Vietnamese Eats Get Personal at NEM in Addison

Addison could easily be dubbed the “errand capital” of North Texas, with everything from a Target to Whole Foods, HomeGoods to DSW packed into a 4.4-mile radius. You could easily nip that pesky to-do list in the bud. A busy day of errands calls for sustenance, which the city also has aplenty.

Addison proudly boasts the most restaurants per capita in the U.S., with over 200 restaurants from chains to fine dining. Standing out isn’t easy, but newcomer NEM Spring Roll Bar manages to do just that.

NEM officially opened April 12 in Addison’s Prestonwood Place. This build-your-own culturally rooted fast-casual concept serves hearty rice, noodle and salad bowls, banh-mis and spring rolls, all customized to your liking. There are plenty of gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free and vegan options, too.

“With the growing popularity of Vietnamese cuisine, one of the reasons NEM was created is to honor our culture, traditions and culinary heritage,” co-owner Winston Phan said in an email. “We recognize that in the early days of Vietnamese cooking, regional ingredients were limited. But today, with greater access to diverse resources, we’re able to elevate those traditional recipes with modern creativity.”

NEM is owned by Vie Concepts LLC, a team of local business owners, restaurant operators, a marketing professional and chef Kay Akhotmy.

“Everyone on our team is equally important with their own expertise in helping to build our brand, but the special talent behind our menu and our special sauces is our chef Kay Akhotmy,” Phan notes. “She is definitely the backbone of what came into fruition today.”

NEM means taste in Vietnamese, Phan says. And that’s exactly what it is. The layout follows familiar build-your-own models, where you’ll find options that are as healthy or indulgent as you want to make them.

First up is the base: banh mi starts at $9, while bowls are $10. Spring rolls go three for $11.

Up next are proteins. Vietnamese diners will recognize the traditional ingredients throughout the menu. For others, Akhotmy’s heritage begins to shine through at the proteins. There’s shrimp, salmon and Vietnamese nem nuong, grilled pork sausage, each $4. Steak, chicken and pork are $3. Vegan, tofu, mushroom and beet options are $2.

Along the line, you’ll find nine different sauces to choose from. Two are included with your dish. Additional sauces are $1. Options include peanut, fish, cucumber, mango, pineapple, truffle soy, spicy, sweet tamarind and crab-based NEM house sauce. An array of fresh vegetables, herbs and greens follows, along with a choice of ginger sesame and creamy citrus dressing.

To mark its grand opening, NEM ran an irresistible all-day 50% off special. We passed by at 8 p.m. and the house was packed. The experience was a bit dizzying at first, especially on opening night with a line out the door behind you.

“We take pride in serving fresh, quality ingredients that our customers can appreciate — even in a fast-paced setting where time is limited,” Phan says.

We sprang for the premium fried rice base (an additional $1) with nem nuong, subtle NEM house sauce, light-on-the-heat spicy sauce, pickled jalapeño, carrot and daikon mix, crispy garlic and onion, spring mix and leaf lettuce and crunchy topping. The $16 bowl was generously portioned with enough to save half for later. We also tried a $14 vermicelli noodle base with shaved steak with mango and peanut sauces and similar toppings.

In addition to mains, NEM offers "snacks." The $7 fried shrimp wraps come in four and add crunch to the meal. The $6 pate-inis are mini versions of the classic pate chaud. This traditional flaky, meat-filled pastry traces its origins to the French colonization of Vietnam and is often served as an appetizer. The deep-fried flat eggrolls ($6) come six to an order.

NEM’s social media presence is still growing, with only a handful of posts on TikTok and Instagram. Yet, tagged posts already rave about the $8 pressed sugarcane. Known as nuoc mia in Vietnam, this beverage is a nutrient-rich, grassy Vietnamese street food.

Next time, we’ll be back for NEM’s happy hour featuring 20% off food and drinks, Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Our order: sugarcane drink, pate-inis and a trio of fully-loaded shrimp spring rolls.

NEM Spring Roll Bar, 5290 Belt Line Road, Ste 114, Daily 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.