Mai House Restaurant
- New York
 Type: Vietnamese
Owner: Myriad Restaurant Group
Date visited: December, 2007
186 Franklin Street
(between Hudson and Greenwich Streets)
New York, NY 10013
Tel: 212.431.0606
Hours: Monday through Saturday
5:45-Midnight
As I wrote in another travelogue earlier today, it is hard to describe perfection. Needless to say, my visit to Mai House was an adventure for my taste buds I’ll never forget. This was my first Vietnamese meal and I have a feeling, now that I have been to Mai House, I’m a little spoiled. If you’ve never had Vietnamese food, this is the perfect place to get you started.
 Sous Chef Sean Scotese assembled a tasting menu for two and it was out of this world. Call ahead when you make your reservation and ask if this option is available, I highly recommend it. While I am not able to intimately describe every detail, some of the highlights included roasted sea scallops, hot mushroom spring rolls and roasted black cod. The dinner menu featured a wide range of food and our server assured us they would prepare any dish to specific temperature requests. The land lover, the seafood lover or the vegetarian will find plenty to choose from. The portions were a perfect size and the flavor combinations kept my mouth watering for days just thinking about our meal. We also tried a local Vietnamese beer and a couple of glasses of Saki for good measure.
 The atmosphere was definitely calming and relaxed. We opted to go late on a Monday night so the restaurant was not busy. The décor has been designed to neutral your palette while the spiced aromas filled the air. The service was outstanding both at the bar and at our table. The chef even stopped by to check in on us (as well as other tables).
Prices range from around 10 dollars per appetizer and 25 dollars per entrée. All are worth every penny.
It’s hard to imagine eating a less than stellar meal at Mai House. I highly recommend this restaurant for the quality, attention to detail and the service. Now all I have to do is dream up an excuse to dine there again. Enjoy your visit.
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Erik Hastings
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