Nguyen’s Kitchen

Decided to try this place out to see what all the hype was about, so I stopped by and ordered the pork sandwich with fries and a thai tea on the side. The thai tea was okay, once I tried the sandwich I thought they were yummy! My boyfriend ordered garlic noodles and I found them to have way too much garlic, I thought maybe if he would’ve gotten chicken as a topping it would balance it out. Fries were actually pretty average too. I would’ve gave this place a 3 but somehow the food did not sit well with me and I ended up puking it all up later. Not sure if I’ll be back to give it another round.

Delicious place for banh mi, noodles, pasta, or side dishes. The prices are very reasonable and have big portions. Once you get to the restaurant, you can already smell the garlic! THe noodles are really good. They also give you a green sauce. Take it! Get more! GET THE WHOLE BOTTLE! Add it in your noodles or pasta, it makes it 100x better! And it’s already good without it! The price ranges from 5 – 9 dollars depending what you add in your noodle or pasta!
They have a small lot, but usually people get it to-​go so there are spaces, just be patient!

Contemporary Asian fusion eatery on the rooftop of an apartment building
I attended the soft launch of this eatery. Keep in mind that they’re still working through the kinks of running this business on a roof. The food was good. We had the fries and chicken garlic noodles. I would recommend both. Very much full of flavor, but a bit of caution for those who like their food a little less salty. This place is all about in your face flavors. One gripe I had with this place was that the bartender used orange juice (a lot of it) to make a margarita. It didn’t taste bad, but it’s definitely not a margarita.
Overall, I would come back and I would bring a friend to check it out.

This place is a great Vietnamese-​Cajun-​American fusion joint! Sounds like a strange combination in the OC but it really works well. It’s a casual dining joint where you pick up at the counter. Prices are very reasonable and affordable. I ordered the Crawfish pasta and my son and wife ordered a variation of the Garlic noodles. The portions were pretty good in size, definitely a larger meal. The crawfish pasta was delicious. Savory and sweet with a kick of spice. My son and wife enjoyed their dishes as well.

Grilled pork sandwich is pretty tasty but the price is a bit more than most banh mi/​Vietnamese sandwich places.
Grilled pork with vermicelli tasted pretty standard and similar to most Vietnamese places. You really can’t go wrong with this dish since its a classic Vietnamese noodle dish.
Cajun garlic fries were just ok. The pictures look awesome and the portion is good. But it just didn’t taste that great.
Green milk tea tasted pretty standard — nothing special about it. It was a bit powdery tasting for me so I will probably skip this next time.

My favorite dish was the bulgogi banh mi! Good meat, good portions. And to be honest the baguette was delicious. Definitely try this!
Garlic pasta — I don’t recommend you get chicken thigh as the meat because to me it just tasted like I was eating popcorn chicken with the pasta… which is just off. Next time I want to try chicken breast because the oil they sauté in makes the meat moist. I liked the garlic flavor but… the pasta still seemed a bit bland. It needs more flavor, something unique that Nguyen’s Kitchen can call their own. Because it seemed like a typical oil and garlic pasta. So this was OK-​good, not bad but not great.
Garlic Cajun fries — personally I think this needs more garlic and maybe some melted garlic butter over it. There didn’t seem to be enough garlic. But I appreciated the thin and crispy fries. Needs more flavor!
So definitely try their bulgogi banh mi.
The garlic pasta and garlic Cajun fries need more flavor; they’re too bland, and do not leave an impression.
Customer service was nice !!
PS. Please put out some ketchup which we can use to eat with the fries… :)!

So so good. Great food, amazing prices! We had four dishes with less than 13 a person! So crazy! Definitely coming here often!
Was pretty empty when we went. Seems most people take out or eat solo here.
There was a mishap on uncapped drinks so we spilled everywhere since it wasn’t capped correctly. They gave us a new one with a proper lid, but no one came out to clean or wipe the floor. We were left to soak up the liquid with paper towels but we definitely can’t clean that up with just paper towels. Someone would have to mop it up, but we got our food, ate it, and they still left the mess there. Interesting, hahah.
Steak fries with an egg on top is amazing. The steak was super good and the fries were well seasoned. BF got the crawfish noodles which had a good sauce and I got the shrimp garlic noodles which were SO yum!

