Mi La Cay Restaurant
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
19 reviews
San Jose, CA
"When I want to stay in I get me some House of Chu!! It's soooo good. My favorite is the house special beef. i also get pork fried rice,…" read more »
36 Reviews for Mi La Cay Restaurant
There are certian places where it is in your lunch time rotation during the week and Mi La Cay is one of those places. There is enough reviews to know what they serve. Order the mi la cay and ask for the soup to be on the side in a big bowl. Use your soup spoon to put in the right amount of soup to your liking and chow away!
The cubed meat and rice is good too.
Hey for $5.50 for a bowl of pretty large noodles you can't really go wrong....
We came here for dinner last night since I was totally craving a hot bowl of noodles and I was satisfied. My bf and I ordered the #1 with soup on the side and the noodle soup with the fat thick white noodles.
The #1 was pretty good...tasty with the fried chicken, veggies and broth on the side. Compared to the other dish this broth was a little on the bland side.
The fat white noodles with the broth was my favorite. It had various types of meat in it along with shrimp and the fried prawn cracker. The broth in this one was to die for! I absolutely loved it. Eat this with some picked jalepenos and soy sauce and you're set!
We ordered a combination seafood chow fun but I didn't try it since we packed it to go for the lil bro. But noodles and rice plates here tend to run around $7.15.
Overall good...I'd definitely go back. For 4 bowls of noodles, 2 sweet drinks, an order of chow fun and I believe complimentary tea and water, total came out to $37.
4.25 So one day we were getting our pho on at some chinee spot in the city and Omar B, who for those of you who don't know has a fetish for new concotions although he doesn't like fusion, go figure, has this great new marketing concept for pho restaurants. I would say he's a pretty avid pho diner.
http://www.yelp.com/us...
Ok so we are at one of those pho places where you can get five-spiced chicken, bbq chicken, etc, etc. He gets his large bowl of #1 and I get my chicken and broken rice, but i don't finish my chicken and he's been eyeing the breastests oh oh sorry leg the entire meal. I tell him to bust it and he proceeds to dip the leg into whatever is left of his pho. He looks at me, looks at his pho, looks at the bbq chicken leg and is like what if we opened a pho and bbq restuarant. The idea being we can market to all the asian peeps with pho noodles and all the other folks with bbq. We could name it "Pho-Q" and it would blow up! Say Pho-Q out loud slowly if you don't get it. Come on now Pho Q!@$%^&*(?
Well that never happened but the pho and chicken at Mi La Cay is quality. I actually had the fried chicken and pho, mmmmmmm!!!!!!!!! The broth is always the test for pho and it was really well balanced and not to greasy especially considering there was a fried chicken leg in there. Also got a strawberrry smoothie, mmmm!!!!!!!!! Wasn't too heavy, but more on the slushy side.
East side right, well there is parking and it is way above average on the cleanliness scale for an asian spot. Service is good, but i was there in between lunch and dinner. I wonder if they pack'em? I'll be back.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (2)
Cool (2)
One of my favorite places to eat lunch with my parents. I usually order the ga roti with red rice (I think it comes with fried rice, but they'll make it with red rice if you ask). My mom's order usually switches, and my dad always gets #1 (and I get the shrimp thing that comes with it!). It's pretty good. Really filling.
But my favorite part about Mi La Cay is their suong sa hot luu! Yummyyy =)
** UPDATE **
I went again and ordered the #1 to go, with the soup on the side (based on suggestion of a yelper). At time of ordering I still didn't know what to expect. While waiting I saw a guy eating a bowl of flat noodles that look really good, so I was hoping that's what I was getting. When I got home I found out that the noodle I ordered wasn't flat, and the taste was really bland. The fried chicken was just ok, I didn't care about the fried wonton skin thing with shrimp??
***
I saved a lot of restaurants on my GPS based on yelp reviews. I wanted to hit as many as I can this summer while I'm here (I'm doing a summer internship). So the other day, I just picked Mi La Cay randomly from the list for dinner. I completely forgot that I should have ordered the mi la cay!! duh!! There were only 2 other people when I arrived, and they were eating something with rice. So I settled with the combination fried rice because I thought it would be a safe choice. Usually I can judge a restaurant based on their simple fried rice. But hmm the fried rice was alright. The portion was smaller than I expected for $7.50 I was hoping I could have leftover for next day lunch. Anyways there were a bunch of people coming in after me and they all ordered the same thing. I guess that must be the mi la cay! I will come back and try it next time.
Love their #1 Noodles with separate soup! It has veggies, chicken, fried wonton, and all the good stuff.
2.5??
