Mama's Kitchen — Restaurant in Evansville

We've been shopping at Aihua's for over a decade. When she opened the tiny little restaurant in a corner of the grocery store my husband and I kept meaning to stop and try it. Busy lives and hectic schedules got in the way that is until today.

Having a rare afternoon off together seemed the perfect opportunity to sample some of the tempting dishes displayed on the menu board. My husband ordered the Korean Bibimbap and I ordered Pad Thai Noodles. Aihua and her family/staff make everything while you wait. The smells emanating from the open kitchen were an intoxicating mix of garlic, ginger, sesame and other savoury scents. We watched as each diner's food was finished and it all looked amazing.

The Pad Thai was the first to arrive. A heaping plate of rice noodles, tofu, crisp vegetables and tender meat topped off with crunchy peanuts and tangy lime. Oh my! that first bite was so good. the noodles were firm and perfectly cooked the vegetables were crisp and tender and with a squeeze of the lime and a teensy bit of the chili oil they keep on the table, it was the absolute best Pad Thai we've ever had.

Then the Bibimbap arrived. A bowl of perfectly seasoned rice surrounded by portions of kim chee, pickled bean sprouts, wilted spinach, sauteed beef, assorted pickles and Korean condiments all topped off with a fried egg. We were initially mildly disappointed that the egg had been hard cooked but we chopped it up and mixed it into the rice anyway.

I have no idea if there is a "traditional way" you are supposed to eat Bibimbap. What I always do is smash up my egg into the rice then take a small bite from one of the bits on the side with a small bite of rice. As I work my way through the dish I like to combine bits of beef with kim chee or pickled radish with the wilted spinach. No bite is ever the same but each bite is delicious.

So I scooped up a small bit of incredibly tender, flavorful beef, the perfectly cooked rice and bit of egg for good measure. The egg which we were at first sad about turned out to be a gem. Crisp edged with an unfamiliar spice that set it off to perfection. So delicious. Each element was so well crafted from the kim chee to the spinach to the beef that they were delicious on their own but played beautifully with everything else.

The plate of THE BEST PAD THAI EVER sat lonely and abandoned off to one side. Occasionally we'd glance over it and we both were thinking "That was good but I can't stop eating this."

The Pad Thai is waiting to be tomorrows lunch (Portions are huge) and the Bibimbap is a fond memory. We'll definitely be making this one of...

It's an awesome HUGE colorful and fortified market... has pretty much everything. Love this shop I frequent for my middle eastern food ingredients since B-Won Food Market closed. . Prices are very, VERY competitive with their fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs, and international oddities.Two walls are bordered with freezers full of every packaged food imaginable. Frozen and fresh shell fish, meat products, baking ingredients, and even cheeses border the remaining walls.. Surpasses Walmart and other places in price and bulk, even though some products aren't as "pretty" as others.

Due to a normal language barrier, I have a tough time getting a point across or being helped except when the owner, Aihua, is there... who is very friendly and helpful.! She's a brilliant business woman.

Location is ideal off Green River Road, east of the Showplace Cinema I-Max that faces Morgan Aven. HOWEVER, if you're turning LEFT from the street, there's a strange loop around a long concrete median to get to its parking lot that appears unnecessary in my opinion. . I think the design could...

This place........ The entrés are very flavorful! The Vietnamese Noodle Soup (phó) has a more traditional broth with some fish sauce already added. The meat is actually cooked somewhat in the wok prior to adding to the broth. As an acid phó fan, even though they only add some flank & small meatballs... Very very worth the try & satisfying. My friends also tried the beef noodle soup ( looked like soba noodles) & their take on bibimbap also got the thumbs up.

The crab Rangoon is good in taste but not as potent in crab flavoring as some others. The dumplings and steamed pork bun both have the same filling comprised of ground pork & scallions... Different from a typical BBQ pork steamed bun or siaopao with meat, sauce, and egg (sometimes) within. The taste is good and the complimentary Mang Tomas sauce helped me compensate for lack of sauce in the steamed bun.

Another plus about this place is being adjoined with the market next door... All your favorite condiments are readily available and the store itself is quite legit.

Will definitely be back on future visits...