Nam Hua Vietnamese Cuisine

It’s a family affair at this friendly dining room in Garland, where owner Hua Le turns out a spectacular seafood hot pot (lau do bien) and her daughter (and co-owner) Tina Pham explains the menu with aplomb. She’ll explain how to eat the various dishes too. Banh xeo, for instance, crêpes filled with mushrooms and shrimp, get wrapped in lettuce and dipped in sauce. Don’t miss that hot pot, filled with bright, tangy, spicy-hot seafood broth, plus giant prawns, squid, mussels, fish, spongy luffa squash and more. Tear in some herbs from the rau song, add some bean sprouts, rice vermicelli, a squeeze of lime, an okra or three, and a handful of shredded banana flower. Let it cook for a minute, then ladle it into bowls. It’s incredible.

-- Leslie Brenner, "Best in DFW: Vietnamese" (April 2010)