Mi Quang Etc. @ Dong Ky [Pics]

I regularly make my way to Dong Ky to feast on their excellent rendition of the noodle dish, mi Quang.*


mi Quang


look at that colour!**

As it should be somewhat evident from the above photos, mi Quang is not quite a noodle soup, but it is not a particularly "dry" noodle dish either. In this regard, and as Vietnamese noodle dishes go, it is fairly unique.*** The relatively spare amount of broth or sauce included makes it more of a "stew" really, and one where the liquid seems merely sufficient to keep the noodles and various bits of meat and garnish slick and accessible.

And, speaking of garnish, mi Quang is relatively unique in that regard, too. For unlike the vast majority of noodle soups and stews served in Vietnamese restaurants--the various pho, hu tieu, and bun creations--this bowl arrives to the table with the garniture already in place.**** The diner is simply left to mix them in. Or not.

While you or I might not think of the broth for mi Quang as being "stew-like," it is very rich all the same. I am not exactly sure how the cooks at Dong Ky fashion the broth, but from what I understand, this traditionally involves simmering rind-on/bone-in pork (and sometimes dried shrimp) for a very long time. Additional elements in the reduction--which go some way towards providing the complex, deep flavour and colour of the resultant broth--might include onion, tomato, pickled cabbage, and pineapple.

At Dong Ky the additions to this bowl of noodles and broth include squid tubes, shrimp, fish balls, stewed pork, sliced Vietnamese pork roll, halved hard-boiled egg, and the occasional piece of stewed chicken.*****

Rich and robust, mi Quang is one of my favourite cool weather warmers, and to the best of my knowledge, Dong Ky is the only establishment in the area to feature this item.

You can read a bit more about mi Quang, here, at Noodlepie.

-----------------------

While I am at it I will mention another dish that I think Dong Ky does particularly well, and that dish is bun nuoc leo (a.k.a. bun mam).


bun nuoc leo (a.k.a. bun mam)

Traditionally, the broth for this item is fashioned with the use of a very pungent Vietnamese-style fermented fish paste called mam nem, and along with some manner of thin rice noodle (bun), this soup usu. contains a mixture of pork, fish, and/or seafoods. Often salty, often zesty, and even sometimes sweet, I have discovered tremendous variation from one shop to the next along The Argyle Strip. What I particularly like about Dong Ky's version is the fact that the salty pungency and richness of the broth is kept in check with a good amount of sugar, lending it a dimension and balance which some other versions sorely lack.*

As you can see in the above photo, the soup arrives to the table garnished with a handful of sliced Chinese chives and minced cilantro. The diner is also furnished with additional (discretionary) garnishes in the form of mint sprigs, shredded red cabbage, bean sprouts, jalapeno slices, and wedged lime.

Dong Ky's rendition of this soup mostly contains slices of catfish, but there are usu. a couple of shrimp and a few thin slices of three-layer pork, as well.

You can read a bit more about bun nuoc leo (a.k.a. bun mam), here, at Noodlepie. It happens to be Pieman's favourite noodle soup in the Vietnamese repetoire, and it is probably mine, too.


Dong Ky
4877 N. Broadway
773.989.5579
Seven Days


E.M.


* The precious little that I know about the provenance of this dish comes from Andrea Q. Nguyen at VietWorldKitchen.

** From the little information that I have been able to glean on this dish, I understand that (in Vietnam) a special flat rice noodle which has been stained with tumeric is the traditional staple. In its stead, Dong Ky uses a type of wheat noodle which has been coloured by the inclusion of egg and/or food colouring.

*** Stablemates might include the classic Vietnamese "stews" ca ri ga and bo kho, both of which are commonly served atop blanched noodles.

**** At Dong Ky this means that the noodles (as well as the broth and bits of meat, of course) are situated on top of a handful of bean sprouts, and beneath a scattering of mint springs, shredded red cabbage, deep-fried shallot rings, minced cilantro, and minced scallions.

***** Supplemental reading on the subject leads me to believe that it is nearly an "anything goes" type of creation, varying tremendously from household to household and vendor to vendor.

* My favourite version of this dish can be found at Tien Giang. There, the soup usu. contains a good quantity of finely-minced lemongrass, and the shrimp, sliced catfish, and sliced pork are always very fresh and flavourful. The salty, sharp broth, however, has a tendency to wear my palate out in short order.