Fiance didn't remind me about what to expect here. My pals really like this restaurant but I didn't know what THEY liked and he didn't have a clue himself either. This restaurant has speciality items, so if this is your first time here, make sure you get a recommendation on what to order.
The soup flavor here was indeed very good. I got a #1 with regular rice noodles. It was like a nice home cooked bowl of pho minus the msg. I didn't really eat the fried chicken or the beef. It came with one shrimp. I saw the little fried donuts too late. :( Maybe I don't appreciate asian soup as much as I should. Regular pho joints give me mild heart attacks after I eat. (this one didn't! yay)
BF got the chicken over rice which was really good. It had all kinds of veggies and a nice sauce. Menu is deceiving b/c all it says is "Chicken with rice".
Service was pretty dry & unfriendly. As soon as we were seated a pushy waitress was tapping her fingers for us to order. Geez lady!
I will come back with my friends and have them order me the good stuff. Stay tuned for a new review!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
They have this place in southern california. It was the only restaurant from so cal that I missed after moving to nor cal. After finding it on YELP, I went there the same day...ordered the #1 special and another one TO GO to eat later that night. I got my craving out of the way but it really doesn't compare to the one in Wesminster, which has a more flavorful and greasy (yes the grease is what makes it good) broth. I guess I will come here when I feel like I need an egg noodle fix, but it's just not the same!
This is another one of the restaurants that i've been going to for a while now but never wrote anything about it yet, until today while i was doing something else and saw this on the sidebar.
This place would definately be filed under hole in a wall type of location. In a plaza that is currently being renovated, it is hard to notice it if you didn't already know it's there. It's not spic and span but it is clean enough.
The only thing i've had here was their special, the mi la cay. Egg noodles in a bowl of a piece of fried chicken, pieces of pork, and a "shrimp cake" which is a round piece of batter fried up with a shrimp centered on the surface.
Hole in the, expectations are cheap and tasty food. With that they acheived what they meant to do. No need to get fancy, change the interior or the menu and i'll keep returning for one of my favorite noodle places on mckee.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (3)
I love their soup! Their Mi La Cay is very good. I don't know about others, but when I get noodle soup, I have high expectations for the soup and this place hits the spot.
If you get the dry ones, it's alright but if it is dried noodles, I go to Nam Vang for that.
Their specialty is the Mi La Cay and Hu Tieu La Cay, dry or soupy. It comes with a drum stick, some pork strips, a shrimp, some vegetables. Hu Tieu is the rice noodle and Mi is the egg noodle. The egg noodle, you can choose the regular noodles or the thick ones (pick regular, it goes along with the soup well.) As for dry, the dry ones come with a small bowl of soup and really the same deal as the soupy one.
Take a bite of the chile pepper dripped in vinegar and a bite of your noodle. Ahhh heaven.
If you enjoy soupy noodles, this is the place for you.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
We got the wonton noodle soup and duck noodle soup. The wontons were excellent. The duck in the duck soup was dry. Both had tasty broths but that's because they use a lot of MSG. We were totally feeling it after. I was feeling light headed and was about to pass out. I am pretty sensitive to MSG but my husband isn't and he felt the same effects.
I had the #1, Dry yellow noodles Dac Biet. For $5.50 you can't go wrong, the chicken was crispy and tasty, noodles were yummy and very flavorful. Broth on the side was good.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I first went here in 2000 til recently. I must say the quality is really gone down the hole.
Their specialty Mi Lay Cay is just "ok". The fried chicken that comes with it was probably made the day before since it is always dry and shriveled.
How can you go wrong with fried chicken?
The shrimp cake too is not even fresh nor is it crunchy. It is soggy and stale..
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
****EDITED So I've been eating here once a week for lunch. Tried the Combination Chow Fun! SO GOOD they give you large portions! I've also had the Cube beef fried rice....sauce is delicious! I love how they put green bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes with the cube steak. I got the Chicken Routi fried rice to go...it was hard to eat, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I ate that there...but it wasn't bad.
The noodles are BOMB! Is all I can say, thanks very much to my friend who took me here, his uncle owns the restaurant. I am mosdef going back here and bringing my all my friends to try out this place...and since reading more reviews here are yelp, I'm also going to try out the other stuff they have there..:)
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
My parents always want to go here. Typical Vietnamese food, though the restaurant is much cleaner than pho restaurants. If you're going to get a drink stick to the Vietnamese jelly ones.
Get the Mi La Cay and sit back and relax and enjoy :). Make sure you get that crunchy thing on the side, too.
If you only have 24 hours to live and in San Jose then make sure you reserve an hour and head here because the noodles are just THAT good.
