mot hai ba

finally someone is filling a void the dallas restaurant scene has been missing! had the best frog legs i have ever had! had the rice noodle app w/ pork fried shallots & fresh herbs! had the prawns & the crab! everything was light bright & very clean flavors! i don't like foo foo drinks & thought the coconut & pineapple sake cocktail would be 2 sweet but it was delicate & perfectly balanced. good wine list 2! the atmosphere is very austin serene. can't wait 2 go back for lunch!

lunch stop for today. got to go with wifey. she loves this place.

the space is what i imagine a small dinner spot in vietnam might be like. one of those tiny, tucked away, hidden places that screams family owned and operated. grandma is in the back and the nieces and nephews are running the front.

the choices are authentic and unique for this area of dallas. not many adventurous spots like this in east dallas.

today i had the hanoian lunch ($15) that includes the daily special. today's special surf and turf! the shrimp was perfect. the steak was medium and wonderful. the salad surprised me as well. all of this with a bed of rice that you can happily struggle to scoop with your chop sticks the entire time you are there.

service was pleasant and helpful. when asked where they get their breads we got a genuinely sheepish response that it is part of the appeal, not to be advertised. clearly a hidden vietnamese bakery somewhere nearby.

great spot for lunch. will go back.

previously tried dinner here and enjoyed that experience as well. had the wild boar chops (like lamb chops) just different.

yes! this is a little gem and a joyful discovery. the lamb strip was succulent and the garlic noodles together worked well, and the fried shrimp were crunchalicious. i can't wait to go back and try lunch, as well as explore the rest of the dinner menu.

when someone asks me what my favorite restaurant in dallas is, this is what i tell them about. vietnamese food... i would've never tried it except that my husband brought me here on a surprise date night for our anniversary. since then, we come here on any date night we can and celebrate anniversaries, birthdays and more! this place is amazing! the ambiance is great and authentic. you sit at shared tables low to the ground. it's very small and intimate. and the food is great!

my favorites:
the fried okra (it's gf!!)
the fried shrimp (also gf!!)
the shrimp sizzling cakes
the duck--amazing!

best food in dallas. this is the best food i've had in dallas. good wine list. only complaint would be the seating: you share a table and butt elbows with strangers.

yumm. love asian foods and this is one of my favorite. their drinks are good too

food very tasty but sparse . pricey for what you get. be prepared to wait and then be seated on stools with no backs. service excellent.

mot hai ba’s hanoian pho has caused quite a stir in dallas since opening in april, 2013. the latest hotspot opened by good to go owners, jeanna johnson and colleen o’hare, this pint sized vietnamese restaurant has become a big player in dallas’ dining scene. the beef pho in question which follows a northern style (dallasites are accustomed to southern style pho) has thrown off critics and customers alike with it’s subtly sweet broth that is dark in color but thinner in consistency. unfazed, the ittybittyfoodies slurped through every last bit of the bowl of pho with tender pieces of brisket and rare filet mignon which cooked lightly in the broth.  a plate of  basil, cilantro and sliced thai chilies, along with a perfectly fried savory donut accompanies the pho. on first

tucked in the middle of lakewood near the intersection of skillman and live oak is mot hai ba , a vietnamese restaurant focusing on dishes that would be found in the northern region of the country.  as you enter through the outdoor patio adorned with wooden tables you are welcomed by the friendly staff into a cozy yet simplistically decorated room with short tables and stools that give the feel as if you are in the country itself.   the one page menu eliminates the overwhelming feeling of endless options and is the perfect length. the descriptions will leave you wanting to order everything and the options will have your mouth watering.  at first glance, i was overjoyed to find frog legs and bbq 5-spice chicken wings. the frog legs seasoned with dill and fried were crisp and flavorful served with a vinegar dipping sauce. the  5-spice added a recognizable kick to the meaty wings wings that had the sauce seared on to perfection.   braised oxtail for our entrees,