I came across My Lai on Yelp which appeared to have just opened as it only had eight reviews, all 5 stars. It’s located across the street from Mar Vista on Venice around the corner from Little Fatty and Rasselbock.
As one of the reviews previously mentioned, it has a Chipotle vibe where you can create your own bowl or order one of their specialities.
I was immediately drawn to the garlic fried rice which I paired with grilled chicken, cilantro, sliced cucumber, sesame medley, crispy garlic and miso sesame sauce. The chicken was moist and tender with a bit of char, and the cucumber added a bit of freshness and lightness while the cilantro added a layer of earthiness to the dish. The miso sesame sauce was light and tangy, and the crispy garlic added texture and bite, but the star of the dish was the garlic fried rice which appeared to have been cooked in a savory chicken broth or stock resulting in a glutinous sticky rice.
The rice was reminiscent of what is traditionally served in Filipino restaurants but more potent and richer in flavor. Though the bowl I ordered was not an authentic Vietnamese dish, it was quite enjoyable.
The restaurant is quite clean and modern with both an indoor and fairly decent sized outdoor space for dining. It would be very easy to have a quick, easy and healthy meal here or spend an hour or two lounging on the patio with friends. This new find is a solid winner!
My Lai
12222 Venice Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90066
https://www.mylaikitchen.com
After an action packed three days, our fourth day provided a much needed break from a strict schedule. As luck would have it, an old acquaintance was in town so we decided to have an impromptu meet-up for lunch.
Before our lunch date, we quickly dashed into Cafe Giang for some much needed jolt of caffeine.
The cafe was busting at the seams. It didn’t appear there was one available table but one cleared out shortly after we arrived. There was one server/busboy in our area and he was taking everybody’s orders at once without writing any of it down.
A few minutes later our egg cream coffees arrived. Although the cafe is one of the original shops, the egg cream coffee we had earlier in the week tasted very similar. Both were equally rich, creamy and silky with a bit of bitterness from the coffee, balancing out the two textures and opposing flavors.
After our coffee break, we met up with our friends for lunch at Porte D’Amman. The restaurant was in a beautiful French style building and had split level dining. We were seated upstairs as we had a larger party.
Our group started with two orders of sampler platters. It had a nice mix of spring rolls, ribs, toasted sesame shrimp, grapefruit salad and a few other tasty treats we couldn’t quite identify. Then we ordered a few items from the set lunch menu.
My husband ordered a crab soup and seafood platter while I ordered an egg roll starter and beef kabob.
All the food was delicious and the presentation was exceptional.
After we parted ways, we headed to a massage appointment at Spas Hanoi which was followed by a shopping trip to Hanoi’s Silk Street. Our lunch companion Jackie had mentioned a store called Airashi which was one of the first silk stores we came upon on Hang Gai.
I hadn’t done any preliminary research on the store, but I quickly found a sleeveless dress that had an A-line cut that was flattering. I also found a beautiful blouse so after a little less than thirty minutes, I walked out with $88 worth of silk clothing which was an incredible bargain compared to U.S. prices.
We turned in early as we had to pack for our next adventure which was a three day, two night cruise over Halong Bay.
More to come!
Day 2 started out with a hunt for breakfast. We wandered the streets looking at our options. There was a restaurant next door but it was dark with one guy sitting inside smoking, and it looked a bit sketchy. We saw two ladies across the street setting up a beef pho stall which I’m sure would have been lovely but we were looking for comforts of home.
We found it at the Ann Hanoi Hotel, diagonal from our AirBnb. They had a beautiful breakfast buffet with a made-to-order omelet stand. It was about $15 per person, but we definitely got our money’s worth. Even though it may seem like a splurge by Vietnam’s standards, it was definitely a great way to start the day. They opened at 6:30 a.m. and had a very attentive and gracious staff.
Breakfast was followed by an all day AirBnb tour to the Hanoi’s top landmarks. We learned so much about the city and its history and have a much better understanding of the Vietnamese people as a result.
We started off at the Tran Quoc Pagoda. Our guide, Michael, mentioned that over 70% of Vietnamese people weren’t affiliated with any particular religion but most followed the guidelines of Buddhism, believed in reincarnation and the laws of karma. This was evidenced by all the offerings placed on the altars and the sprinkling of people who came by to worship.
Then we headed off to Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum. That was definitely a unique experience. It was the first time we understood and realized we were in a socialist country. We weren’t allowed to bring large bags, food or water, and cell phones and cameras were not permitted to be used while inside the building. It had not dawned on us just how sacred Ho Chi Minh was and still is to the Vietnamese people. The property was heavily guarded and all visitors had to remain orderly and in their single file lines. There was complete silence as we entered the building and walked around Ho Chi Minh’s embalmed body at his final resting place. Michael had shared Ho Chi Minh‘s story about his humble roots and his meteoric rise to political power. Most attribute the unification of the Vietnamese people to Ho Chi Minh which explained why decades after his death, he is still revered and admired.
