DD Mau Vietnamese Eatery Takeaway. Hole in The Wall For Pho, Bahn Mi, and Vietnamese tacos. Solidly priced for $13-16 depending on your protein and format for food. From rice bowls to tacos to soup, you can get your Vietnamese in whatever form you prefer. I'd give the Pho a solid 7 / 10 on my general Asian food scale. The pho is yummy and generous but not breathtakingly delicious. You could put something together at home with shopping, effort, and the right ingredients.
DD Mau offers counter service and takeout. After ordering, they give you a number, and you can pick a seat. They bring the food out ten minutes later. Super friendly as we took the time to read through the menu. They have a soda and condiment bar next to the counter. The line got seriously longer after we got in, so around 6:30 pm on a Saturday. But even then, it was only a 15-20 minute wait for food. Giant dedicated parking lot.
DD Mau Vietnamese Eatery Experience Summary
We finally got a date night out on a Saturday night. After a couple of months of scheduled weekend activities, my dad was in town to look after the kids, and we planned a dinner to catch up with some friends.
Because of this blog, they had me pick the restaurant, which is a ton of responsibility when you're planning dinner months ahead of time. I don't want to disappoint my friends.
I'm all for food over ambiance when it comes to date night, so we met our friends at DD Mau for dinner before heading to Skeeter's for some ice cream. A hole in the wall with counter service, it's not a romantic getaway but a practical dinner or lunch spot with spot-on Veitnemesse food.
We hadn't been to DD in a couple of years after we found it on the way home from rock climbing, but it fit the bill for tonight based on my memory.
After placing our order at the counter and taking our number, we picked a seat by the door. I got brisket pho on a hot spring day because I firmly believe that any day is a good day for soup. My wife got a chicken rice bowl that reminded us of the bibimbap you might get at Sides of Seoul, five minutes away.
My pho was solidly yummy. The broth was rich and flavorful, but it didn't have the same anise and flavor hints in each bite that I've experienced in LA and SF. The brisket was tender but a bit dry. The portion was huge, and it was solidly at the Flood Line, 7 / 10.
But more importantly, what did my friends think?
They went off-course for me and got the Tacos for $12. A risky choice, I thought.
They took a bite… and…
It was so good they went up and ordered a second helping.
They said it was one of the top three dishes they've had in St. Louis.
So, I have to go back and get some roti tacos when we return for a concert in Maryland Heights.
The Food At DD Mau Vietnamese Eatery
I had my first pho in Los Angeles in college when visiting my friend's house during spring break. She lived next to whatever LA calls little Vietnam, so we went out for pho. I fell in love with the oversized bowls filled with flavor, meat, and extras.
DD Mau marks the second pho I've had in St. Louis. My neighbor told me about Pho Long in what would become the Costco parking lot five minutes from my house, so that had been my go-to.
The pho at DD Mau's was solid. A 7 / 10, it hit the spot for the night but didn't blow me away. The brisket was a bit dry. And the broth didn't have the overwhelming flavor in each bite to bring me back to my LA experience. A generous portion size for only $13 makes it a good deal.
For a more recent cross-culture comparison, I feel like there wasn't anything distinct enough about the soup compared to the ramen at Menya Rui. That ramen hits you at every point with distinct flavor and mouth experiences. This pho tasted more like a good soup.
I also had the egg rolls, which were small but packed a flavor punch. They had a squishy texture to the filling but had a deliciously crunchy crust.
My wife got the rice bowl. It had a Korean bibimbap feel with veggies, rice, egg, and chicken. She ate the whole thing. Simple, healthy, and fresh with good flavor, she gave it an 8.9 / 10. She compares it to Lona's Lil Eats but with a bowl instead of a wrap.
She loved it and says it's one of her top places in St. Louis.
I had a bite, but it didn't blow me away. Solid restaurant quality food, but not bring-your-parents worthy. She disagrees. Therefore, we will stop here for dinner before the James Taylor concert in a few months.
And as I mentioned earlier, my friends got the tacos and said they were a top dish in St. Louis. So when we return for the concert, the tacos I will order.
DD Mau Vietnamese Eatery Atmosphere And Miscellaneous
A great example of never judging a book by its cover, DD Mau is a total hole in the wall in the middle of a random strip mall in Maryland Heights. Nothing pretentious about the atmosphere here. They display fun local art in a giant open seating area lined with cafeteria tables and cheers that all lead to counter service.
All the decor had a memorable, almost lime-blue tint to it.
After placing your order upfront, they will give you a number, and you will pick a table. The food came out in ten minutes from a super-friendly server. In the meantime, we picked up water, napkins, and condiments from a table next to the counter.
The restaurant was clean and well-maintained. Hand sanitizers were available at various points in the restaurant, and the tables were clean and ready to eat.
While DD Mau now has two locations in the St. Louis area, they still have the tremendous mom-and-pop feel of a local family-run restaurant.
Parking At DD Mau Vietnamese Eatery
DD Mau is conveniently located in a strip mall in Maryland Heights, with easy access from major roads. The strip mall has a dedicated parking lot, so finding a spot is never a problem.
DD Mau Vietnamese Eatery Receipt
