red snapper. And this rice dish. And this kind of soup."

When you go to Zander's, take Ms. Bui's advice. You'll soon be feasting like the royalty for which this central Vietnamese style of cooking was first developed. In an area of North Texas growing ever more abundant with specific, regional ethnic restaurants, this two-year-old spot retains its drawing power.

A PRIMER: What are the characteristics of central Vietnamese cooking? Generally speaking, it's less sweet than its southern counterpart and more nuanced than its northern. Dip a spoon into the hot-and-sour shrimp soup for a sensory understanding: The tug between acidic tomato and almost-cloying pineapple glazes the plump shrimp with a tangy pucker. Bean sprouts add crunch. And that strange strip of green that looks like a cucumber? It's bitter melon, also popular in the southern cuisines of India.

FISHY IN A GOOD WAY: Zander's translucent banh cuon, described on the menu as "steamed rice crepes," has a silky mouth feel more akin to ravioli. Stuffed with minced pork and wood-ear mushroom and topped with fried shallots and mint, this is a prime

dish for learning to embrace the funk of fish sauce. Its wildfire thwack brings the other, gentler flavors into more vivid focus. A bite of bo tai chanh (identified as Vietnamese-style beef carpaccio) after a hefty dose of fish sauce registers the same impact as a mint julep on a sultry day: The salad's copious amounts of lime juice, basil and ginger refresh and recharge.

SOUND SUGGESTIONS: I was particularly glad when Ms. Bui suggested the squid. The menu description sounded like standard fried calamari, and we might not otherwise have tried it. Each piece tastes clean, needing only its sprinkling of red chile flakes for excitement. She also recommended an off-menu order of chicken wings varnished in homemade fish sauce. They were plucky without being aggressively fishy or spicy. Consider ordering a batch to go when football season rolls around.

NEOPHYTES WELCOME: Now, to rewind a moment, on a previous visit to Zander's, I brought skeptics inexperienced with Vietnamese cuisine. They wanted safe. We started with cha gio, the spring rolls you wrap in lettuce and dunk in a mild dipping sauce.The meat-and-potatoes diehard requested barbecued beef. It's stark, literally marinated chunks of grilled meat served with toast triangles, but it did the trick. My picky friend devoured it.

By the end of the meal, when Bui family members are coaxing you to try roasted banana with tapioca and coconut milk for dessert (heed them!), you might even feel cozy in this vast space. And already eager, whether

you're a newbie to Vietnamese cuisine or an old hand, to return for more.

Bill Addison

The full March 21 review is online at GuideLive.com.

Zander's House

{star}{star}{star} (very good)

Food {star}{star}{star}

Service {star}{star}{star}

Atmosphere {star}{star}

Price: $$-$$$ (appetizers $5 to $12, entrees $10.50 to $35, desserts $4)

Address: 2300 N. Central Expressway (near Parker Road), Plano

Phone: 972-943-9199

Web site: www.zandershouse.com

Hours: Sunday noon to 9 p.m.; Monday, Wednesday and Thursday

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m.; Friday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to

11 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.