Entree options overload for Mai's diners

By Sasha Schoch and Allie Schaich     11/16/11 6:00pm

A few blocks up from the Ensemble/HCC METRORail stop on Milam Street is the Vietnamese restaurant Mai's. Though the restaurant lacks curbside appeal, the inside is pleasant and bustling with patrons, which is always a reassuring sign. The respectable prices also match the quality and quantity of ?the cuisine.    

The appetizers range from $3.50 to $9, but most are around $5.  The entrees cost between $7 and $8, with the exception of the Vietnamese fajita (Banh Hoi) dishes, which cost between $10 and $14. There are pork, vegetable, beef, seafood and chicken entrees, which all include rice. Mai's also offers a wide selection of alcoholic beverages, soda, tea, coffee and specialty ?Vietnamese drinks.

The service at Mai's was fast and cordial; our waiter was very polite and brought our food quickly, even though we were dining during peak restaurant hours on a Saturday night. To make the experience even better, we received free drinks because Mai's offers a free item each week to its patrons that check into the restaurant's location on Facebook.

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We ordered Bun Ga Nuong Cha Gio, a vermicelli bowl with grilled chicken and Vietnamese egg rolls. The meal was plentiful and filling but definitely not too much for one person to eat. The vermicelli was very good and came with a great sweet-and-tangy sauce. However, the egg rolls were not great and did not complement the meal very well. Neither of us will likely order them again. The chicken tasted good, especially for the price of $8. We would like to try a different dish next time, not only to avoid the egg rolls but also because Mai's has an incredibly large selection of over 100 dishes on ?its menu.

We also ordered the Mi Xao Mem (stir-fried egg noodles). We opted for noodles with chicken and vegetables, but alternative garnishes include seafood, meat, vegetables or tofu. This was a very large and satisfying dish, though a little bland. With all the vegetables, chicken and noodles, the dish certainly could have used a bit more "kick." Though the meal was filling, it really wasn't ?anything special.

The dessert menu offers a wide variety of items as well, and all of the desserts are cheaply priced, between  $2 to $6.  Most of the desserts are Vietnamese, a welcome change from  the normal cakes and cookies that restaurants usually serve. However, Mai's also offers traditional American comfort desserts, such as ice cream, cheesecake and carrot cake.

We ordered the Che Chuoi, a warm banana with pearl jellies soaked in a sweet and creamy coconut pudding and topped with crushed peanuts. The banana was definitely the best part, though far too rich and big to finish. Plus, the dish was only $3, making it a very cheap, happy ending to our experience.

We also ordered the Banh Chocolate and Kem, a dessert made with warm dark chocolate chunks and chocolate chip morsels melted with butterscotch and walnuts on a cookie crust and served with a scoop of tasty vanilla ice cream. This dessert was a little more expensive at $6, but the warm cookie and ice cream tasted delicious blended together and is definitely ?worth trying.

There is nothing specifically wrong with Mai's, besides being closed on Sundays, but we're also not anxious to revisit the restaurant in the near future. Mai's is certainly a viable option if you're looking for a fast, low-budget meal. If you're craving some very late-night or early morning Vietnamese food, Mai's is open until ?3 a.m. Monday through Thursday and until 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

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