Mai’s Vietnamese Restaurant

When a restaurant has been around for 28 years, it has to be good. That’s true of Mai’s Vietnamese Restaurant in East Dallas, which has become a lunchtime staple for neighborhood residents. “Customers just keep coming back. They tell their friends. That’s why we’ve been open so long,” says owner Mai Nguyen, who moved to the area from Vietnam. He says about 60 percent of his customers are loyal ones, meaning they’ve been coming in for at least 10 years. Mai’s biggest seller is the combination clay pot, a steaming bowl of shrimp, chicken and veggies on rice topped with coconut curry sauce for just under $10. Nguyen says it’s a wholesome alternative to dining out since Mai’s does not use any fatty oils. “We have healthy food for people,” Nguyen says. Mai’s hasn’t changed a single thing about the restaurant or its menu since opening in 1982. “I ask for feedback. Everything is good, so I don’t change anything.”

Three more spots for Asian fare:

1 Nandina

This chic, Lower Greenville restaurant fuses Japanese and Thai cuisine, serving tapas, sushi and indulgent entrées such as Chilean sea bass with ginger tamari glaze.

Greenville & Alta
214.826.6300
nandinarestaurant.com

2 Bangkok City

This neighborhood favorite has menu items to satisfy Thai connoisseurs with stars indicating the degree of spiciness for each dish — from the lowest, “very careful”, to the highest, “native Thai”.

Bryan & Peak
214.824.6200
bangkokcityrestaurant.com