Mot Hai Ba
Asian fusion restaurant · Belmont ·
French-Vietnamese fusion with Texan & seafood influences; intimate space
French-Vietnamese fusion with Texan & seafood influences; intimate space
"When a chef opens a buzzy new restaurant on the other side of town from his nearly 10-year-old spot—Mot Hai Ba, a Lakewood neighborhood staple—you’d think the newborn would get all the attention. But Mot Hai Ba is as consistently great today as it was when it was the new kid on the block, a come-as-you-are joint with unusual Vietnamese food from a Serbian chef that’s still special enough for a birthday or anniversary dinner. There are crowdpleasing classics like kimchi foie gras dumplings, garlic noodles, and binchotan-grilled fish, but should you feel a little more adventurous, you might find yourself ordering the escargot bolognese-stuffed agnolotti, because the server’s suggestions haven’t missed all evening." - rosin saez, nick rallo, kevin gray, kevin gray, kevin gray, rosin saez, nick rallo, nick rallo, rosin saez, rosin saez, nick rallo, rosin saez, nick rallo, nick rallo, rosin saez, nick rallo, rosin saez, rosin saez, nick rallo, rosin saez, rosin saez, nick rallo, nick rallo, rosin saez, nick rallo, rosin saez, nick rallo
"When a chef opens a buzzy new restaurant on the other side of town from his nearly 10-year-old spot—Mot Hai Ba, a Lakewood neighborhood staple—you’d think the newborn would get all the attention. But Mot Hai Ba is as consistently great today as it was when it was the new kid on the block, a come-as-you-are joint with unusual Vietnamese food from a Serbian chef that’s still special enough for a birthday or anniversary dinner. There are crowdpleasing classics like kimchi foie gras dumplings, garlic noodles, and binchotan-grilled fish, but should you feel a little more adventurous, you might find yourself ordering the escargot bolognese-stuffed agnolotti, because the server’s suggestions haven’t missed all evening. RESERVE A TABLE WITH RESERVE A TABLE" - Rosin Saez
"Chef Peja Krstic has one of the most interesting culinary minds in Dallas. He serves food influenced by French and Vietnamese flavors and techniques, with some dishes more obviously one than the other. For the past year, though, Krstic has been veering away from those limitations: The menu features a heavy Texas influence and a good amount of seafood from the Northeast, like skin-on Massachusetts black bass caramelized onion and apple chutney or eggplant curry roasted over charcoal. His efforts have been recognized — the Lakewood restaurant earned a Bib Gourmand at the 2024 Texas Michelin ceremony. The dining room atmosphere feels like something between an intimate French bistro by way of New Orleans and a homey, family-owned restaurant. Must-try dish: The garlic noodles, hidden away on the menu as a side, are a crowd favorite." - Courtney E. Smith
"Tucked into the cozy Lakewood neighborhood in East Dallas, Serbian chef Peja Krstic’s place serves inventive Vietnamese–French fusion with imaginative, vibrant plates such as grilled duck hearts with ginger- and lemongrass-perfumed congee, “Shaking Beef,” and eggplant curry." - AFAR
"Chef Peja Krstic has one of the most interesting culinary minds in Dallas. His Lakewood restaurant serves French-Vietnamese fusion, with some dishes that are more obviously one than the other. But calling it “fusion” feels like a limited description. The menu also features a heavy Texas influence and a good amount of seafood from the Northeast; the dining room is something between an intimate French bistro by way of New Orleans and a homey, family-owned restaurant." - Courtney E. Smith