Hai Chi Em Modern Vietnamese Cuisine — Restaurant in Vancouver

We visited this place today and what a good decision that was. The restaurant is not that big which is perfectly fine. What's more important is that it's very clean. Decor is modern, and even the music that they play fits the atmosphere of this place. Very friendly staff that is not constantly around you which is nice to see. Food... Well as.much as we liked all of the above it's the food that will bring us back for sure. We had lemongrass chicken wings and although you can get wings in all or most Vietnamese restaurants, these are on the next level. Not only are they cooked perfectly but also flavors, garnish and taste and ...well it all just works really really well. We also had a vermicelli dish. Another win. Portion is generous even for a medium to large tall active man like me. So you will not leave the table hungry for sure. It tastes great. The ingredients are nicely proportioned. I'll order it again. We had some sugarcane juice and lychee guava drinks. Both really really good. Perhaps a bit too much ice for our liking but most people like ice so nothing wrong really. The lychee drink was especially a surprise...so refreshing and not too sweet. Perfect summer drink. Finally...the menu. How refreshing it is to see a place like this to have a simple proper menu. No need to read a book to decide. Two pages including drinks and all that they offer. Perfect. This way they can focus on what they do week as opposed to focus on how many 100s of offerings they need to learn. Yes , I highly recommend this place. You won't regret it and yes ... We will...

Probably one of the best chicken wings in Metro Vancouver. But then again, everything tastes better when it’s made with butter (especially Garlic Butter 🤣). I’m talking about their Crispy Garlic Butter Wings topped with crispy topping. Marinated perfectly. The toppings were also very good. 😋

Crispy Lemongrass Chicken Wings was ok. Not as good as the Garlic Butter Wings.

The #10 Lemongrass Chicken & Spring Roll Vermicelli Bowl was also another dish I would recommend. The fish sauce that accompanied the bowl was also very good. I think it was the taste of lime that brought the sauce to the next level.

Lemongrass Chicken Baguette tasted better than some of the other sandwiches I’ve had. I think it’s the house sauce that separated the taste from other Vietnamese sandwiches.

Duck Noodle Soup with Bamboo Shoots. Was a last minute decision because they were out of the dish we wanted (Dry Mix Noodle). The Duck Noodle Soup had a good serving of duck. Broth was also very good.

Vietnamese Ice Coffee came already made. I much prefer the drip ones instead; that way I know it’s fresh. Especially if it’s going to cost me $6. 😬 Apparently you have to ask for the drip version. Which I did not know.

#3 Braised Crispy Chicken Noodle Soup had a small amount of noodle that I’m not accustomed to. The herbal broth was very good. Would have preferred it to be a bit stronger. Chicken was served on the side.

Service was very friendly and the food...

It took a while to finally make our way here after the grand opening. Tony (the owner) and his family run a busy business. That's a good thing when you see a place filled consistently.

We were seated right away even without reservations. Being the first customers there for the night, it was quiet enough to share with the waiter our nut allergies concern. He advised us a few dishes to avoid while recommending a few others..

The menu selection was pretty good. We decided on the fish sauce chicken wings, both the spicy beef and the regular beef bone pho, chicken curry and the crab fried rice. The food came out at a good pace and we waited for everything to arrive (had to get that social media shot) before chowing down. The wings smelled wonderful. Lots of garlic! One bite and I knew these were why they are one of their best sellers. Our kids devoured their phos while my wife and I had our fill of the curry and fried rice. Overall, one of the tastiest meals I've had out in a LONG time. Not overly salted with each plate having just the right amount of spices to complement the entire dish without drowning out the main ingredients. I liked the chicken curry had not just carrots and potatoes in it but mushrooms and I believe purple yam/potato in it too.

I'm looking forward to going back often and surely recommend anyone looking for a new Vietnamese restaurant to try out...give...