Lu Gia

Discovered this place recently and ordered the crispy Banh Khot. Probably the best in Houston. We got there close to closing time but they were more than welcoming and stayed overtime for us. We will be coming back!

Attention!!! If you haven’t eaten here at Lu Gia, you are seriously missing out in life! Well… maybe that was a bit over-​reacting, but look, this restaurant is definitely worth a try. There is just not a thing we can complain about here. It was our first time (My hubby and I). We tried the Banh Khot, Bun Dau Mam Tom, and Com Ga Hai Nam. The Banh Khot was 8/​10, not the best but satisfying enough. Bun Dau Mam Tom is a VERY different dish, so dont order it if you are not adventurous, but we really enjoyed it. And Com Ga Hai Nam is really good, 9/​10, asked to get fried rice and steamed rice too so you can try both (extra charge). What really impressed us was the very nice, courteous service and the ridiculously cheap prices of the food. So if you are looking for a place to try out some nice delicacies and not go bankrupt, this is your place. Seriously, give it a try!

I came back to give the restaurant another change. The third time’s is the charm. I did not have their Phở, instead I had Banh Canh and Banh Khot — was recommended by many many of my friend. I was not disappointed this time. Banh Canh is very tasteful and Banh Khot was very crispy (only if you like crispy). I would definitely coming back to try others type of noodles.

When you search Lu Gia on Google, you will find «Lu Gia Mi Vit Tiem» (mi vit tiem = duck noodle soup). I guess that was their name in the past. They have since changed their name to Lu Gia Phở Ga (phở ga = chicken phở). Unfortunately, I did not know that until I arrived with a crew of co-​workers. Lu Gia doesn’t even serve mi vit tiem anymore. I think that the discovery of Lu Gia’s change in direction was so disheartening, that I couldn’t enjoy anything afterwards. Nonetheless, this doesn’t change the fact that the phở ga kho was crap. The overly sticky noodles were obviously overcooked and coated in oil. The soup was very salty. They were very stingy with the chicken and fried onions.
The banh khot was nothing to rave about either. I asked the waiter what meat was in the banh khot, and he said, «Shrimp.» I asked, «Just shrimp?» «Just shrimp,» he confirmed. LIES!!! The banh khot had shrimp with pieces of pork sprinkled all over — deeming the appetizer inedible for some people at my table. The crispy rice cakes were crazy oily, and all the meat was unseasoned. Everyone at the table pretended to enjoy their food, but I could see the disappointment in their eyes.
Long story short, the phở ga sucks, the banh khot is not all that, and the fact that they took mi vit tiem completely off the menu is absurd to me. Was it SO bad that they had to remove it? I’m guessing that there are others who have shared the same discouragement as me when showing up at a place that once specialized in the dish. Whether they’re called Lu Gia Mi Vit Tiem, or Lu Gia Phở Ga, or freaking Lu Gia Bo Luc Lac, I won’t be returning to this place since there are 100 better Vietnamese restaurants lining the same street.

Banh Khot is their best appetizer. Highly recommend it. Come on Tue n Thu to buy 2 bowls get one free

I recommend the phở, the soup base is flavorful. Herb and veggies are consistently fresh

I was introduced here by my friend who has a good taste in food so of course, I’m gonna trust her. First time trying, I especially enjoy their appetizer Xoi chien ga lap xuong (Fried sticky rice with chicken and sausage), reminded me of what I had in Vietnam before, it’s just right. Lately, I came back and tried the Com chien bo luc lac (Egg fried rice with shaking beef), quite tender meat with flavorful buttery egg fried rice, I instantly love it!
The food has a homey feeling, what’s not to love?

I’d recommend the bun mam. It’s a «fish sauce» noodle dish with broth, veggies, and meat. In Vietnam, this dish is very popular, but in the States, it’s not very mainstream — it is an acquired taste for people that absolutely enjoy fish sauce.
Another dish here to try is banh khot. Chefs use a caster mold skillet to make this dish. It’s like a smaller version of banh xeo (Vietnamese crêpe) in bite-​sizes with shrimp, green onions, and other trimmings. You can eat this with fish sauce and wrap it with leafy greens.

I started to become a regular here for their chicken noodle soup. The server there are nice and friendly! I’ve also tried there bun cha ha noi (charbroiled pork soaked in special sauce with vermicelli) and its good too! My friend always get the com ga hai nam (Hunan chicken) their sauce is good! Very flavorful! I have tried their rice plate but not a fan of it bc it’s not to my taste. Some of the meat was dry and not as flavorful.