I experienced friendly service and a clean urban ambience.
Grilled Pork Sandwich: ⁴⁄₅ pretty good classic bahn mi sandwich but with a good marinate for the pork and perfectly pickled radish & carrots
Cajun garlic fries: ³⁄₅ good crunch with strong Cajun seasoning but not very garlicky
Garlic noodles with chicken thigh: ³⁄₅ chicken had really good flavor and the noodles were cooked well but we’re on the sweeter side with not much garlic flavor
Peach & lychee green tea: ⁴⁄₅ really refreshing and balance of both flavors
Pretty good first experience but I definitely want to try other menu items here.

So in terms of service, I’m super disappointed with this place. We waited probably close to half an hour for our order of garlic noodles and a bulgogi sandwich… the people behind us in line actually got their food before us because I guess they messed up our order. They gave us a garlic chicken breast sandwich when we ordered the garlic noodles WITH chicken breast. I don’t know how the girl could’ve put in our order wrong when she specifically repeated it back to us when we were ordering. Apparently they’d messed up the order before us too, so that may have also contributed to the long wait time but nonetheless, service was suppper slow, it usually doesn’t even take that long to get food at a sit down restaurant.
I also ordered a vietnamese iced coffee LIGHT ICE, and what I got was coffee that was neither light ice nor was the cup even full. I’ve never received a drink that was as empty as it was. But the coffee was really good, pretty strong, but I liked it. just wish there was more of it… ahem. The garlic noodles were good, not the best, but good, and they also gave a decent amount of chicken breast so that was nice. The bulgogi sandwich was a bit hard to eat since the meat was kinda chewy and bread was super flaky. It was basically falling apart and flaking all over my lap/​the table, but the flavor was there and it had a really nice refreshing taste because of the cucumber. The green sauce was like the cherry on top.
Overall, the food here was good, but nothing amazing, plus the slow service makes me not want to come back. Also, their kitchen is open so you can actually see them making your food behind a glass. While my friend was waiting for our food, she said she noticed a cricket or cockroach. idk some kind of crawling insect on the inside of the glass which makes me question the sanitation of this place.

Unilocal Challenge 2016 ¹⁰²⁄₁₁₆
I hate to be that one. But this Main street Kitchen in front of Choc hospital did not impress me. Service was fast and friendly. Buuut… The Garlic steak and Garlic Chicken noodles were very plain for me, and not as garlicky as I expected. Noodles were super dry. I wonder if its meant to be so dry. Or if your suppose to dump the green sauce on top of everything? The green sauce was really spicy and reminded me of the sauce you get at Peruvian restaurants? Maybe they should of told me what the sauce was for. The popcorn chicken was my favorite out of the 3 dishes. The bite sized pieces were nice and crispy, sprinkled with a mild spice.
The concept is cool. They cook your meat right in front of you. You watch them prepare the food right before your very eyes.
As for me and the Mister we thought it was just okay and would be better if the noodles were not so dry. Next time I will try the Bahn Mi. The sandwiches seem to be what its all about here.
#901

I can’t wait to come back here! I kept seeing their posts on Facebook and what enticed me the most was the photo of the pork sandwich. It tasted exactly what it looked like. Sweet, tangy, and spicy all in one. From the warm and toasty bread to the cilantro and carrot mix to the green sauce that came with the sub… man it was the most scrumptious Vietnamese meal I’ve ever had. We were served a nice and overwhelming side of Cajun garlic fries that I could not get enough of. I want more!!!

I gotta admit, I was really skeptical about this place. A Vietnamese/​American restaurant? Why not just go to a authentic Vietnamese place to grub??? But I was forced to come here due to my gf’s goal to be a professional food blogger.
Thanks to her, we came here and let me say that the food was pretty darn good!
As a food blogger, almost everything on the menu is a must so we ended up with 4 dishes and 2 drinks (I usually don’t even go out to eat). Pork Banh mi with extra cilantro and pickled carrots, sliders, Cajun fries, and pop corn chicken.
The pork in the banh mi was delicious and juicy so I enjoyed that. Added a little of Siracha to spice up that flavor boii! The sliders were a little over cooked so make sure to ask for medium rare (how all burgers should be). The garlic fries and popcorn chicken were decent.
Going on, I suggest getting extra green sauce if you a boss. Pop corn chicken size could be a bit bigger though. Sean, the owner is great.
Now onto our next place and good luck to me to survive this new career path of my gf’s.

