First photo by Christian Gooden (Post-Dispatch); add'l photos sponsored by restaurant
Mai Lee
Between its Vietnamese and Chinese menus, Mai Lee offers nearly 300 dishes, from spring rolls and pho to frog legs and goat soup to General Tso’s chicken and St. Louis’ own St. Paul sandwich. This is a handy fact to have ready when someone says you can’t possibly eat at Mai Lee every day. The level of quality is consistent from top to bottom, across soups, stir-fries, hot pots and more, even when the restaurant is packed, which is often. And if you can’t quite make it a full 365-day year without repeating a dish, if you add in the menu from Mai Lee scion Qui Tran’s new ramen and pho restaurant Nudo House, you can get awfully close.
Hours: Lunch and dinner Tuesday-Sunday (closed Monday)
Last year's ranking: No. 25
Opened: 1984
Must order: Muc chien gion (salt & pepper calamari, $19.95)