Com Nuoc is a Vietnamese takeout restaurant in Toronto that operates out of a bright red shipping container.

This hidden gem is located in a laneway behind a bustling section of Queen Street East. Owner Thanh Thai, who opened the restaurant in the summer of 2025, explains that the concept was developed during a trip to Vietnam with his fiancée.

Inspired by the food stalls they visited while on vacation, Thanh decided to create a similar dining experience back home in Toronto.

While searching for a place to set up shop, Thanh stumbled across the shipping container and immediately fell in love. He spent the next few months transforming the space, upgrading the kitchen and adding a rooftop patio.

Though seating is limited, many customers enjoy sitting in the shade of a nearby peach tree, eating their meals as the sun filters through the leaves.

Thanh tells us that this was an unexpected surprise, as he had assumed that most people would want to take their food to go. He also mentions how surprised he was by the restaurant's overall reception.

"I didn't expect much from this project at all," he laughs. "It was supposed to be a side job."

Despite Thanh's modest expectations, Com Nuoc has attracted a significant following. Head chef Chris tells us that most of the restaurant's regulars live in the nearby apartment buildings and visit at least once a week.

Most of Com Nuoc's menu consists of rice and noodle dishes, topped with meat and vegetables. Sides and drinks, such as fresh rolls and Vietnamese-style coffee, are also available.

Pork Chop Rice ($17) is Com Nuoc's signature dish. Thanh tells us that he originally wanted this dish to be the only item on the menu. He ultimately decided against it, reasoning that "Toronto doesn't do one-dish restaurants".

Even so, this compact meal is a real showstopper: grilled pork rests on a bed of rice, surrounded by shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers, green onions and fried eggs.

My favourite part of the meal was a slice of springy Vietnamese meat loaf, which gave the dish a unique texture.Grilled Chicken Rice ($14) is another delicious dish. Though it bears some superficial similarities to the Pork Chop Rice, the use of grilled chicken and lemongrass seasoning gives this dish its own distinct identity.Butter Beef with Noodles ($18) is a flavourful dish made from seasoned beef, vermicelli noodles, carrots, cucumbers and green onions.Chicken Salad ($16) is Com Nuoc's take on goi ga, a Vietnamese dish consisting of shredded chicken, cabbage, and herbs.

Onions and Vietnamese cilantro are added to enhance the dish's distinctive flavour. Bright yellow chicken rice — cooked in chicken stock — is served on the side.Shrimp Rolls ($4) are bite-sized bundles of shrimp, noodles and vegetables, wrapped in chewy rice paper wafers. Though the rolls have a crisp, refreshing flavour on their own, their taste is enhanced with the addition of sweet and savoury peanut sauce.Be sure to grab a Vietnamese Coffee ($5) on your way out. Known for its deep, rich flavour, this delicious drink can be served hot or iced, making it the perfect thirst quencher regardless of the weather.Com Nuoc can be found in the laneway behind 639 Queen Street East.