Good prices, good food, good drinks. What more can you ask for?
THE FOOD:
My friend and I shared a bulgogi banh mi and a chicken thigh garlic pasta. They were both really good! They both came with a house green sauce and it complimented the food perfectly. The most outstanding part was THE CHICKEN! So flavorful and moist. The price was also super fair. The pasta has a base price and depending on the add ons, increases in price. Portions are pretty reasonable too! We didn’t even finish what we were sharing
THE DRINKS:
My friend got the Thai tea and I got the green milk tea. Before we chose, the girl let us try samples of each drink and they were all great! I loved that they had tea flavor and that they weren’t too sweet.
THE SERVICE:
Everyone working there was so friendly and helpful!

I placed a take-​out order, which was ready within 15 minutes when I arrived. The crawfish pasta is so good! I can’t eat foods that are too spicy, and the crawfish pasta was super spicy for me, but I managed through it. It was too good not to eat. There was an abundance of crawfish! I was surprised at how much crawfish was actually in the pasta. The sauce is creamy and the sausage slices are spicy. It’s a must-​try or must-​get over and over again.

Within walking distance from CHOC, loved that they had Nguyen’s Kitchen here. Read the reviews and went with what the Unilocalers recommended — Garlic noodles with dark meat chicken and a vietnamese iced coffee.
Portion was plenty and the vietnamese iced coffee gave me that 2^nd wind I needed.
If you’re in the area, I do recommend trying this place just for the garlic noodles… it’s pretty damn tasty. They make all their orders fresh and right in front of you. It may take a bit longer, but it makes the experience and taste that much better.

What an interesting place. It’s an Asian-​Italian fusion place that serves banh mi sandwiches and pasta. Menu is very simple and there are only about 11 items, not including drinks. I came here to meet couple of my friends and we all shared our food.
I thought everything was pretty good but my favorites were Bulgogi Steak Sandwich and Crawfish Pasta. Pickled sweet veggies in the sandwich made it quite refresing and the bulgogi was flavored well. Crawfish Pasta was creamy and spicy, thanks to the spicy sausage. I wished it had more crawfish but can’t really complain for $ 7.95. Garlic Chicken Breast Sandwich and Popcorn Chicken were also good.
I didn’t see it on the menu but you can request fried egg on top of your sandwich because I saw someone get it. Not sure how much it costs though.
It’s located next to CHOC. Parking lot is very small so it may be a challenge finding a spot during lunch. It wasn’t too bad during dinner time though. My guess is this place gets most of its customers during lunch from hospital employees.
There’s no table service here. You order at the counter and pick up your order when they call your number/​name.

I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed this joint yet.
It’s walking distance to my house, so that’s already 5 stars.
Small location, big flavor. They have about 8 tables and a bar top (no actual bar) to sit at. I typically take the food to go back to the casa.
BULGOGI STEAK SANDWICH
–Super flavorful with a kick (white girl kick I should mention)
GARLIC NOODLES
–All the YES PLEASE, add wild tiger shrimp for the real deal
PEACH AND LYCHEE GREEN TEA
–I want to fill my camelback with this, it’s so dang good!
Go here, there is a reason it has 4.5 stars overall.

I’m upping this review from 3 to 4 stars because I just had the pork banh mi and was blown away at how good it was. The contributing factor in my opinion to the amazing sandwich is the meat is cooked to order. Most banh Mi shops serve up pre-​cooked meat. I appreciate the effort and would rather pay more for freshness over convenience. That’s why I will continue coming back.
Stick with the bulgogi sandwich and your stomach will thank you for it. The tender marinated beef is abundant and best of all, cooked to order. Just enough sweetness to remind you its bulgogi but not too much to shadow the savory beef flavor. This sandwich is a mash up of Korean/​Vietnamese. The Vietnamese influence is showcased with the fresh herbs, bringing in brightness to a already meaty spectacle.
On the other hand, I would not recommend the chicken garlic sandwich. The garlic cream sauce was a bit unbearable. They smother it liberally over the breasted chicken. However, if you like the garlic chicken sandwich at Le diplomate you may find it good since they are very similar.
The garlic fries a hit or miss. My first encountered with the Cajun seasoned fries with garlic sprinkled on top was good but the second time the fries were over cooked. If they could mix the fries in a bowl with the garlic to evenly coat the fries that would make me happy.

