My Lai Kitchen Mar Vista: The Modern and Tasty Vietnamese Kitchen
Today I ventured right back into my home city to try out My Lai Kitchen in Mar Vista. This spot serves modern Vietnamese Fusion cuisine which has always been one of my favorites. The name “My Lai” actually means “mixed race” and I think it is awesome how that is celebrated as the name of the cafe.
I am also amazed by the fact that they opened right before Covid and were able to push through it all!!
This minority and women owned business is truly something special. I feel as if a bit of backstory is always a beautiful touch to these blogs and My Lai has quite an inspiring story!!
Let’s move on to our spread…
We were served each and everyone of this spots’ favorites!
- Mama Mai’s Chicken and Garlic Rice
- Impossible Meat and Impossible Egg Roll Vermicelli Salad (Vegan)
- Bomb Banh Mi
- Fresh Spring Rolls With Chicken
- Egg Rolls
- Tofu Bites
- Two Thai Iced Teas
Mama Mai’s Chicken and Garlic Rice was delicious and packed with so much flavor. The rice was savory and the fresh garlic taste made it into something unlike anything I had ever tried before!! This is a must-get if you visit as the medley of flavorful elements is unforgettable…
Although the rice was my favorite part of this dish, the chicken was also seasoned to perfection and the fresh veggies created a colorful and healthier addition to the bowl.
The Impossible Meat+Egg-roll Vermicelli Salad was a great add-on to the menu. It is wonderful to see more and more spots take advantage of tasty and healthy vegan options! The egg rolls were crisp and tasty…and I really enjoyed the impossible meat as well. This dish came together to create a very light and simple meal that’s filling and tasty. My Lai has a lot of vegan options when it comes to cuisine such as their Tofu Bites, Veggie or Impossible Spring Rolls, and The Impossible Bomb Banh Mi!
The Bomb Banh Mi was incredible!!! We got a pork one and it was my first time ever trying this type of sandwich. I especially liked the way our meat was seasoned along with the fresh veggies on top. This sandwich is packed with jalapeños, daikon, carrots, and cucumber.
These tasty greens simply made the dish a lot more colorful as well as made the dish feel good to put in my body!
Above is a photo of the first ever spring rolls I have tried!! They were packed with goodies and very colorful…
This roll had pickled carrots, daikon, lettuce, cucumber, cilantro, vermicelli, and crispy onion as well as chicken (which was my choice of protein for the dish). It was served alongside chopped peanuts and a creamy peanut sauce.
I ended up enjoying my spring roll without the sauces since I was a huge fan of its natural flavor! It tasted amazing each way but just look at this beauty 😉
These egg rolls left the plate before any of the other items did as my partner and I devoured them so so so quickly. These were absolutely delicious!! Honestly there is nothing better than a side of egg rolls for any lunch date.
These were filled with carrots, mushrooms, mung bean noodles, and pork. I have not tried a roll with a filling such as these before and was very impressed by the incredible flavor inside each crispy bite.
I am crazy for all types of tofu as I grew up eating it. This type of dish has a spot in my heart and I was so excited to try these Tofu Bites!!
They were crisp on the outside and smooth on the inside. I enjoyed the texture of these pillowy bits of tofu and also grew a liking to the side sauce we were served…
Lastly, a well-known favorite: Thai Iced Tea. This drink was honestly one of the best I’ve had in a while. You can’t beat the velvety texture and delicate sweet taste of this tea.
Also a must try!!!
Overall my expirience at My Lai Kitchen was unbeatable. Vietnamese fusion is definitely not a cuisine you can find much around LA and I absolutely loved the unique flavors of this spot.
From the crispy tofu to the fresh spring rolls, its really hard for me to pick a favorite dish. I will be coming back here A LOT in the future and can’t wait to try the entire menu.
Besides food, My Lai has wonderful service as well as great employees 🙂
Until next time, My Lai
