Continuing my desire to experience new Vietnamese street food, I selected bánh cuốn as my next Vietnamese experience. Bánh cuốn is a rolled rice cake from wide sheets of fermented rice batter filled with seasoned meat and vegetables. I visited Banh Cuon Luu Luyen in Garden Grove to complete my OC mini-staycation It’s common to…
Vietnamese
Ben Ngu Delivers Tasty Central Vietnamese Cuisine
I recently enjoyed a food-focused staycation in Orange County. Because I would be eating more than usual, I combined delicious food with walks that involved beautiful scenery, such as the Peter’s Canyon Loop in Tustin Ranch. My first stop was Ben Ngu, a Vietnamese restaurant in Garden Grove. Ben Ngu is Ngu Binh’s sister restaurant…
Mee and Greet Adds Southeast Asian Cuisine to Palms
Humble Potato is a restaurant with a twist on Japanese American cuisine; it was owner Eric Ong’s first brick and mortar. He followed up with Most Valuable Playa or MVP, with a menu focused on Southeast Asian comfort food. His most recent endeavor is Mee and Greet. Mee and Greet resides in a Palms strip mall, a…
Ha Noi Corner Delivers Tasty North Vietnamese Cuisine
Unlike the majority of Vietnamese eateries that feature Central Vietnamese cuisine, Ha Noi Corner, favors North Vietnam cuisine from Hanoi. The owners immigrated from Hanoi in 2016 and created a menu reflecting the cuisine they enjoyed back home. Visiting Ha Noi Corner, I was pleasantly surprised at the attractive interior. Unlike the stark, minimalist interior…
Garlic and Chives – Creative Vietnamese Food in the OC
While Vietnamese pho and banh mi sandwiches are plentiful throughout LA, other Vietnamese dishes are not as readily available. If you venture south to Orange County, you’ll find Little Saigon, home to many people of Vietnamese descent and authentic restaurants to fulfill the demand. I recently had the opportunity to frequent two in Garden Grove…
Banh Mi My Tho for Amazing Vietnamese Sandwiches
Banh Mi is one of my favorite sandwiches. Done right, the French-influenced baguette shatters when you bite into it and explodes with sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors. The protein could vary widely from beef to pate to sardine. It includes a mixture of pickled daikon, carrots, and cilantro. My last stop on my SGV…
Where to go for Memorial Day Weekend Specials
In May 2021, the LA County Department of Public Health announced that indoor dining may be open at a maximum of 50% occupancy. This is good news for the restaurant industry and as I drive around town I’ve observed “now hiring” signs on windows. Memorial Day is Monday, May 31 and it’s an excellent opportunity…
Nomad Eatery Brings Bold Flavors to the South Bay
Owner and chef Scott Cooper is a veteran in the South Bay. Back in 2007, he and his wife Sharon opened Jackson’s Village Bistro in Hermosa Beach which quickly gained popularity. Most recently, he owned and operated Jackson’s Food and Drink. Cooper comes roaring back from the pandemic with his latest concept, Nomad Eatery. Cooper…
Most Valuable Playa Serves Taiwanese Goodness
I find it interesting when a restaurant owner decides to close and immediately reopen with another type of cuisine. This strategy could backfire with customers that enjoy the original theme, but sometimes it works. An example of this is this is the Humble Potato; they closed and reopened as The Most Valuable Playa or MVP…
Quan Mii – Crispy Vietnamese Crepes Done Well
If you had the opportunity to delve into Vietnamese cuisine beyond pho and banh mi, you’ve certainly discovered bánh xèo, a Vietnamese savory crepe. Bánh xèo is a crispy, stuffed rice crepe popular in Vietnam. Bánh means cake while xèo means sizzle. The name refers to the loud sound the rice batter makes when it…