Step into almost any restaurant in Little Saigon, and you can order a big bowl of rice vermicelli noodles, or bun, topped with herbs, fried eggrolls and grilled shrimp or meat or everything but the kitchen sink, really, all meant to be splashed with a light, citrusy fish sauce.
The bun bowls at Hue Oi have long been among the best in Fountain Valley, and still are. But when I logged onto Grubhub to order takeout from here the other day, I discovered that they have a new dish on the menu, one that I now like even more than the bun.
The mi kho follows that same formula, but instead of the soft, supple rice vermicelli, this dish calls for egg noodles, which are denser and chewier and more flavorful. Like the bun, these bowls are also plied with heaps of herbs, chopped lettuce, bean sprouts and scallions, plus barbecued shrimp and grilled pork. Instead of egg rolls, the crunch in this dish comes from fried pork rinds (which they package separately to keep crisp). In place of the traditional fish sauce, the mi kho comes with a refreshingly sweet-tart dressing that tastes lightly of tamarind. It is immensely enjoyable.
Hue Oi
Where: 16537 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley
When: Lunch and dinner, Wednesday-Monday
Cost: $11.95
Phone: 714-531-1305
Online: hueoivietnamesecuisine.com