The menu at Pho My Lien was brought to Hawaii by Tommy (My) Dang and his wife Lien, who decided to share their family recipes to the hungry diners of Honolulu. Good thing they did. Pho My Lien is simply an outstanding and affordable Vietnamese restaurant centered around fresh ingredients and friendly service. What more could you ask for?
A great example is Crispy Calamari ($7.95). It’s outstanding and unique. Cut into strips more than standard rings, the tender and crispy pieces of squid look more like french fries than battered and fried rings of seafood. Texturally, it’s a lot like fried potatoes, and that’s not a criticism. The calamari is deep brown and crunchy, yet tender. It’s lightly spicy, has a tasty dipping sauce and is flavorful without being overwhelming.
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- Crispy Calamari ($7.95) and Broccoli Sauteed ($7.95)
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- Lemon Beef Salad ($9.95)
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- Summer Rolls ($4.95) and Crispy Spring Rolls ($7.50)
Crispy Spring Rolls ($7.50) and Summer Rolls ($4.95) are appetizer staples at nearly every Vietnamese restaurant and at Pho My Lien it’s no different. What’s different is that Pho My Lien is clearly better than most. The summer rolls are a mixture of aromatic flavors that includes fresh mint, bean sprouts, rice vermicelli, a choice of shrimp, pork, beef, chicken or tofu, and served with a slightly spicy peanut sauce. The spring rolls are similar, but deep-fried to a crispy golden brown and stuffed with pork, chicken or shrimp, shredded carrot, long rice and mushrooms.
Broccoli Sauteed ($7.95) may seem oddly named, but it makes sense when you realize the tangy and crunchy broccoli comes with a choice of either chicken, pork, beef, shrimp or tofu. Most importantly, it’s delicious. Don’t let the name confuse you.
If you’re looking for something light and refreshing on a warm day, Lemon Beef Salad ($9.95) might be your choice. Tender sliced beef is mixed with romaine lettuce, cucumber, tomato, toasted peanuts, fried onion flakes, parsley and topped with a sweet lemon sauce. Who knew a beef dish could be so refreshing?
Pho My Lien
98-150 Kaonohi St., Suite B213-B, Aiea
488-4900
Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Aiea, HI 96701
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