Mai's - YES, please!

****
Location: Midtown
Mai's Menu
Price: $$
Reviewed: Dinner
Reviewer: Yas
Attire: Casual
When Mai’s burned down back in February of 2010, the city of Houston mourned the loss of a popular treasure.  Well, Mai’s is back in full effect with a swanky makeover. And the best part of it all? The food hasn’t skipped a beat!

chicken and shrimp spring rolls: *****
Probably the best I have ever had at a restaurant. The rice paper was not cold and the roll tasted like it was made to order. The shrimp were huge and the chicken seasoned well. Great way to start off the meal!

grilled chicken vermicelli bowl: ****
This is probably one of my favorite things to order from Vietnamese restaurants because you leave feeling full and satisfied, but not disgusting and unhealthy. Mai’s hit the mark. The fish sauce was so flavorful and was waaay better than the watered down versions I have tasted at other places. Everything was fresh and cooked well, EXCEPT for the chicken. I liked the seasoning they used, but my chicken was definitely overcooked and really tough to cut. I was pretty disappointed, but that was my only complaint.

grilled flank steak and rice: *****
Perfection. The steak was cooked just like I like it, medium and well seasoned. This dish was clean and fulfilling. I opted for the white rice at the request of my guest foodie, but you can have brown rice free of charge, or substitute the house fried rice for an extra $2. Either way you will come out on top with this dish.

From the bottom up: Sweetened red beans, yellow mung beans and adzuki beans, green jelly, coconut milk and shaved ice.

che 3 mau (three bean pudding): ***
My guest foodie, Osama, is an expert in Vietnamese cuisine and insisted that I try this classic Vietnamese dessert drink. I can’t lie, when it came out I was scared. But staying true to my philosophy of trying most things at least once, I dove in with my eyes closed and was pleasantly surprised! It was unique, refreshing, and sweet all at the the same time. I would definitely recommend this for the adventurous foodie!

service: ****/ambiance: ******
Our waiter was adorable, helpful and patient with our table. The ambiance was aesthetically pleasing with splashes of green and bamboo colors throughout the restaurant, ample lighting, and because of all the windows it had a nice wide open feel.

things to note:
1. Mai’s is a popular spot, so if you’re going on the weekend plan to wait at least 20 minutes before you are seated and also plan to wait outside as the waiting area inside the restaurant is very tiny.

2. Mai’s is open LATE! Mon - Thurs until 3am, and Fri - Sat until 4am. This is the perfect spot to end a night out on the town, take a finals study break, or to satisfy your late night cravings!