This is a brand-new hot spot in Yucaipa, CA. It’s in one of my favorite shopping centers, that also has a Von’s and a Ross. So if you’re a big fan of a great Banh Mi sandwich, then you have come to the right place. But what makes it so amazing and special is that they bake their own bread daily.
It was Christmas time when I went, so a full Christmas Tree was right in the main dining area. And the windows have nice hand painted Christmas ornamentation. It is clean and fresh with lots of woodsy décor, that makes you feel like you could be anywhere in the world. Playing on their large screen TV are food segments as well as Disneyland tourist segments.
Here’s What I Tried:
Drinks:
Vietnamese Ice Coffee, this coffee is rich and creamy, just the best combination.
Fresh Lemonade Soda, a real treat as well, with its not to sweet and fizzy lemonade marriage, it really hits the spot.
Appetizer:
Spring Roll, with Shrimp, the dipping sauce for me really makes this one great, as well as all of the healthy ingredients.
Spring Roll, with BBQ Beef, the flavor of the beef is really something, it’s got a nice sweet taste and the vegetables make for one terrific spring roll.
Vietnamese Sandwich – Banh Mi:
Grilled Pork, with carrot pickles, cilantro, jalapeno, and cucumber. The pork is sweet, and the bread is perfect, a great Banh Mi sandwich.
Lemongrass Beef, with carrot pickles, cilantro, jalapeno, and cucumber, BBQ Sauce, lemongrass, white onion, and USDA Prime Beef. This was my favorite sandwich. The bread is crunchy but soft and the fixings really add to the overall flavor, a true winner.
Pho, served with green onions, white onions, and cilantro, basil, beansprout, and jalapeno, lime.
Shrimp Pho with beef broth, and beef filet. You get the filet raw, and you drop it in the soup, the soup is hot, so it immediately cooks. The beef broth is very subtle but lovely. I just adored this soup.
Vermicelli BBQ Pork and Egg Roll, with rice noodles, lettuce, cucumber, pickle carrot, mint leaves, onions, peanuts, onion chips, and fish sauce. This has everything you would want in a bowl, and is extremely tasty. A must have for me for sure. Their egg rolls are just heavenly. If you just order the egg rolls, they serve it with pickled carrots and lettuce so you can wrap the lettuce around it. I really like to eat my egg roll this way.
Shrimp Rice plate, with peppers, broccoli, onions and a brown sauce. This was so delicate, but remarkable, I would order this every time.
Others:
Curry Chicken with bread. This is a very mild subtle curry, almost like chicken soup with a dash of exotic flavor. But I could see eating this soup when you’re feeling depleted, it would be just what the doctor ordered.
Minh Nhat does have local competition, with one of them being across the street. But what nobody else has a is freshly cooked bread every day. I have to tell you it really does make a huge difference.
Owner Mimi prides herself on serving the highest quality Vietnamese food in the area. They opened in June to a substantial crowd of local people, who know a good Bahn Mi sandwich. Each time I have come here it has been super crowded. And I might add that their prices are so affordable. Many restaurants are having to jack up their prices due to higher food costs and wages for their workers, but at Minh Nhat their prices are less than what other places are charging,
Mimi has her mom and dad cooking as well as her husband Harvey Leung, handling a lot of the day-to day business and kitchen prep. Her dad gets in the kitchen at 7:00 am to start proofing the bread and then cooks it at 10:00 am in time for their first Banh Mi customers. Mimi moved from Alhambra to Rancho Cucamonga recently to launch this restaurant. She is thinking about opening some other ones locally down the line.
Mimi wants my reader to know, that if you’ve never tried Vietnamese food here is your opportunity. She wants to introduce her culture to her customers. She says that you can’t find her quality of food in the Inland Empire, the closest place is Orange County. So, she feels she has a foot hold on this area now, ands adds that if you’ve are Vietnamese and miss your hometown cooking that’s an even better reason to come in and try Minh Nhat’s food.
I have eaten at many Pho restaurants in and around California, but Minh Nhat has a really fresh take on this Vietnamese staple. It is fresh, healthy, and delicious food at its best. You can make it a destination stop or if you are a local then this could be your secret spot. But I am hooked and want to come back once a week to indulge in one of my guilty pleasures, it’s just that good.
Minh Nhat
33562 Yucaipa Blvd. #2
Yucaipa, CA. 92399
909-316-4335
