Details
- 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 5 p.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, closed Monday.
- $$
- Wheelchair accessible
- Lunch, Dinner
- Reservations Required
The Top 100 Dallas Restaurants, No. 3: Vietnamese tradition meets modern, seasonal inspirations at Mot Hai Ba, a tiny neighborhood spot in East Dallas run by Serbian-born chef Peja Krstic. But that description doesn’t quite convey what’s so special about one of the most creative restaurants in town. As some of the city’s envelope-pushing chefs turn to more conservative concepts, or abandon restaurants altogether for the daredevil world of pop-up dinners, it’s rare to see a kitchen dedicate itself to a first-rate style all its own. At Mot Hai Ba, French imperialist history in Vietnam translates to a true dialogue between the two cuisines’ best natures. And the drinks program makes the most out of its limited space, with a short but appealing cocktail list and a handful of wines chosen to pair brilliantly with the food.
Top pick: It’s hard to say, because the menu changes with the seasons and with Krstic’s inspirations. Banana flower salad, grilled duck hearts and a low-and-slow braised lamb neck are reliable favorites.
The downside: The dining room is so small that a table can be hard to snag, and the “chairs” — they’re actually footstools — will punish any diner with even the slightest hint of a back problem.
Fun fact: Banh xeo, a crisp, savory crepe, is almost irresistibly tempting, but it’s so huge that it’s best ordered by either a hungry person who doesn’t want to try anything else or a very large group that wants to try everything.
Top pick: It’s hard to say, because the menu changes with the seasons and with Krstic’s inspirations. Banana flower salad, grilled duck hearts and a low-and-slow braised lamb neck are reliable favorites.
The downside: The dining room is so small that a table can be hard to snag, and the “chairs” — they’re actually footstools — will punish any diner with even the slightest hint of a back problem.
Fun fact: Banh xeo, a crisp, savory crepe, is almost irresistibly tempting, but it’s so huge that it’s best ordered by either a hungry person who doesn’t want to try anything else or a very large group that wants to try everything.
View All
More Asian Restaurants in East Dallas & Lakewood
-
Best OfThe star of the show at Sumo Shack is bao, the steamed bun that’s probably best-known in Texas as...
Asian
View All
More Asian Restaurants in Dallas
-
Critics' PickWolfgang Puck's Dallas outpost is as brilliant as you would hope an acclaimed chef's restaurant c...
American -
Owners Sam and Vinnie Virasin's initial foray into offering upscale Thai cuisine to the masses ha...
Asian -
Critics' PickThe Top 100 Dallas Restaurants, No. 50: This North Dallas Japanese restaurant is an all-ro...
Asian -
Critics' PickThe banh mi at Quoc Bao start with fresh-baked baguettes, which are practically cubist in their c...
Asian -
Critics' PickThe Top 100 Dallas Restaurants, No. 34: If your parents were Korean and supported your dri...
Asian -
Critics' PickThe luxurious “seven courses of beef” is a showstopping meal for the whole table to share — and, ...
Asian
Or sign in with a social account:
FACEBOOK GOOGLE + TWITTER YAHOO!