Yum yum yum.
It was Valentine’s Day weekend, and I told the man to take me to lunch. He was like, «where should we go?», and think… oooooo that new place up in Orange!
Vietnamese, Asian Fusion, American food on a warm Saturday afternoon? Heck yes.
This restaurant is located right next to CHOC, in a little building that is half NK, and half a payday loan place. I can imagine it gets busy in that tiny parking lot, but there’s also a big shopping center across the street if you’re looking for parking.
We both had the pork banh mi sandwich, a side of Cajun garlic fries, and two drinks. I had the mango iced tea and it was so good!
Ok, those banh mi sandwiches were delicious. The bread? Crispy outside, and soft inside. The meat was cooked perfectly, with just the right amount of pickled veggies, sauce, and parsley. Definitely get this.
And the Cajun fries? It’s for people who love garlic, and they didn’t disappoint. Thin, well-​cooked fries with Cajun (a little spicy) seasoning, and plenty of fresh minced garlic all over the top. Get this too.
Unfortunately for my better half, he had to get garlicky kisses for the rest of the day! Ha

Garlic, my love. Come to me.
YES! Vietnamese food is finally starting to hit Orange. Other than the phở restaurant down the street that has been open for over 15 years, Vietnamese food has been blatantly missing around the Tustin/​Orange/​Santa Ana border area. Hopefully Nguyen’s Kitchen starts a trend.
Pretty much everything here is a delight.
Garlic Pasta ($ 5.45) — If you like garlic, this dish will make you fall in love even more. Heavy garlic bits everywhere in a buttery base with a touch of cream, topped with cilantro. I added bulgolgi on top and it made it that much better. The bulgolgi is quality thin sliced beef, with a medium sweet marinade, then cooked on a flat grill. You can add on chicken thigh or pork for $ 1.95 or chicken breast or bulgolgi for $ 2.95. A must get for the garlic afficionado.
House Marinated Chicken Sandwich (Dry Rubbed Chicken Thigh, Cucumber, Cilantro, Pickled Carrots, $ 5.95) — It’s a banh mi, but way fancier than what you’d get at Banh Mi Che Cali or Lee’s. Big chicken pieces, each individually seasoned, in a crispy, chewy baguette, with creamy butter mixed with some other secret sauce. I loved that I could taste each element of the sandwich. Of the chicken sandwiches, this is my favorite.
Garlic Chicken Breast Sandwich (Baked Chicken Breast, Cucumber, Sauteed Mushroom, Garlic Cream Sauce, $ 6.45) — This comes off more Italian than Vietnamese. It’s very creamy, almost like having a Garlic Chicken Fettuccine, except in sandwich form. You will taste the garlic, but it doesn’t own the sandwich like it does the Garlic Pasta. The cream sauce mutes it a little, which isn’t a bad thing. A little heavier than the House Marinated Chicken Sandwich.
Cajun Garlic Fries ($ 3.95) — A little pricey, until you see that they pile mile high stack of fries on your tray, with enough fries to feed four people, or two really hungry ones. Evenly coated in red cajun seasoning, they then top it off with a good amount of chopped garlic and cilantro. Fries were warm and crisp and not overcooked, just right. Want bulgolgi or chicken or pork on top of your fries? Yes, they can do that.
Wintermelon Iced Green Tea — Unfortunately they discontinued this item since a lot of people don’t know what wintermelon is, but I really loved the wintermelon kick in the tea. I would have made break stops just to pick up a glass, but no more.
Thai Iced Tea — They serve a strong Thai tea and don’t add the cream until after you order it. If you like Thai tea, worth getting.
Peach Lychee Green Tea — This is the sweetest of the green teas, an even balance between peach and lychee. Of course it’s the lychee that makes it sweeter.
Some of the things I haven’t tried: The sliders, crawfish pasta, popcorn chicken, chicken breast salad.
***Hot Tip: Ask for a side of the creamy jalapeño sauce.***
While the menu here is not large, everything they make, they make it well. A modern, Vietnamese fast food fusion restaurant, where your food is cooked to order and at very affordable pricing, how can you beat that?
If you come here on a weekday for lunch, it won’t be packed, but it will be busy, as it attracts the local hospital lunch crowd. What was encouraging to me was that the crowd dining here is not predominantly Asian. It’s a good mix of all races and age groups, which to me means that the start of something good is going on here.