Din Ky Vietnamese Restaurant

As excited as we were when Quan Nhii soft opened in 2024 as a Little Saigon destination for banh uot (“ban ugh-k”)  – towers of steamed rice cake plates which you load up with fillings and turn into dippable rolls – a major pricing increase quickly became a deterrent to repeat visits. If you weren’t aware that banh uot towers were also available in nearby Santa Ana, surprise: Another 2024-vintage Vietnamese restaurant called Din Ky now serves them as well, and at $17 (meat) or $16 (vegetarian), the full sets of rice cakes, herbs, vegetables, proteins, and sauces are affordable enough for anyone to enjoy on the regular. And on Tuesdays, they’re 20% off, offering an even better value.

While Din Ky is visible from Edinger Avenue, its Valley Center plaza location is so packed with restaurants and cafes that it’s easy to miss: THH and its Lo Banh Cuon sibling, Hot N Juicy Crawfish, SaiGon View, and Findi Coffee are just some of its distractingly noteworthy neighbors. Once inside, you’ll find a much larger, nicer space than might be expected given its local anonymity, and a similarly spacious menu with multiple central Vietnamese options: banh khot mini-pancakes, crispy banh keo crepes, trieu chau/nam vang-style dry and soup noodle bowls, pho, curries, and a very large collection of drinks. Most appetizers are in the $6 to $9 range, with most entrees at $15 to $17 – old school prices that are alone enough to get excited about. Literally all of the items we ordered represented good value for their prices, starting with two plump, pork-loaded thit nuong cuon rolls ($6), and a small but dumpling-filled bowl of wonton soup ($6). And meals conclude with free bowls of che, warm coconut milk-soaked jellies and veggies, helping to end each visit on a sweet note.