First of all, both of those dishes look terrific. I am going to have to go to Dong Ky and try them out. Which brings me to...how do you pronounce Dong Ky? Like the animal? Will I be able to tell someone where I am headed for dinner without cracking myself up?

geli wrote:First of all, both of those dishes look terrific. I am going to have to go to Dong Ky and try them out. Which brings me to...how do you pronounce Dong Ky?

Maybe Antonius can proffer a better description, but, yeah, it is pronounced sorta like it looks:

The "o" is sounded like the "o" in "bone," just a little softer, so that it sounds a bit like "dung," as in "poo."

The second word is pronounced like "key," or the thing that you use to unlock a door.

geli wrote:Like the animal?

I dunno. After reading the above, you tell me.

geli wrote:Will I be able to tell someone where I am headed for dinner without cracking myself up?

Knowing you, I doubt it.

E.M.

Hiya -- as my quang is near and dear to my heart ...in fact, I'd say it's probably my favorite Vietnamese noodle dish ... I feel compelled to reply to this topic.

As tasty as Dong Ky's version looks, and tasty it may be, it's not would I would recognize as my quang on the streets of Saigon. First of all, there's just way too much broth ... I think that Erik M's characterization of the dish as almost a "stew" gives that away, and the picture confirms it. Broth in a my quang is only ever used as a moistening agent, just enough juice (say, two fingers' worth max) to facilitate mixing the ingredients. Interesting that Erik M finds it to be his favorite cold weather dish ... I think one of the reasons I always preferred it to other "soup" noodles in Vietnam is that the broth is so minor to the dish that I could actually eat a whole bowl without breaking out into a ferocious sweat.
\(See Saigon Favorites on eatingasia.typepad.com for a post on my quang ... and note the last photo -- the broth is barely visible in the bowl)

And yow --- what's with the red cabbagge?! I've never seen green cabbage in *any* noodle dish in Vietnam, let alone red (you can only buy red at the stores catering to expats). My quang always arrives with garnishes on the side, just like other Vietnamese noodle "soups" -- mint, basil, banana flower, a romaine-ish type of lettuce ... basically whatever the cook or shop has on hand. Finally, where's the rice cracker? It's really a rice cracker, crumbled on top of a bowl of my quang, that makes it unique to other Vietnamese noodles. When that rice cracker starts to sop up what little broth there is, and you're left with half spongy/half crunchy cracker in your chopstickful of noodles .... now *that's* my quang)

Dong Ky sounds like a great place, but maybe a little prodding might produce a more authentic my quang. (the noodles look right) It's really a fantastic underrated Vietnamese noodle dish that deserves to be enjoyed its "correct" (not to be too anal-retentive here) form.

A note on bun mam -- the broth is made with dried fish (there should be plenty of little flakes of fish in the broth), not mam nem. Mam nem is an optional garnish. And pork in bum mam? No way ... this is a fish -- and fishy -- dish through and through. Sweetness is a definate characteristic.

robyn wrote:Dong Ky sounds like a great place, but maybe a little prodding might produce a more authentic my quang. (the noodles look right) It's really a fantastic underrated Vietnamese noodle dish that deserves to be enjoyed its "correct" (not to be too anal-retentive here) form.

These are culinary practices as they can be found amongst the Vietnamese diaspora, and as such, they have their own intrinsic value. For me, partaking in the "correct" (to be very anal-retentive here) experience would entail nothing short of a trip to the homeland. [And, where we would find, I am sure, many, many "correct" ways to assemble and consume such a dish.]

Moving right along...

If the pictures and commentary that Pieman has provided on his blog are any indication, the noodles which are served at Dong Ky are clearly the wrong type. [And, not to pick nits, but have a look at the bowl that he has pictured there. That's a fair amount of broth, I'd say.]

On this page at VietWorldKitchen, the Vietnamese author, Andrea Q. Nguyen seems to confirm this bit about the noodles:

Andrea Q. Nguyen wrote:[O]ne of the unique things about mi Quang is the color of the rice noodles. They're yellow. There's this big deal about how the noodles are made, etc. But, in the U.S. I'm pretty sure that the dried rice noodles (banh pho) are soaked in water to which yellow food coloring has been added. You can add a little ground turmeric to the soaking water for a natural yellow color. I believe that in making fresh noodles for mi Quang, a little turmeric juice is added.

