Hẻm by Lequy opened only three months ago, much to the surprise and consternation of fans of Alnico, which closed suddenly and without explanation.
But replacing a beloved Filipino, weekend-only brunch place with a Vietnamese restaurant that’s open all day is assuaging, especially when you realize that this isn’t your usual Vietnamese eatery.
Hẻm means narrow alley or street, and Hẻm by Lequy specializes in Vietnamese street food, much like you’d find in little alleyways in Vietnam. What I didn’t know was that snails are such a prominent part of the cuisine, and besides all the other seafood on offer, there are several varieties to choose from here.
I was determined not to order the typical Vietnamese fare; no pho or no spring rolls for us (though they serve both). A friend and I went a little crazy and ordered quite a lot of food, almost all of it a surprise and a delight.
The dishes come fast and furious (In truth, we would have preferred better pacing, so as not to rush before each could get cold.)
I asked our server what the difference was between the sea snails (Ốc hương) from Vietnam and the ones from Canada. She informed us that the Vietnamese ones are smaller and a bit chewier; she prefers the Canadian. We opted for the buttery garlic snails from Canada.
The thick and pungent garlic butter sauce served to mask the fact that, surprisingly, snails themselves don’t actually have much flavor, but are mostly about texture. And what a texture!
Freed from its shell, we found the meat inside almost obscenely large, and it took a bit of effort to extricate the delicious creature from its beautiful, ribbed shell. Having only had French escargot in the past, I was not aware that snails could be so large, nor so stubborn to remove. Completely worth the effort.
The chew was mild and satisfying, the garlic sauce addictive. We were also provided with sweet chili and green chili sauces on the side, and I dipped everything we got in all three. Other snail preparations include a sweet-and-sour tamarind sauce, lemongrass, and black pepper. If you’ve not had snails before, these are a must-try.
Next up were grilled oysters with scallion oil:
Another beautifully rendered plate; the silky, warm mollusks came topped with crispy shallots and peanuts. Two other options are grilled oysters with cheese, or a satay sauce. I’d happily try either, but these were delectable.
Yet another beauty arrived at the table.
Scallops grilled on their gorgeous shells with tiny fried quail eggs, peanuts and scallions made for a lovely mouthful. Loved all the textures here.
Next, mango salad and grilled squid:
Perfectly grilled squid came in chewy ribbons, abutting a crunchy tangle of green mango, slivered carrots, cilantro, and peanuts in a sweet/tangy dressing, with shrimp chips for scooping.
Our only nitpick was that the squid was served room temperature, and we’d have preferred it hot. However, that may have been intentional. In any case, I’d be happy to try the same salad with surf clams or shrimp.
Finally, the special clay pot rice:
Beneath the tender slices of BBQ pork and grilled shrimp lay a bed of steamed rice sautéed with shiitake mushrooms, ginger, and tender bits of sweet/funky Chinese sausage. Served in a hot clay bowl, the rice had a beautiful chew and an umami depth from the mushrooms. While the rice could have been crunchier at the bottom, this was an utterly comforting dish.
Throughout the meal, I noticed that my friend and I emitted little yummy noises and sighs of pleasure. Each dish was new to me, and the exciting flavors made for a memorable meal.
Having eschewed the more common dishes you get at most Vietnamese restaurants in the City on the first visit, my second visit was a to-go meal for the boyfriend and I of a more traditional stripe:
I brought home a grilled pork banh mi, garlic noodles and chicken curry. The banh mi was a fine rendition, with the usual tasty contrasts of a good French roll, crispy pickled veg, and delicious grilled sweet and savory meat.
The garlic noodles were a bit less successful; we both thought they lacked a bit of oomph, though they had a nice bite and a crunchy garlic topping. The curry was a standout, reminiscent of Thai green curry at its best, with a subtle heat that crept up on you.
The rest of the menu at Hẻm intrigues me, with sweet-fish-sauce-glazed chicken wings and chili-pepper-fried shrimp, vermicelli dishes with pork patties, a Wagyu hot stone pho, deconstructed bahn mi, hot pots, mussels, and Manila clams. There are vegetarian dishes on offer, salads, and the usual rice plates.
For beverages, there are various non-alcoholic drinks to try, as well as beer (sadly, only American), and a decent merlot. But it’s the quality and variety of the seafood that was most impressive, especially at completely reasonable prices.
Hẻm has three or four other locations in the Bay Area, and we’re fortunate that one landed here in the Mission. Hopefully, they’ll have a good, long reign in this spot. Come on out and bring your adventurous palate!
Hẻm by LeQuy
1050 Valencia St.
We tried it recently and felt it was mid. The food was okay, but we felt expensive compared to our favorite Vietnamese restaurants. The biggest letdown was the service. We also had everything dumped on a tiny table ( there were 3 of us at a 4 seat table, and still no room) at once, and then couldn’t get the server’s attention, even to get the bill. Ended up asking the water/busser. It would be great if they could pace the meal, we assumed appetizers would be followed by entree, they were not. Then as dishes were finished, we ended up piling plates up to make room, still, no one removed anything! It really soured the whole experience, especially for the price point.