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 is poured into the hot skillet. One restaurant that is known for bánh xèo is Quan Mii.
Located in the heart of Little Saigon, Quan Mii is a popular destination. I was there to order take-out and I was surprised that they were seating customers in their dining room. After waiting for my order, the dining room was close to capacity for socially distancing diners. Others placed their orders for take-out and were picking them up at the counter.
After the long ride back home, we reheated everything. The Muc Chien Don (calamari) was the dish least likely to resemble freshly made. The batter didn’t have much flavor, but I enjoyed the hot dipping sauce that they supplied with it. In fact, they bottle their creation and sell it separately.
Bun is best described as a cold Vietnamese rice noodle bowl. Bun is combined with shredded lettuce, cucumbers, carrots and combined with a variety of different proteins. Bun Thit Ga is a lemongrass chicken version. After trying it, I’d say that they marinated the chicken for quite some time to achieve this delicious flavor. If you like lemongrass, it is definitely worth trying.
I visited Quan Mii just to try their Bánh Xèo and selected Bánh Xèo Dac Biet. The crisp batter is flavored with turmeric and filled with bean sprouts, shrimp, squid, and pork. It includes lettuce to wrap with Thai basil, mint, and nước chấm, a sweet, sour, salty, savory and slightly spicy sauce. It is definitely large enough to share.
Quan Mii is located in a mini mall on the corner of Bushard St. and Bolsa Ave. The lot has plenty of parking and I like the fact that the restaurant is extremely clean. It is one of the few Vietnamese restaurants that accept credit cards (min. $20 purchase).
Quan mii restaurant 9541 Bolsa Ave, Westminster, CA 92683
quanmii.com