Again, to move along...

robyn wrote:Interesting that Erik M finds it to be his favorite cold weather dish ... I think one of the reasons I always preferred it to other "soup" noodles in Vietnam is that the broth is so minor to the dish that I could actually eat a whole bowl without breaking out into a ferocious sweat.

I said that it was one of my favourites, yes. But, did I say that I had the need to "sweat ferociously"? No, I did not. I happen to enjoy it in the cooler months because it must contain at least 1000 calories. It has staying power.

robyn wrote:A note on bun mam -- the broth is made with dried fish (there should be plenty of little flakes of fish in the broth), not mam nem. Mam nem is an optional garnish. And pork in bum mam? No way ... this is a fish -- and fishy -- dish through and through. Sweetness is a definate characteristic.

To respond:

1--Before drafting my o.p., three shops in the neighbourhood confirmed the use of mam nem as the basis for the broth. [At least, that is the way that they referred to the jarred/tinned anchovy paste, and it is one which I assume to be a close relation of mam ca (loc/sac) (a paste of mudfish, gouramy, snakehead, etc.) and its Thai sibling, plaa raa.] Based on that fact, I have--howsoever fairly--assumed that to be the standard practice, here. [At any rate, in writing about these matters I have tried to take care in highlighting that these are the culinary practices of the Vietnamese restaurant community, here in Chicago, and that these may be at some remove from those found in the homeland.]

2--IIRC, every shop in the neighbourhood which offers this dish includes some manner of pork.

Exhibit A:

bun mam at Dong Thanh


3--I have been told that the purplish paste, mam tom (which is made from shrimp), is the traditional garnish, and not mam nem, as you suggest. In the Argyle neighbourhood I have requested and received mam tom before, but it is not generally offered.

E.M.

My appetite whetted by the scrumptious pictures Erik posted, I ambled over to Dong Ky this Saturday, my mind firmly set upon sampling a bowl of mi quang. As I sat down, I decided that one of the few advantages of being situated in a strip mall (in addition to convenient parking), is the ambient light pouring in through the windows, making for a very pleasant and well-lit lunchtime experience. It wasn't long before I began making goo-goo faces at one of two doe-eyed little tykes attired in matching pink coats and pig-tails. This practice usually spirals out of control, but what can I say -- I'm a sucker for little button-eyed asian girls sporting pig-tails, of which there seems to be an inexhaustible supply. Everytime I've gone to Dong Ky, there always seems to be Vietnamese/Cao Zhou family in attendance, which is a good sign. I've also spotted a few local African- and Hispanic-American families whom I recognize from the neighborhood, and coincidentally, never see dining on Argyle. I asked my local letter-carrier one time why she never ventured a few blocks down, and received a shrug and quizzical look in response. Too far to go?

When the mi quang arrived, I was gratified to see that it was as fabulous in reality as it was in cyberspace. I called for a few slices of jalapeno, shoveled on a heaping teaspoonful of the fried garlic/oil suspension, jumbled the contents of the bowl willy-nilly with my chopsticks, and hefted a skein of yellow noodles to my gaping maw. Ahh...spicy, sweet, minty, and ... crunchy? That would be the deep fried red onion flakes and red cabbage. It could be a crumbled rice cracker as robyn suggests, but I didn't spot one. Mmm ... oniony and garlicy all at once. Since the noodles were so toothsome, I figured them to be made with egg yolk, but the learnéd ones on this forum have since disabused me of that notion. I was quite pleased, particularly when the check came, to learn that this one-dish meal totalled $4.33!

I spent the rest of the day exhaling onion and garlic fumes. Not surprisingly, the next day, my feet found their way to Dong Ky's door once again. I briefly considered opting for the bun mam, but no, my appetite all things alliaceous won out. It was during this second audition that something I had barely noticed the first time, finally registered. The dish was barely tepid. I guess I was so busy devouring my first bowl that I overlooked this. Actually, it was only after I asked for tea instead of ice water that I noticed. The tea was also tepid. Now, this is really a pet peeve of mine. I can understand how, in the interest of efficiency, a cook can have container of mi quang broth ready to sauce some freshly cooked noodles, but cold tea? C'mon. And okay, mi quang is not a noodle soup, which needs to be piping hot and no exceptions, but this was barely room temperature. I debated whether or not to ask the waitress to stick my order in the microwave for a few score more seconds, but decided that for four dollars plus tip, I could afford to get over it. I mentally shrugged and re-commenced the slurping process.

