Nem Nu’ong Ninh Hoa is a Vietnamese restaurant that specializes in grilled pork and banh beo. I was glad to find a Vietnamese restaurant in the San Gabriel Valley area that offers more than just pho. In fact don’t expect to find pho here as there’s only one noodle dish on the menu. We ordered all their specialties, or what we thought were the most interesting items on the menu.
Nem nuong (Grilled pork) platter. ($13.99) The menu said the platter is for 2 people but I think it’s enough for the 4 of us. The platter includes: 4 grilled pork skewers, 2 pickled pork patties, 2 pork patties grilled in banana leaves, 8 thin shrimp egg rolls. It came with bunch of herbs (cilantro, mint and lettuce) and rice paper. We weren’t exactly sure the proper way to eat the grilled pork so we just use logic and creativity. We tried: 1) dipped the dry rice paper in the water to soften them and wrap the pork, shrimp egg rolls and some herbs with it. 2) Use the lettuce instead of rice paper. Everything was delicious. I especially love the grilled pork patties in banana leaves. The banana leaves gave a nice aroma and subtle flavor to the meat. The pickled pork patties was interesting too, they had a subtle sour flavor to them (lime?) and the texture was springy.
Two servings of Banh beo. A central Vietnamese dish, one serving contains 12 little dishes of steamed rice cake topped with dried shrimp flakes. We got 2 servings under the waiter’s recommendation but I found it to be too much for us, even though we manage to finish all of them. It’s served with sweet fish sauce. Tasty but I think I don’t need to eat more than 4 of them since they get a bit one note.
The only noodle on the menu: The Chefs special – Bun bo hue. Again it’s a central Vietnamese dish, it’s a beef noodle soup with beef shank, oxtail, pig feet and pig blood. The noodle was thicker than the usual ones in pho. The soup was very flavorful, you could taste the lemongrass in the beef broth and it’s not too spicy. The meat were tender.
All three dishes were fantastic. Next time I go there I would get them again. It’s nice that they offer specialty dishes you don’t see often in other Vietnamese places.
Nem Nu’ong Ninh Hoa
9016 Mission Dr. Rosemead, CA 91770
(626) 286-3370
Tags: Vietnamese
how would you compare this bowl of bun bo hue against say.. Pho Minh’s? or Kim Hoa Hue’s?
I believe it’s “ninh” and next time you should try the beef patty. I usually order pork but on one occasion I took a friend there and she couldn’t eat pork so they recommended beef and I loved it.
This place is my favorite, favorite restaurant and everything you got is exactly what my bf and me get whenever we go there (which is often). Thank you for the post!
Bun Bo Hue is one of my favorite soups. My mom makes its best. 😉
Although the Bun Bo Hue is ungodly in Vietnam.
I’ll need to stop by this place and check out theirs.
If you guys ever find a place with killer Bun Rieu, you will have to let me know.
That’s my absolute most favorite viet soup.
Its a deep red soup with delicous fluff-ballsof egg/minced shrimp and crab meat.
Viet folk tend to eat this in the morning.
Also if you happen to find vietnamese hot-pot. I’ve tried every other asian hot-pot, and i would have to say, without bias ;), that vietnamese do it the best. Had the most amazing hot-pot in Northern Vietnam with black chicken, salmon, and loads + loads of fresh greens that don’t exist here in US.
SinoSoul: I haven’t tried Pho Minh or Kim Hoa Hue’s before (gotta try!)~
Thanks Elle, corrected! Def try the Beef Patty next time.
Thanks Evelina. 😀
Hey Tito, I agree the vietnamese hot pot are the BEST too! (from my samplingl). You gotta invite us for some potluck sometimes, and have your mom’s Bun Bo Hue there ;). I wanted to go to Vietnam so badly.
I am so happy I came across your blog today! I don’t eat beef but am extremely jealous of people who eat the 7 course beef at Vietnam Restaurant and always lament how come there are no similar dishes with pork. Now I can come here and get the pork platter! Can’t wait!