Hong Hai Dining Takes You Back To Vietnam And Beyond

If you have followed me on Social Media, you probably notice that I check in at Pho restaurants quite often. I was first introduced to Pho in early 90’s. Strangely enough I didn’t care for it at all and shied away from it for many many years. In Spring of 2000, another Vietnamese co-worker invited me to lunch. I told her I didn’t like rare beef, she told me I could ask for well done. I hesitantly agreed to go. This time, it was love at first bite! I loved it so much that sometimes I would eat it 3 times a week. To tell you the truth, I could probably eat it everyday! But Vietnamese cuisine is so much more than Pho.

There are countless Vietnamese restaurants in Little Saigon. If you are not familiar with Orange County, Little Saigon centers around Westminster and adjacent cities like Garden Grove and Fountain Valley. Hong Hai Dining maybe the new kid in town but the Hong Hai name is very well-known in Saigon, Vietnam. Renowned for its fresh seafood and innovative interpretation of Vietnamese cuisine, Hong Hai Seafood brings its tradition and philosophy to Hong Hai Dining in Fountain Valley.

The restaurant decor is clean, modern and minimalist. The huge canvas of images display the fresh ingredients and spices used in creating the distinctive specialty dishes. One can not pass the signature appetizer, the Spring Rolls. Thin transparent rice wrapper rolled up with fresh vegetables, vermicelli and grilled beef served with hoisin sauce, peanuts and pickled string carrot/daikon. You can also order it with shrimp, chicken or pork. I really liked the grilled beef, much more flavorful because the beef was marinated. I also liked that it was not filled with too much vermicelli which could make it too heavy of an appetizer. I sometimes get extra orders to go and have them as lunch because it’s so healthy and diet friendly when I want a light but satisfying meal. There are many drinks and smoothies on the menu and we chose Strawberry Limeade Soda and Hong Hai Smoothie. Both were great and refreshing. I particularly recommend the Hong Hai Smoothie made with mixed Berries, banana, and Greek yogurt. Light, smooth and creamy, it was delicious! One of the special dish that you don’t find in most Vietnamese restaurants was this Spicy Clam Soup. The spiciness comes from thinly sliced ginger and can be cooked to your preference. We asked for medium but next time I would go with mild because there were a lot of ginger in it. This soup has many medicinal benefits and would be perfect on a cold day. The Shaky Beef (or Shaken Beef) is a French influenced modern Vietnamese dish. Tender cubes of filet mignon stir-fried with green pepper and onion, served with salad and rice. Allen loved this dish.
I had to have my Pho! I chose Filet Mignon with Meatball and asked for the beef well done. The broth was rich but not greasy. I usually prefer broth more on the savory side, this was a tad bit on the sweeter side so I used a little more lime juice to balance it out. The filet mignon was very tender and I savored every bite and every spoonful! Ending our fabulous dinner was this scrumptious Chocolate Lava Cake with Berry Sauce and a side of Vanilla Ice Cream. Beautifully presented, the warm chocolate cake oozing melted chocolate went perfectly with the cold vanilla ice cream. There was no sweeter ending than this! 

There are still so many delicious dishes on the menu like Rice Plates, Fried Rice, Vermicelli and Salad. The restaurant is very family friendly and even has Kids Meals! Wine and beer are also served to compliment your meal. The restaurant is conveniently located near freeway 405 at the corner of Magnolia and Talbert. And the best part – there is plenty of parking!! Yes, no need to fight for a parking space or circle around for 15 minutes or longer for someone to leave.

I can’t wait to go back and try more of the tantalizing dishes! Are you coming with me?

Hong Hai Dining
18041 Magnolia St
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714) 968-2199
Sunday & Tuesday – Thursday 11:00am to 9:30pm
Friday & Saturday 11:00am to 10:00pm