In the end, I have to ask myself: would I ever go back for another bowl of mi quang at Dong Ky? I'm not proud, so I'll say: heck yes. Hey, for four bucks, it was pretty yummy if trifle on the cool side, and so, thanks to Erik for the reco! In fact, I can see myself sneaking in a bowl of mi quang this week before heading down to Farragut's to watch the Sox play. Or maybe, try some of dat dere bun mam...

Boy talk about it's a nothing new world.

Yes, I read the above post, but it was not registering with me at all as I perused the menu at Dong Ky yesterday. Instead, I ordered the mi quang because I was intrigued by its description as "cooked as VN North central style" (being a sucker for anything regional). I just do not eat enough Vietamese food to register items besides pho and those cold noodles with lotsa stuff mixed in (bun). I had no idea what I was getting.

As GWiv might say, I was so happy when my bowl arrived--forgetting what to expect. But look at the picture at the start of this thread. Would not you be happy? What a marvelous array in the bowl: fatty pork chunks (both bits of hock or knuckle and strips of belly), a shrimp, a squid, a hard boiled egg (cooked exceedingly well, just firm), mint, cabbage, all nestled in chewy, wrinkled egg noodles, and as Erik notes, just moistened with a red gravy. Like Titus Wong, I gilded the lily with the pickled jalepenos and the garlic. I also added a dab or two or chile sauce. Great stuff.

I think everyone should be glad for this thread and remember Dong Ky's mi quang!

Vital Information wrote:Instead, I ordered the mi quang because I was intrigued by its description as "cooked as VN North central style" (being a sucker for anything regional).

Mi Quang (pronounced Mee Kwan) has its root in the region of Quang Nam - Da Nang (central VN).
I believe Hai Yen restaurant also has a version of Mi Quang.

robyn wrote:And yow --- what's with the red cabbagge?! I've never seen green cabbage in *any* noodle dish in Vietnam, let alone red (you can only buy red at the stores catering to expats). My quang always arrives with garnishes on the side, just like other Vietnamese noodle "soups" -- mint, basil, banana flower, a romaine-ish type of lettuce ... basically whatever the cook or shop has on hand.

I agree that raw red cabbage or raw western cabbage is just wrong in these noodle dishes, h/w if we're talking cooking with "what's on hand" then it might be just right (since we are in the states). I still would find it exceedingly odd though; Like when I'm served iceberg lettuce w/ my fried Vietnamese springrolls - blech.

Jay K wrote:I agree that raw red cabbage or raw western cabbage is just wrong in these noodle dishes, h/w if we're talking cooking with "what's on hand" then it might be just right (since we are in the states). I still would find it exceedingly odd though; Like when I'm served iceberg lettuce w/ my fried Vietnamese springrolls - blech.

In Chicago, at least, shredded red cabbage is commonly served with a number of soup noodle dishes. Bun Bo Hue, Bun Rieu, Bun Oc, and Bun Mam/Nuoc Leo come immediately to mind.

E.M.

I looooove Dong Ky. Now I have to go there. Soon.

Nghe wrote:I believe Hai Yen restaurant also has a version of Mi Quang.

Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

I eat at Hai Yen quite often, but for whatever reason I had never taken note of mi Quang on the menu.


Hai Yen's mi Quang


a delicious jumble

The version here is markedly different from that of Dong Ky. I would even say that I preferred it.

For the version here, dried wide banh pho (rice) noodles had been tinged with tumeric, giving them a lovely yellow hue.

The assortment of meats here included ground pork, slices of "fresh bacon," pork rib segments, and poached shrimp.

Garnishes here included peanuts, bean sprouts, perilla, leaf lettuce, mint, basil, chrysanthemum, sliced banana blossom, lime, and a rice cracker.

The "broth" here amounted to roughly one cup. And, unlike the rich, full-bodied broth of Dong Ky, this was very clean and light.


I really enjoyed this dish.

E.M.

Update: Mi Quang at Hai Yen is no more...

I called ahead for pickup, and used the number system. I found that out when I got home...

