In Old East Dallas the Skillman-Live Oak Center has been rejuvinated. Joining La Calle Dolce, relocating icons Matt’s Rancho Martinez and The Mecca welcome an establishment named by the Dallas Observer as one of the top 5 best new retaurants in Dallas for 2013, Mot Hai Ba. This creation of Chef’s Jeana Johnson and Colleen O’Hare was born of a trip to Vietnam.

The creators of Good 2 Go Tacos traveled to North Vietnam for a motorcycle adventure. Motorcycling through muddy back roads was certainly exciting but the food changed them forever. Jeana and Colleen decided they would do everything they could to honor the food of North Vietnam back home by opening a straightforward little restaurant serving the dishes they loved most.

The English translation of Mot Hai Ba is 1, 2, 3. It’s helpful to know this prior to arrival at the restaurant. I say this because the signage is confusing. Located in the former York Street Pub “123” signage is perched above the front door. Nowhere do you se Mot Hai Ba.

1- MOT-The Service

The hostess welcomes you with a genuine sense that she is glad you have joined them for the evening. She escorts you to your communal style table where a very competant, equally warm waitress settles you in for a dining experience like none you’ve ever had before!

Our server acted more like a guide, a docent if you will, taking us through the back streets that Johnson and O’Hare traveled while in Northern Vietnam. Knowlegeable yet unpretentious, you could tell that the young lady was proud of the food she was serving.  As an amusing aside, the waitress informed us that we were welcome to leave a dolar bill if we wanted to “buy the kitchen guys a beer”.

2- HAI-The Food

You might ask what distinguishes Northern Vietnamese cuisine? Being in a colder climb, fewer spices are used. Black pepper is used in place of chili oil. Food is simple in look but rich in flavor. It is considered one of the healthiest cuisines worldwide. North Vietnam has a strong Chinese influence. It is admired for its minimal use of oil and relies on herbs and fresh vegetables. The focus in all preparations is a harmonious balance of five elements; spicy, sour, bitter, salty, and sweet. Aromatic ingredients like fish sauce, shrimp paste, soy sauce, lemongrass, ginger, bird’s eye chili, and lime compliment fresh greens and herbs like leaf lettuce Thai basil, opal basil, spicy corriander, cilantro, spearmint, peppermint, spinach, and bean sprouts.

 

Noodles are a staple in the North while rice is favored in southern Vietnam. Because North Vietnam is the most widely pouplated many of the cuisines’ signature dishes were created here and carried to other parts of vietnam and the world.

 

 

Not one thing on the menu disappointed us. None of the offerings were things you find in your average Vietnamese restaurant. I’m told that the ever popular Pho and Bahn Mi sandwiches are offered at lunch but not found on the dinner menu. The following shots are of the appetizers and entrees we sampled.

Made with rice flour and tumeric the Banh Xeo were filled with shrimp and scallions and fried in Coconut Oil. We gingerly folded them into green leaf lettuce cups filled with the bounty of fresh herbs mentioned above. A sauce predominately composed of fish sauce and a housemade chili sauce were on hand for dipping.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is no doubt why this is said to be the best version of green papaya salad served in Dallas. The tangy, salty, sweet fruit is studded with fried shallots and housemade dried beef. This dish alone dictates a return visit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3-BA-The Dining Experience

memorable flavors…..memorable interiors…….memorable service……

If you are thinking about simply going out to eat this is not the place for you. If you are looking for a dining expeience like no other, make the trip to Old East Dallas and try Mot Hai Ba (1,2,3). It’s as close to Vietnam as any of us would like to be. Here, “Unami”  induces salivation and a sensation of furriness on the tongue, stimulating the throat,the roof and the back of the mouth.

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