Disclaimer: I do not consider myself to be an expert when it comes to Asian cuisine. While I'm adventurous and will try just about anything, at the same time I think General Tso's chicken and shrimp fried rice are amazing. So I can only write to the taste of the food at Hue- not the actual Vietnamese authenticity.
Earlier this week Kevin and I were feel spontaneous so we decided to try Hue (pronounced Hway, named after a province in Vietnam that their food is inspired by) in Bay View. We had driven past it quite a few times and decided we were in the mood for an adventure. Hue is located at 2691 S Kinnickinnic in Bay View- right next to the Shape Up Shoppe. It's a cozy but inviting space; they have a small lounge and bar area and about fifteen tables in the restaurant. It's one of those perfect neighborhood gems you would never know about until you go inside.
We were immediately impressed with the unique menu options and the beer selection. Kevin loved the fact they had several Vietnamese beers on the menu- some of which he had never heard of. We also liked the fact all of the menu items were reasonably priced (later when we saw the size of the entrees, we liked Hue even more!).
For an appetizer we ordered the Hue sample platter which consisted of two fried shrimp, 2 beef skewers, 2 egg rolls and a spring roll. The fried shrimp were delicious and paired very well with their sweet and sour sauce which actually had a nice spicy bite to it. The beef skewers were tender and juicy and were incredible dipped in the peanut sauce. The egg rolls were good- perfectly crisp and the spring roll was delicious; the combination of cilantro, fresh mint and salmon was fresh and unique. Needless to say all three of us polished off the sampler platter pretty quickly.
For an entree Kevin ordered the Phở Tai Chin, Bò Vien: which was beef brisket, sirloin steak and beef meatballs in a beef broth with rice noodles. For those of you who have never had pho (pronounced "fuh") it's basically like Vietnamese chicken soup; it's a huge delicious bowl of flavorful broth, noodles and meat. The pho at Hue did not disappoint! It came in a huge bowl big enough to feed two and was served with a plate full of lime, jalapeno and Thai basil you could use to season the soup yourself.
I ordered the Bánh Xeo which was described as, "Vietnamese “crepe” filled with pork, shrimp, onions, bean sprouts, and mushrooms. Served with fresh herbs, cucumbers, and peanut dipping sauce". I took two bites and deemed it the ideal hangover food; there was a perfect amount of grease in the crepe itself and when paired with the peanut sauce it was heavenly. I requested their special fish sauce on the side and it also paired very well with the crepe. The herbs and cucumber provided a nice fresh crunch while the pork and shrimp were well seasoned. Next time I spend the night drinking too much wine, I'll be at Hue the next day for another one of these crepes!
For Sawyer we ordered the Cơm Chiên which is fried rice with Chinese sausage, shrimp, bbq pork and vegetables. The serving of rice was huge! Sawyer ate two plates of it and we still had enough to take home for lunch the next day. The fried rice was delicious; not too greasy and you were able to taste each one of the ingredients in the rice- instead of it being a big fried mess.
Without a doubt the highlight at Hue was watching Sawyer eat the Pho. She loved the broth and kept filling up her spoon with more of it. We got a good laugh snapping pictures of her first Vietnamese meal! And after the reasonable food prices and the huge portion sizes, I doubt it will be her last meal at Hue!
For directions and more menu options, check out their website: www.huebayview.com.
Much Love,
Mama Cucina
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