BUT the dish taking its place was really very good! #56: Grilled Marinated Pork rolled in steamed Vietnamese rice crepes...

Every cloud does have a silver lining...

CrazyC wrote:Update: Mi Quang at Hai Yen is no more...

I called ahead for pickup, and used the number system. I found that out when I got home...

BUT the dish taking its place was really very good! #56: Grilled Marinated Pork rolled in steamed Vietnamese rice crepes...

Every cloud does have a silver lining...

Number 28D is gone???
I will be there this Sunday. I'll check it out.
http://chicago.menupages.com/restaurantdetails.asp?areaid=0&restaurantid=9677&neighborhoodid=0&cuisineid=69

Hmmm... Interesting 28D on menupages.com's menu is 56 on my old menu. But either way, 28D is not on the takeout menu I just took from Hai Yen...

I also called when I got home. Mi Quang is not longer available...

Tried the MiQuang at Dongky which was pretty good; Despite my earlier comment, I find that I enjoyed the red cabbage in the noodle. The egg noodle was quite al-dente - could have used a little longer soak in the boiling water, but again I enjoyed nonethelss - I liked the variety of "toppings" in the noodle. Think I'll go try the MiQuang at other locales - thanks for the introduction to this noodle, Erik.

Oddly enough, very near the time CrazyC noticed that mi Quang had been dropped from Hai Yen's menu it appeared as a special offering at Pho Xe Lua:





Odder still, and as the above photos might show, the version at Pho Xe Lua is nearly identical to that of Hai Yen.

Try it, it's good stuff.

Pho Xe Lua
1021 W. Argyle
773.275.7512
(Closed Thursdays)


E.M.

I love this place and eat here regularly... they do many things well, but the fried pork chops (with rice bits and chinese sausage) ,vietnamese shuimai (kind of a big meatball in broth),"radish cake"and lemon beef salad (which they will also make with chicken on request) are always great. Over the course of many years, this has been one of the most consistent restaurants we visit.

LTH,

Went down to Argyle with Mike Sula (m'th'su) this weekend which, of course, necessitated a visit to Broadway Supermarket for Cha Cha Sunflower seeds. We were talking about where to have lunch when it occurred to us the answer was right in front of us, Dong Ky.

3-4 years ago I was a regular at Dong Ky for pho and combination plate lunches, but it had been a while, no real reason, aside from the fact I seem to get into a rut of the same 2-3 Argyle street places, currently it's Tank, Sun Wah and Hoang Thanh, though after Saturday's lunch Dong Ky is firmly back in the lineup.

We started with Banh Cuon Saigon Crepes (#55, combination stuffed steamed rice crepes with sausage and crispy shrimp cake). Tender steamed rice noodle, two types of Vietnamese sausage, one evocative of headcheese, which one often encounters in banh mi, and a pink gelatinous, surprisingly bland sausage. The shrimp cake spoke to Southern style corn muffins and was quite moist, a better example of the breed than usual. An overall pleasing dish.

Banh Cuon Saigon Crepes


One glance at my rice place [sic] and I was reminded why I had been a regular. Flavorful bone-in pork chop resting on a juice absorbing bed of rice accompanied by deliciously gelatinous shredded pork skin, runny yoke fried egg and a few veggies tossed in for good measure. Pork chop was particularly good, tender with a light glaze, not falling prey to the palate pounding saltiness one so often encounters.

Com Tam Bi Suon Trung Ap La (#65 Steamed rice with a grilled pork chop, shredded pork and fried egg.)


Good as the aforementioned were the clear winner of the day was Dong Ky's Bun Bo Hue, which Mike ordered. I've long been a fan of Dong Thanh's Bun Bo Hue, but the last few times, one as recently as April, it seems to be missing a step, so I was particularly happy with the bright clear flavor, noticeable, but not overpowering, heat and and overall composition of Dong Ky's Bun Bo Hue.

Bun Bo Hue (#51 Hue style noodles soup)


Veg plate which accompanies Bun Bo Hue


Dong Ky has a nice selection of table side condiments, including fried garlic and pickled jalapeno.


As Titus Wong mentions upthread Dong Ky has a couple of advantages right from the start, convenient parking and lovely lunch hour light streaming in though the windows. Combined with well spaced tables, efficient service very good food and reasonable prices I'm wondering why I'm not going to Dong Ky for lunch today.