Nothing special about the restaurant. Looks like your every day Vietnamese mom and pop place.
the hottest thing on the menu is the Mi La Cay. i prefer the wider noodles vice traditional and eating it dry with a side bowl of soup, something about it just elevates it from your average everyday bowl of Chinese noodle to the legendary OMFGWTFPWNAGEBBQ rank on the taste hall of fame.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
When I first wandered in here with my husband, I was wondering what I had walked into...as there were about 10 young men at the first round table by the door...they were covered in tattoos around their eyes and on their shaved heads and we got the look of death from them when we walked in. Now..before i get the hate e-mails...i like tattoos..i have two myself..but never seen a tattoo going from the nose to the forehead and then around the eyes. Anyways... My husband glared at me and then when we sat down said ...great another weird YELP place.
BUT the soup was SOOO GOOD. I got the #1 and hubby got the wonton soup and we were both amazed at the amount of noodles and meat they put in the soup. We will definitely be back soon and want to try some of the chow fun and fried rice!
People thought this was:
Funny (2)
Do NOT go to this place for lunch!
I love this place, I go here on average 2 or 3 times per week at lunch. I told my wife we would not move away from the Bay Area as there's no Mi La Cai anywhere else, except the OC but it doesn't count.
I go into withdrawal if I don't get Mi La Cai for 4 or 5 days.
Greatest food, the people there know me by name and what I want to order, the portions are HUGE.
So please don't go here, it's crowded during lunch and I really don't want to wait much longer for a table.
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
Very good noodle house. You can't go wrong with the Special Mi Lay Cay. I like to eat mine dry so the friend chicken and shirmp cracker stay crunchy! This place can get super crowded on weekends and during lunchtime so be aware. Service is pretty good for a Vietnamese noodle joint. I usually eat here atleast once a month!
I was delighted to learn that there's a Mi La Cay in San Jose. Ever since I moved from Orange County 5 years ago, I haven't had Mi La Cay Since.
Upon my arrival a table was promptly cleared for me. The server was a sweet lady. Very nice. In fact everyone was very pleasant.
I ordered the special yellow noodles. The special had one big chicken thigh, one crispy thing ma bob with a shrimp on it. ( I love it), lots of pork slices and fantastic yellow noodles. Very al dente. Yum.
The difference between this special and the special from the original Mi La Cay is the original had lots of mini fried shrimp in it. I miss that!
Food is still ok for what it is. Next time I'll listen to other yelpers and Ill try the Wonton noodles.
By the way the Mi Lay Cay in Orange County is much better.
Yum. This place has great food and great prices! It really is a hole in the wall restaurant but it's currently undergoing construction as is the rest of the plaza. They are still open during construction so don't let that scare you away!
I've had:
** Combination Chow Mein w/ soft noodles... you can have either soft or crispy. It was soooooo good and portion was huge. ($7)
** Combination Chow Fun- chock full of chicken, beef, shrimp, imitation crab... also GOOOOOD ($7)
** Mi La Cay- I made the mistake of ordering it to-go and also forgetting to ask for the soup on the side. I ended up with soggy fried chicken =( I think this dish is best eaten AT the restaurant (in a BOWL and not those styrofoam soup containers) $5
YUM. I can't wait to come back!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
hu tieu or mi.........or try a combination of both. try them dry with soup on the side...you can always add soup as you want. large bowls are very large with plenty of noodles.
stay away from Mi Vit Tiem. my bf ordered it once and was pretty disappointed with that. it was way too salty and flavor is a bit off.
this place used to look very old and dirty. it is now clean and seems like it was remodeled. maybe health inspectors have been here before. you can tell when you walk into a Vietnamese establishment and see hairnets....that's not normal. anyways...they're better now.
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Funny (1)
Cool (3)
I swear when I get cravings for this place, I must have it. Its simple, good food. #17 with soup on the side please!
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Ate here this weekend. Had the Roti Chicken over Red Rice. It was good and filling, I only got the half chicken and man was that enough for me. I know they are best known for the noodles so I'll have to try it next time.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
#1 (house noodles) FTMFW! I looove the mi here. Why? Cause the meat to noodle ratio is huge! The mi isn't too chewy like other places, the soup is tasty, and I'm sure everyone who comes loves the fried shrimp pancake thingy. The only bad thing I have to say about this place is don't get the strawberry shake, that's just nasty :).
I absolutely love this place. It's cheap but has THE BEST Mi Sui Gow in town. Hearty portions and "hole in the wall" service. You will leave here full and satisfied. The soup comes with veggies so you kinda feel like you're eating healthy. Thick hearty noodles and a great tasting soup broth. Yum!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (2)
i'm no noodle expert, but yum!! that's all i have to say . . . oh, i'll say one word of warning
i got the house special . . . wet. bad move. soggy shrimp crackers R us. my dining companion smirked as she bit into her dry and crunchy shrimp cracker. oh, the humiliation!! :(
get it dry with the soup on the side. now you have no excuses.
