Mai's Restaurant

Ever since the fire back in 2010, we haven't been back. Granted, a majority of that time they were rebuilding, but also couple attempts to go there, they were asking us if we have reservations. That's just a joke right? We used to walk in and grab a seat because this is a late night grub type of place. After the remodel they became uppity, that is just not cool.

I understand the daughter had wanted to make these changes to the old and tired restaurant for a long time. But removing that old charm by selling out seems to be the wrong thing to do to your loyal customers.

That said, the menu looks more organized and tidy. They also re-categorized some of the food too. What caught my eye was the Vietnamese Fajita. Let's get this straight, fajita style cooking is not proprietized by Mexican food, every cuisine has their own version, just that Mai's is trying to be hip was funny to me.

It is grilled meat on top a bed of vermicelli noodles, topped with ground peanut with a huge side of veggies. It came with lettuce, carrtos, cucumber, and sprout. The 'tortilla' part of it, is a little thing of rice paper that has been cooked but cooled and harden, which explain the big bowl of warm water that comes with. You're supposed to dip your rice paper in the bowl of water to soften it, then fill it up with contents, and the last piece la resistance is dipping it in fish sauce.

The process sounds cumbersome, but the end result tasted good. Don't take my word, just go try it.

What I would always order at Vietnamese restaurants, is Che Ba Mau, which growing up, my dad calls it 3 color ice. I've heard people called it Rainbow drink. I think this is technically a dessert, but it has cooked mung beans, cooked red beans, green jelly with coconut milk and ice on top.

It looks like alot like the Indonesian Chendol, and since both drinks are coconut milk based, that reminds me alot of it. But their beans are bigger than I remember them from my childhood, and it does fill you up.

Mai's Restaurant
3403 Milam Street
Houston, TX 77002-9531
(713) 520-5300
http://maishouston.com/