After a brief stop to a lacquer shop to learn about the process and entice us to buy their wares, we visited the Museum of Ethnology, learning a bit about the 54 different cultures that comprise the Vietnamese people. There appeared to be a cross mingling of Chinese, Malaysian and Filipino people along with the indigenous people of the lands and as such, the language and traditions blended over the centuries. It was another reminder that Vietnam, just like many countries in the world, is a melting pot.
Egg rolls
Next up was lunch at a local restaurant. We had several delicious courses, starting with a bowl of soup, salad, fish, chicken and vegetables. We finished off our meal with the Vietnamese specialty, egg cream. It served both as a terrific rich, silky dessert combined with a slightly bitter and very strong Vietnamese coffee.
We headed to the Temple of Literature after lunch. It served as the first university in Vietnam and it was considered an honor and privilege to attend.
The grounds were beautiful and serene, slightly ethereal.
Our last stop was the small temple on Hoan Kiem Lake. We crossed the beautiful Huc Bridge to reach the shrine which had a majestic 180 degree view of the lake.
After our day tour, we had a nice casual dinner at Noodle & Roll. Our dinner options included a nice array of dishes with a bit of American comfort thrown into the mix.
Then we had our first massage in Vietnam. Spas Hanoi’s deep tissue massage is not for the faint of heart. The diminutive stature of the female masseuses are deceptive as they are freakishly strong. The excruciating pain from the intense pressure exerted without any relief during the 90 minute massage is a true testament to the saying that looks can be deceiving.
The massage started with the therapist walking on my back, bearing down all 110 pounds of her on top of me. I felt and heard cracks in each section of my back. The treatment was so intense that I sounded like a woman in the last hour of labor, breathing deeply, wincing in pain but pushing through, knowing that a reward would be had on the other side.
I was quite disoriented for a bit afterwards until we meandered to Hoan Kiem Lake where the loud, pulsating DJ beats at the Saturday night performance resuscitated and invigorated us along with the energy of the hordes of people dancing, tightly packed and jumping in unison to the rhythm of the music, reminiscent of Times Square on New Year’s Eve. After a song or two, we wandered off to walk a bit through the weekend Hanoi Night Market before finally calling it a night.
It was a busy and eventful day to say the least. We immersed ourselves in the many faces of Hanoi, revealed to us through her history, monuments, people and cuisine. To say Hanoi is multilayered would be an understatement. She has a different approach to every situation and can easily adapt to any and all scenarios showing her flexibility and endurance, standing the true test of time.
In my quest to find reasonably priced Vietnamese food on the Westside and in preparation for my upcoming trip to Vietnam, I researched nearby restaurants and came upon Pho Fever Bistro on Yelp. It’s located in a very small strip mall on the corner of Pico and Barrington. It shares the mall with an Indian restaurant and a Subway. There are a handful of parking spaces. Fortunately, there are also plenty of free and metered street parking in close proximity.
The restaurant is quite narrow but deep. There’s a television at the front and lively music playing on their sound system. A few tables were occupied but there was plenty of seating.
I ordered L9, a charbroiled pork and egg roll vermicelli bowl, from their lunch menu which came with a complimentary beverage for dine-in customers. Within five minutes the food arrived.
I could smell hints of smokiness rising from the bowl. The pieces of pork had a slightly charred sweet flavor, reminiscent of the flavor in BBQ pork fried rice. Each strip had a bit of marbling like in slices of bacon but because the pieces were thicker, the pork was a bit chewy. However, the shreds of lettuce, cucumber and carrots tasted fresh and crisp. The lunch special also came with a spring roll. It was crispy and light and added another layer of texture to the bowl.
All in all, it was a very pleasant and enjoyable experience. I can’t vouch for the authenticity of the pork marinade as I haven’t visited Vietnam yet, but I do get the sense that the coloring of the pork might be brighter than normal and it might be a tad sweeter. However, Pho Fever Bistro is a great place to have a quick and inexpensive lunch on the Westside with a casual dine-in experience.
Pho Fever Bistro
2405 S. Barrington Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90064
https://www.phoeversawtelle.com/
Having booked our Christmas trip to Vietnam earlier this week, I was in the mood to get my palate warmed up for their food and a friend had recently recommended an inexpensive restaurant in Lawndale which had received 1673 reviews, mostly 4-5 stars on Yelp. Fortunately, I found myself in the South Bay around lunchtime so off I went.
