8557 Research Blvd., Ste. 146, 339-1078
Wed-Mon, 10am-9pm
Authenticity is an illuminating and exhilarating prospect, if sometimes a rather scary one. At a Vietnamese restaurant, you can gauge authenticity by the contents of the menu: If anything looks familiar, it’s probably not really Vietnamese. In America, we tend to shy away from bible tripe and blood cube soup ($4.25), and that might ultimately be the right thing to do. But we also scoff at avocado milkshakes until we try them. Though it looked like dessert for a spaceman, the smooth cool cream of the avocado shake ($1.50) perfectly countered the heat of chilis in the Hue style beef soup ($4.25). This huge bowl of soup was difficult to make a dent in even after we removed all of the unidentifiable beef parts — that’s the second measure of authenticity. If you were to categorize a restaurant by the manner in which the meat is cut (the Asian method of blind whacking with cleavers vs. the French technique of systematically slicing muscle from tendon, gristle, and bone), Mai’s is definitely Asian. But don’t be deterred; parts is parts and these parts must have truly enriched the broth: It was delicious. We also ordered a durian milkshake ($1.50), and some vermicelli with barbequed pork ($4.25). Sadly, the durian fruit’s claim to fame is the rotten scent of its flesh, but in this case stink, like beauty, is only skin deep. The durian shake tastes similar to a melon shake and it smelled just as fresh. The cut of barbequed pork was not trim, but it had an appeal similar to that of Chinese spare ribs. Fresh herbs would have improved the vermicelli, though it was garnished with lettuce, scallions, peanuts, and shreds of sweet and hot marinated carrots. These spicy carrots also appeared on a barbequed pork hoagie ($2), along with cucumber and baby cilantro leaves, all on a fresh, tender roll. Sandwich selections stem from the French influence in Vietnam (the porkball and p�t� hoagie sounds like a contrived marriage of cultures), and there is also a hefty Chinese portion of the menu, if you’re searching for something immediately recognizable. Remember, though, that Chinese food was as much and probably more of a mystery to our parents as Vietnamese food is to us. Mai’s Cafe is a cheap, clean, mind-expanding experience with good service. You don’t have to get blood cube soup, but it’s nice to know that it’s an option. — Meredith Phillips
This article appears in August 15 • 1997 and August 15 • 1997 (Cover).