Enjoy,
Gary

Dong Ky
4877 N. Broadway
773-989-5579
Chicago, IL

Broadway Supermarket
4879 N. Broadway
Chicago, IL

Dong Thanh
4925 N Broadway St Ste B
Chicago IL
773-275-4928

Have you tried the vietnamese shui mai from the appetizer section of the menu? Essentially a big soft meatball in a small bowl of a delicate cilantro scented broth the presentation is much different from other sui mai's I've had.This is big favorite with the kuhdo clan and might be something worth a try on your next visit.

LTH,

Had another very nice lunch at Dong Ky yesterday, loosely rolled spring rolls, herbal with just firm shrimp, bright flavored lemon beef salad and crisp, greaseless Banh Xeo.

Goi Cuon (spring rolls)


Bo Tai Chanh (lemon beef salad)


Banh Xeo (Vietnamese crepe)


We split a pho, would have had Bun Bo Hue but my lunch companion is spice adverse. Pho was fine, nice 'bounce' to the meatballs, bits of offal and med rare slices of beef, though the broth, while tasty, lacked the depth of Tank.

Pho

kuhdo wrote:Have you tried the vietnamese shui mai from the appetizer section of the menu? Essentially a big soft meatball in a small bowl of a delicate cilantro scented broth the presentation is much different from other sui mai's I've had.

Not yesterday as I geared ordering toward my friend Jan, but your description sounds delicious.

Enjoy,
Gary

Bumping a great old thread to point out that Pho 777 serves a delicious version of mi quang that appears to be more orthodox than what is on offer at Dong Ky -- at least according to the authoritative excerpts cited above. The 777 ingredients are of an overall higher quality (soft boiled quail eggs deserve special note), the noodles are "correct," and the garnishes are served on the side. All of that said, I'll admit to liking the Dong Ky version just as much. The rich, murky broth, orthodox or not, is hard to beat. I love pho but mi quang is my favorite Vietnamese noodle dish by far.

Mi Quang @ Dong Ky = a' big ol' bowl of Yummmmm by Man_of Steel, on Flickr

A Big Bowl of YUMMMM (to paraphrase Larry David's sidekick - Jeff Garvin )


Dong Ky by Man_of Steel, on Flickr
Dong Ky- a messed up name for a place- in English translation- but a warm and cozy Chicago


Mi Quang + "A-Big-Bowl-Of-YUMMM" by Man_of Steel, on Flickr

Simply-the best bowl of
"Mì Quảng" in Chicago.

In Vietnam- it's quite common to find street sellers of this amazing dish.
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mì_Quảng" rel="nofollow">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mì_Quảng</a>

For me- this is a complete meal in a Bowl.

Protein,w/ a piece of Pork. A Shrimp or Two. A piece of Squid. A Fish Ball. Even a Scallop. Rice Noodles-hit w/Tumeric.
A Little Broth- golden and saffron colored-
maybe a hint of coconut milk flavor- yet savory and rich.
Green Mint. Green Cilantro. Green Scallions.Red Cabbage.Sprinkle of Crispy Onions.Sprinkle of Chopped Peanuts.
OMG- So Good.....and- did I mention
it's only US $5.95-
for this "Big Bowl of YUMMMM"!???!

Ya can't beat it.
Mì Quảng ( = ) "A-Big-Bowl-Of-YUMMM" ©

I was going to post this over on the Lunch for under $5 thread, but figured Dong Ky should get more coverage on its main thread. During our previous pho crawl it didn't get much attention because the pho was pretty lackluster, however that doesn't mean some other dishes can't be pretty awesome, especially for the price. One of my favorites, pictured below is the Banh Cu Cai Chein, in english- fried radish cake. And it costs a whopping $3.50. It consists of some deliciously gooey-in-the-center egg fried to a crisp on the exterior, chewy charred Banh Cu Cai (radish cake made with rice flour and daikon), sweet chinese sausage, green onion, and dried shrimp. It comes with a soy based dipping sauce with some floating crispy tangy pickles. It's big enough to fill you up for $3.50, which makes it just about the cheapest lunch I can think of.


Banh Cu Cai Chein - fried radish cake.


Side of dipping sauce with tangy crispy pickles.

laikom wrote:
Banh Cu Cai Chein - fried radish cake.