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
I love this place.
I love the noodles
I love the fried/red rice
I love the soup that goes with the noodles
Everything is f-ing delicious.
I'm so glad that my friend pointed out this place. Her dad used to own the place, and now it's her two uncles that run the shop.
It's also quick as hell too. The place has remained the same over the past five years that I have been eating here and i love it.
I suggest the Com Chien Bo Luc Lac, the New York Steak is good too (surprisingly), and the Hu Tieu Xao Thap Cam. (I have the togo menu next to me as I type) And the Xui Cao and the Wonton too!!!
Too bad they're closed right now, or I'd definitely go get some.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
One of the more well known places in SJ and OC. I've known the family since i was a litle boy and all the food is still tasty as ever. Of course everyone order the #1 becuz thats what they are known for but if you like to venture out try the chow fun, steak w/ red rice, or the ROTI chicken. They are all pretty damn good.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
yo. [if i could give halves i'd give it 4.5]
1) NOODLES are the best here if your looking for w/ soup or without.
2) Its REALLY yummy vinegar & soysause with green-pepper SAUSE.
3) Its packed during lunch hour . TOGO it!
4) it might look like their close because of construction but there not. the place is starting to look much more dope. & parking isn't bad.
5) THE DEEP FRIED PANCAKE SHRIMP CAKE
dope.
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
I can't believe nobody has reviewed this restuarant. This place is well known in the Asian community for their food, here in San Jose and down in LA. You can't go wrong with anything on their menu really but I stick with thier special (dac biet) #1 or I get Com Bo Luc Lac (shaking beef). Occassionally I order the Chow Fun but it's usually between the noodles or rice. Thier Com Bo Luc Lac comes on a huge plate, half full of rice and the other half full of beef, onions, bell peppers, and THE SAUCE (ok it ain't a special sauce or anythin but it's damn good). It taste better and is cheaper then Vung Tau as well.
Of course it is your typical mom and pop asian food shop where occassionally you may share a table (if you don't mind) and you pay at the counter when your done but you can't go wrong here if your looking for delicious, quick, and cheap.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I always order the same thing when I go to this restaurant: THE NOODLE SPECIAL! I believe it's number one on the menu. This place is one of my favorite, the food is great.
This place is pretty well known in San Jose bc it has a specialty called "Mi La Cay" which is a noodle dish that has this special sauce on it and a bowl of chicken broth on the side if you want to make it into a noodle soup. They put huge prawns, chicken, pork and squid in it and the special part is this deep fried shrimp cake thing that tastes really good. You can get it with the egg noodles or vermicelli (pho noodle which i like the taste better, soaks up more flavor)I had bun bo hue, which is a spicy beef noodle soup from the central region and the only other place that makes it as good as here is a restaurant called Bun Bo Hue on Story Rd. The service is ok and the place isnt exactly what I would call clean, but the food is so cheap and the bowl is probably about a 12in in diameter and it is packed with food. It's worth a try for some authentic regional food =)
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
This place definitely hits the spot. You can't go wrong with their special, Item #1 on the menu.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
I'm going to be writing this review with the help of an editor.
The direct translation would be Leaf of Tree Noodle (House). This probably makes no sense to the average person, but to a Vietnamese person it has the deepest and profoundest of meanings (It does not -Ed). The special of this restaurant is a bowl of noodles named after the restaurant, Leaf of Tree (Stop referring to the restaurant that way. -Ed). It comes with noodles, a fried prawn wafer, quarter fried chicken, and some pieces of pork thrown in for good measure. The bowl can come with the broth separate from the noodles or all together. If you get it separate then the wafer and fried chicken stays crunchy and the broth doesn't get polluted with soy sauce and chili that you will probably add to the noodles. There is also a super special dish made with dragon whiskers and unicorn horns, an asian specialty (This... can't be true -Ed). The service is Fast and Furious like all asian restaurants and drivers (Ugh...-Ed) and as long as you don't mind the wait for around lunch time, this is definitely the place to go for Vietnamese style noodles.
People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...
Related Lists
-
Its LUNCHTIME
What I always look forward to when I come into… -
What the Pho-ck?
I love Vietnamese food. Probably my favorite Asian… -
Top Restaurants
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Hot and New
- Lucy's Tamale Factory
30 reviews
San Jose, CA
- El Paisa Taqueria
35 reviews
San Jose, CA
- Gombei Japanese Restaurant
165 reviews
San Jose, CA
- La Costena Custom Burritos
104 reviews
Mountain View, CA
- Vip Oriental
64 reviews
Santa Clara, CA