Hoàng Gia Quán — Restaurant in Houston

So I’ve been all over the US of A hunting for the best Vietnamese Crepe or Pancake (Bánh Xèo). If you read my other reviews then you knew a restaurant in Austin (Sunflower) won that elusive “best” title.

But move over, Sunflower, because now you have been dethroned. The King of all and every Vietnamese Crepes that’ve ever existed, is none other from the ones from Hoang Gia Quan in southwest Houston that is located not quite in the heart of Asian town, but not far from it either.

A total nondescript kind of restaurant sandwiched between 2 other larger nondescript establishments (if you blink you may miss it), Hoang Gia Quan fights, and wins, for its supreme, king-of-all Crepes with grace, deliciousness, uniqueness, crunchiness, premium-ness, and value.

Folks, the almost summa-cum-laude 4.8 star rating of this restaurant on Google Map, as of the time of this review, is real. Stepping inside this restaurant, you will be greeted by the most graceful restaurant owner ever lived. But that’s beside the point, as we are talking about the quality of the food, in particular about the crepe here….So here it goes: a sumptuous crepe dish that is crunchy but not hard, not as crunchy soft as Sunflower’s, but just right. Inside, chunky bits of seafood abound: plumb whole shrimp, juicy scallops, and twisty squid chunks. Each seafood piece is perfectly stir-fried alongside the crepe’s crust, permeating your taste buds with each of their distinct seafood aroma. And this premium seafood “topping” appears to be standard as we are not aware of any other options. That works perfectly fine for us.

And the greens that come with each crepe are as equally sumptuous: lots of it, and unique. You will get green-leaf lettuce, varieties of different herbs, cheery carrot noodles, and a green leaf wrap that we have not experienced anywhere else: “Lá Cải Xanh.” We don’t know the English translation for this green but it perfectly serves as a wrapper to roll the crepe neatly in, ready to be dipped into fish sauce. Lá Cải Xanh is not easy to break as lettuce, as if the leaf has a built-in anti-breakage additive, and has a distinct slightly spicy taste that adds a “kick” to one’s gastronomic experience.

So read this and look at our pictures and decide for yourselves. We travel near and far, almost to all 50 states of the country, and 3 continents. We sample pad thai, tom kha, pho and Vietnamese crepes wherever we go, always try to seek out the best of the best. And to our experienced taste buds, a new King of the Vietnamese Crepes has been born.

And did we mention the restaurant’s owner as the most gracious restauranteur ever lived? She will greet you, bring you shrimp crackers, ask you if everything is alright, and bring you Chè Khoai Môn, a sweet taro root treat, to finish your meal. The restaurant is clean whenever we are there, each tabletop is neatly wrapped in tidy white paper cover, like a present that can’t wait to get unwrapped. And you bet every time we visit Hoang Gia Quan we always have that exciting feel of unwrapping a present of culinary...

Hoàng Gia Quán is a fantastic spot for anyone craving authentic Vietnamese food. The restaurant specializes in bánh canh (thick noodle soup), so I decided to try the Sài Gòn-style bánh canh, and it was truly delicious, especially with the crispy fried dough sticks served on the side. I also ordered bánh xèo. The crispy pancake was perfectly fried, filled with shrimp, squid, and scallops, and served with a generous plate of fresh herbs and a rich dipping sauce that made the dish irresistible. I also tried their sugarcane juice and pennywort with mung bean drink, both of which were very refreshing. The owner even offered complimentary chè (sweet soup) and shrimp chips. I also took home a portion of grilled meat. Overall, the flavors were excellent, and the food was of high quality. The staff were very friendly and easy to talk to. The restaurant is also known for its grilled fish with crispy skin, which I plan to try on...

I'm having a wonderful lunch with my best friend at this restaurant. The food is incredibly delicious, and the service is outstanding. To top it off, we were pleasantly surprised with a complimentary dessert. We had such a great experience that we will definitely be coming back!

Update: come back today with my husband still had a wonderful experience, they give you some appetizers when you waiting for food, staffing well training, restaurant clean and food is yummy. I am currently enjoying a delightful lunch with my closest friend at a renowned restaurant. The culinary offerings are exceptionally delectable, and the service is impeccable. To conclude this memorable experience, we were graciously provided with a complimentary dessert.

The exceptional quality of our dining experience has left us with a strong desire to return.

1000% recommended to support this...