Within the heart of burgeoning Kakaako, Ngon Vietnamese Cuisine is a welcome surprise. As small as it is, it’s hard to miss, situated inside Herbal Spa and Saunas, a two-building complex that stands out in bright orange amidst the dull landscape of warehouses and auto repair shops.

It’s tiny, with only five tables, and geared toward the sort of diner who doesn’t mind alternative scenarios. Here it’s the flow of spa-goers in various states of disarray while in search of relaxation, or emerging from a Jacuzzi or Himalayan salt cave sauna (more about the spa on my Fashion Tribe blog). But don’t let the shared lease deter you, or you’ll miss out on some terrific food.

The health aspect doesn’t hurt. In keeping with the wellness theme, you’ll be served filtered water, and many of the dishes are not greasy, even the lup cheong. The usually oily, sweet Chinese sausage is sliced and folded into a rice paper-wrapped summer roll, bò bía ($4.95 for two halved rolls), that also includes scrambled egg, jicama and turnip in addition to the usual lettuce and slivered carrots. For more flavor, dried shrimp is crumbled and sprinkled inside the wrap on one side of the roll.

This was just one of the great finds on the menu. If you stick with typical plate-lunch options of lemongrass-flavored Hainan chicken ($9.50) or vermicelli rice noodles ($8.50) topped with your choice of crisp spring rolls, grilled pork, grilled chicken, sautéed chicken, beef, lemongrass chicken or some combination of these ingredients (they are very accommodating here), you’ll miss out on some classic Vietnamese dishes I don’t see often, such as bôt chiên ($8.50), strips of pan-fried mochi rice cake topped with scrambled egg and served with a tart pickle-shoyu sauce accented with red pepper flakes. It’s a great comfort dish.

And instead of phó, you might want to try a different kind of soup, bánh canh ($8.95), with thick, slippery Vietnamese rice-flour udon, pork, shrimp and fishcake, in a clear, garlic-scented broth.

I also enjoyed the mild, yellow Vietnamese curry chicken ($8.95), which is sweeter than most curries and thickened with Chinese taro. Unlike more Americanized curries, the meat isn’t chopped into bite-size pieces. You have to work a little at removing the meat from the wings and chopped pieces of chicken. Luckily, the meat is tender enough to separate easily with a fork. You have a choice of ordering the curry with rice, egg noodles or French bread.

Also offered is a beef stew ($8.95) that’s more soupy than local versions. The beef has the flavor and texture of corned beef.

Banh mì ($6), the French bread sandwich, is pretty rote on Oahu, so I wasn’t expecting much beyond status quo, but the sandwich here is exceptional. I enjoyed the layer of pâté under the pork slices, cilantro, cucumber and other veggies packed into perfectly crusty French bread from Saint-Germain Bakery. You also have the option of getting this combo in a croissant.

If you prefer a more Chinese-style dish, there’s sautéed vegetables, seafood and meat over fried egg noodles ($8.95) or a vegetarian option with the noodles topped by mixed vegetables and tofu.

Save room for desserts of flan ($2) or various tapioca puddings ($2.50).

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Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.