The restaurant is in a strip mall with lots of parking spaces available behind a Spires restaurant. The interior is very casual. Each table has a number assigned to it. I had one guy seat me and another person take my order which was #28.
The bun tom cha gio thit nuong offered a sampler platter of sorts. It was a room temperature thin vermicelli noodle salad with grilled shrimp, grilled pork, a crispy egg roll, sliced cucumbers, sliced carrots, shredded lettuce, mint leaves, peanuts and bean sprouts with a side of fish sauce per the menu. Having cooked with and eaten fish sauce recently in Chiang Mai, the sauce in my dish looked and tasted milder, much like a sweet chili sauce which was the perfect sauce for the very crispy egg roll.
The bowl was massive with a lot of noodles. There was a decent amount of protein but by the time I finished eating, I likely had at least half a bowl left. The food was tangy, tender, subtly flavored, slightly charred but light. It was a very healthy dish, no oil, just raw vegetables, previously boiled noodles and grilled shrimp and pork and for $8.75 plus tax and tip, it’s a serious bargain. I strongly recommend a visit if you’re even remotely close to the area.
Saigon Dish
15725 Hawthorne Blvd., Ste. 108 (cross street Manhattan Beach Blvd.)
Lawndale, CA 90260
http://saigondish.info/?section=main-menu
More often than not, my husband and I are in town on Labor Day, enjoying our local sites and unwinding after a busy summer. This past weekend was focused around our favorite past time second only to traveling.
The foodie adventure began early on Friday afternoon for a late lunch at an Indian restaurant in Marina del Rey. New India’s Oven had an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet for $10.95. I sampled the white basmati rice, the yellow rice with veggies, tandoori chicken, chicken tikka masala and chickpeas. Despite my late arrival, the rice was still quite fluffy and light, the tandoori chicken and chicken tikka masala were relatively moist and juicy. The chickpeas were mealy and flavorful. The lunch also came with two piping hot crispy naan which was the perfect vehicle to soak up the delicious tikka masala sauce off the plate.
For one of our weekend dinners, we ventured off to Rush Street in downtown Culver City. We ordered their special summer BBQ baby back ribs special, Mary’s pan seared chicken which sat on a bed of risotto and a side of Mac n cheese.
The ribs were fairly moist and juicy with a rich tangy sauce on the outside of the meat, the side of truffle fries were delicious and flavorful as always and the mac n cheese was gooey and rich.
Mary’s pan seared chicken was quite moist on the inside, with a crispy outer layer complemented by a large serving of savory risotto.
Manhattan Beach was our chosen location for weekend brunch with the girls and MB Post was the host of our delicious feast.
We started off with the very decadent bacon cheddar buttermilk biscuits. With each bite, you could taste the teeny bits of crispy bacon separating from the flaky crispy exterior of the biscuit.
Next to arrive was the market fruit platter which looked like a gilded work of art, almost too pretty to eat. The slices of peaches had a light drizzling of a simple syrup which enhanced the natural sweetness of the fruit.
The crispy red bliss potatoes were absolutely divine and added a bit of heartiness to the meal.
The beautiful plate of egg and mushroom crostini was a light and savory addition as was the crispy rosemary flavored bacon.
To finish off the meal, MB Post treated us to a gorgeous delicious sticky bun dessert.
For a mid afternoon treat, we headed off to Fiesta Hermosa.
Although the vendors are typically the same year after year, it’s always fun to go and have a drink at the local bar, listen to some tunes, catch up with some friends and have a nice dinner by the beach.
We started off our afternoon at one of our favorites, Abigaile. They have their own brewery so it’s always nice to sample some of their recommendations.
After about an hour, we headed to Rok Sushi kitchen for some dinner. I ordered the baked salmon over garlic fried rice with vegetables. The salmon was perfectly moist and the rice was slightly crispy with a healthy helping of garlic and soy sauce. The vegetables were cooked perfectly with a light soy marinade.
To end the Labor Day feasting staycation, I came back to Culver City and visited Dot Saigon. It was my first time trying their food so I opted for one of their recommendations, the lemongrass beef bun which is a cold noodle salad with slices of tender marinaded beef and crispy onions on top with a fish sauce dipping sauce on the side. I added a crispy veggie roll for a $1. Considering how quickly I was served my lunch and how large the portion was, Dot Saigon was a great value of time and money.
Our holiday staycation in Los Angeles took us on a foodie journey to various parts of Asia as well as to certain areas of the South and Midwest without having the usual expense of travel. Trying new restaurants and cuisines is the easiest and cheapest way to experience what the world has to offer. We consider ourselves fortunate to live in such an ethnically diverse city which affords us the luxury to try out new cuisines in the comfort of our “backyard.”
Grace Gambin
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