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Banh beo

The first time I saw the “No Reservations” episode in which Anthony Bourdain eats some banh xeo in Ho Chi Minh City, I nearly freaked out. What the heck was that savory concoction that was part crepe part Vietnamese seafood delight? I must have this dish, but where to find it? Other than banh mi and pho, I knew hardly anything of Vietnamese food. So I turned to my blogger friends who specialize in Vietnamese cuisine, and Wandering Chopsticks pointed me to Quan Mien Trung in Rosemead to get my banh xeo fix.

Now, this restaurant specializes in central Vietnamese food, so the banh xeo would be different from the southern Vietnamese version I saw on television. Nevermind — I trusted Wandering Chopsticks to make a good recommendation, and she did a great job. I also learned about other dishes along the way, too, as she (and Anisha of Food Is My Nish) was kind enough to accompany me to lunch one rainy Saturday afternoon.

Banh xeo: This is the dish I came for. It’s basically a crispy crepe filled with shrimp, pork and bean sprouts. Apparently the southern-style ones are larger, not as crispy, and contain coconut milk and tumeric. So by comparison, I guess this central-style one would be lighter in flavor and heft. There were also lettuce, herbs and cucumbers served along side our banh xeo, but I opted to eat my portions with just a little fish sauce poured over the top. I was a big fan of this and would certainly order it again.

Banh xeo

Banh canh tom cua: I really enjoyed this soup even though Wandering Chopsticks thinks it’s just OK (but she admits it’s because her mother spoils her with tons of lump crab meat). I liked the short, fat, Chinese-style noodles and the shrimp and crab bits that made the broth very tasty, though there was a lot of congealment once it was refrigerated.

Banh canh tom cua

Xoi chien: This fried rice ball filled with ground pork and wood ear mushrooms is another tasty dish. It’s the perfect on-the-go food, too. I actually liked this better after I took it home and reheated it in the microwave, which made the rice a little softer. But it’s good fresh, too, obviously.

Xoi chien

Banh beo: This was my least favorite dish that we had, though it wasn’t bad. It’s basically a small bowl full of steamed dough that resembles a noodle topped with dried shrimp and something like croutons. Even after putting some fish sauce over it, it still wasn’t flavorful enough for me; maybe if I broke it up before I put the fish sauce on it, I’d like it better. Wandering Chopsticks and Anisha liked this one a lot, so I guess we just have to agree to disagree!

Banh beo close-up

I had a great time trying out new Vietnamese food and will be taking my mom here soon. Thanks again to Wandering Chopsticks for being my central Vietnamese food ambassador!