Mot Hai Ba Dallas Restaurant Review

For this week’s TheaterJones.com “Dinner and a Show” column, I’m reviewing Mot Hai Ba in Dallas, which is paired with the latest production from Imprint Theatreworks at the Bath House Cultural Center at White Rock Lake. Learn more and check out what to order in this Mot Hai Ba Dallas Restaurant Review …

Mot Hai Ba Dallas Restaurant Review

Mot Hai Ba is a modern Vietnamese gem that’s located in the Lakewood Neighborhood of Dallas.

The restaurant is relatively small, but it’s also charming and cozy with communal tables and low cushioned stools that are surprisingly comfortable. If you need a little more elbow room, you can sit at the small bar or outside on the covered patio. If you’re going with a group, I recommend calling ahead to see if you can snag the large round table at the front of the restaurant that seats 8-10 people. When we stopped in, a large group of old friends were happily dining there.

The restaurant’s cuisine is northern Vietnamese fare, but both the food and the wine list have a French influence. However, the most significant influence is chef/owner Peja Krstic, who was recently profiled in the May issue of D Magazine. He is the culinary wizard behind the creative dishes coming out of Mot Hai Ba’s small but powerful kitchen.

Mot Bai Ha Appetizers

The restaurant’s menu changes seasonally. When we stopped in, the appetizer options ranged from imperial rolls to fried oysters, grilled duck hearts, a banana flower salad and more.

We ordered the charcoal grilled oysters, and they were among the best oysters I’ve ever eaten. Delicate and fresh, they had a nuanced flavor. Like a good steak needs no sauce, these oysters needed zero condiments. You can order just one ($4 each), but you’ll want more than that.

Mot Hai Ba Entrees

The entree menu also varies seasonally. When we visited, the entrees ranged from a vegan baby carrot entree to shaking beef, steamed rice dumplings, whole fish, eggplant curry, red snapper, green curry chicken and a jasmine tea smoked quail.

A chef’s special was also available that we couldn’t pass up — a light and flaky North Atlantic sushi grade fluke with a lovely roasted ginger and sake mete sauce. On top was a preserved lemon black truffle and chive tuile — a magical, delicate thin wafer creation that was slightly sweet. It melted in our mouths, and I savored each and every bite.

We also ordered the Green Curry Chicken (Ga Ca Ri Xanh).

This entree is made with charcoal grilled air chilled chicken breast with seasonal vegetables and tofu in a fresh green curry sauce. The chicken was juicy, tender and flavorful. The curry sauce had a complex depth, and everything it touched – from the chicken to the tofu to the bok choy – turned to gold in my mouth.

For sides, we ordered the bok choy and roasted mushrooms. If we had been able to eat more, we would have also tried the garlic noodles.

Vietnamese Coffee

Nothing beats a good cup of coffee, and if you called me a coffee snob, I wouldn’t be offended.

Mot Hai Ba’s coffee was something to rave about. It was delightfully rich, nutty and smooth. I drink it black, which means that mediocre coffee can’t hide behind any cream or sugar with me. However, if you love your Vietnamese coffee loaded up with condensed milk, they’ve got you covered. And you can rest assured that the coffee is delish even without it.

I look forward to returning and sampling additional menu items, more coffee and selections from their wine list (not necessarily in that order). If you’ve ever been there, I’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments below.