CONTEMPORARY VIETNAMESE Dragonfly serves the best contemporary Vietnamese food in town, in a calmer environment and at a fraction of the cost of better-known places. The inner Sunset space, formerly occupied by a fading Chinese restaurant, is now dressed in crisp table linens and sleek modern furniture, and the small graces are honored, from amuses-bouches to the reliable refilling of water glasses. Anything involving lotus root (which resembles bacon bits in color and texture) is worth having, but you can hardly go wrong whichever way you turn, whether to golden-fried prawns or claypot pork simmered in coconut sauce. Parking can be slightly hellish, so avail yourself of Muni's N streetcar line if possible; it calls literally steps from the front door. (Paul Reidinger)

DRAGONFLY 420 Judah, SF.

(415) 661-7755. L/D, $$, AE/MC/V.