This looks like a variant of bot chien, banh cu cai bot chien specifically. Bot chien is typically a street food and not too common in the states. A classic bot chien has fried rice cakes instead of the radish. I tend to prefer the rice cake version better because I find the texture of properly fried rice cakes to be crispier and chewier than other filler choices such as radish cake, taro, or pasta (yes, pasta).

Thanks for this find. I've been hoping for a good bot chien in Chicago for a long time. I'll give it a try soon.

Props to Laikom for directing my attention to
Dong Ky's "Appetizer" section......where- generally- I'm
so singularly focused on the "Mi Quang" (pictured above), that I'm often not
considering anything else- since I find a Big-Bowl-Of-Yummm=
"Mi Quang" is so satisfying in & of itself......


Banh Khoai Mon Chein @ $3.25 &gt; Taro Root Cakes + Omelet Appetizer by Man_of Steel, on Flickr

What a savory and satisfying dish for two to share......plenty of flavors and tasty "cakes" to go around.


Dipping Sauce + Pickled Vegetables &gt; Banh Khoai Mon Chein (fried taro root cake) $3.25 by Man_of Steel, on Flickr
I will add that the flavor of the pickles and dipping sauce is equally satisfyingly good.
OK- I'll admit- a squirt of the Red-Rooster-Sauce
(Siracha) does add to the tasty-ness of the Taro Root Cakes-
but,
that's just me....

Dong Ky
4877 N Broadway St.
(Between Ainslie & Gunnison)
Chicago 60640
773.989.5579

My favorite dish @ Dong Ky-
that BIG-BOWL-Of-YUMMMM- call Mi Quang-
has suffered- a Price Increase


Mi Quang's Price Increase ;( by Man_of Steel, on Flickr

although- still a great value !

Just the Mi Quang increased, I take it? I was just there the other day to try the taro cake instead of my regular radish cake. It was still $3.XX a few weeks ago. I must say, while I liked the taro version, the radish will remain my go-to. A bit more textural, lighter, and more flavorful. There is just something that seems almost healthy about the radish cake omelet! This radish cake is one of the two reasons I stop into Broadway Market to shop. The other being the convenient parking.

Hello,

On Sunday, I made a special trip to Dong Ky to try the radish cake and mi quang. I enjoyed the radish cake. It's a substantial appetizer and I think it's the accompanying sauce that really makes it standout. The mi quang was very good. Their version had much more broth than in it than other versions I've eaten recently and was rich in flavor. Dong Ky' uses skinnier white noodles. I'm used to the yellow wider noodles which seem a bit chewier. At first I was a bit letdown, but as I dug into the bowl I got used to it. The noodles still had some resistance to them and did not get mushy sitting in the broth. In terms of contents, 1/2 a boiled egg, hunks of pork, a couple pork belly slices, squid, fish balls, red cabbage, and mint. I enjoyed the mint as well as the garlic in oil sitting on the table. My husband ordered the salt and pepper shrimp and fried rice. Both well done. My son got the pan fried noodles with chicken and vegetables- i had to add a bit more soy sauce to bring it up to the seasoning level I like, but other than that, i thought it was well executed. The noodles had a nice char on them and they tasted super fresh.

It's been a few years since I've been to Dong Ky so was happy to rediscover it as it's one of the best priced places around in this neighborhood. I also enjoy the grocery store next door and the parking.

After the snow subsides- what a better way to "warm-your-soul" than
with some of Chicago's best Vietnamese Home Style cooking?!!


Dong Ky's amazing Chicken Stir-Fried w/LemonGrass - OMG!!! by Man_of Steel, on Flickr

Stopped in for some LemonGrass Chicken-Spicy-please!?! and
a side order of the now famous Radish Cake Appetizer

Dong Ky was hittin' on All 8 Cylinders this week- yummious Radish Cakes- OMG!!! by Man_of Steel, on Flickr

The food was amazingly fresh- and service warm and effeicent.
And - FREE parking is never an issue in this huge parking lot.
Dong Ky's magnetic pull from any points in Edgewater + Loyola + Uptown is quite strong-
and once you taste their cooking will find your self equally "pulled-in" for some great homestyle
Vietnamese Cuisine.

Dong Ky Restaurant
4877 N. Broadway (across from The Uptown PostOffice)
Chicago,IL
773.989.5579