One feature I always liked about the buffet was the ability to eat liberal amounts of the Chinese style Hot and Sour Soup, which I always thought was one of the best in OKC (and in my experience, one of the best anywhere). This is something that can also be ordered with an entrée, but it costs extra. Like most of the food from the buffet the hot and sour soup has MSG, but I think it is in very small amounts.

Vermicelli bowl with charbroiled chicken

The "V2" vermicelli bowl, or Charbroiled Chicken on Vermicelli was my introduction to Kim Wah's Vietnamese food, and may be the restaurant's signature dish. Vegetables, mint, and bean sprouts are hidden under the noodles, and the vermicelli noodles are excellent. The peanuts and carrots on top of the bowl are also essential to the flavor combination. The fish sauce seems to be the same as at Lido, and is served on the side so that people can add as much as desired. The way the chicken is charbroiled brings out a unique flavor that I do not find in many Asian restaurants. There is much Vietnamese food that I like throughout the country, but I have to count this dish (particularly the version at Kim Wah) as my first real exposure to Vietnamese food and still one of my favorites.

Vermicelli bowl with steamed vegetables

Vermicelli Bowl with Steamed Vegetables offers a vegetarian version of this dish, complete with all the mint and vegetables under the noodles that provide most of the flavor. I do not think it is quite as flavorful as the chicken version, but it proves that vegetarian food does not have to be bland. Those who are strict vegetarians, though, should know that the orange sauce that comes with it is a fish sauce and is not vegetarian (it is very good, though).

Personally I like to add hot sauce to the vermicelli bowls, as I think this completes the flavor experience of the dish. Kim Wah has better hot sauce than most, with a choice of Sriracha sauce or a home made chile sauce.

Vermicelli bowl with stir fried chicken and lemongrass

The Vermicelli Bowl with Stir Fried Chicken and Lemongrass, though, has an even better and more interesting flavor than the charbroiled chicken. When it comes to the way the meat is cooked I would say the charbroiled method might be better, but the lemongrass in this dish really brings out a flavor that I prefer overall. I think the noodles and vegetables are the same on both dishes, and it really comes down to the flavor of the lemongrass that makes the difference.

Vermicelli bowl with stir fried pork and lemongrass

The Vermicelli Bowl with Stir Fried Pork and Lemongrass is another delicious choice, and I also like the meat in this one. In fact, this and the chicken with lemongrass are really my two favorite dishes at Kim Wah.

Several other vermicelli bowls are available at Kim Wah including beef, shrimp, and spring rolls.

Vietnamese style noodle soup

Kim Wah also offers Pho with an excellent broth and two types of steak that can be cooked to order, but is probably recommended somewhere between rare and medium. Mint, limes, and sprouts are provided on a separate plate to be added as desired. The proliferation of pho restaurants in Oklahoma City seems to have coincided with the greater availability of fresh vegetables from throughout the world, with fresh mint such as the one served here being an essential ingredient to the success of a good version of the soup. Although I am still trying to eat pho at enough places to find out what constitutes a great rendition of the dish, I have had enough versions to know that the one at Kim Wah is one of the better ones (at least for restaurants in the northwest suburbs).

Vietnamese style hot and sour soup (Canh Chua)

Kim Wah has added another dish that is worth trying, the Vietnamese Style Hot and Sour Soup, or canh chua. This is a full meal of meat (your choice) with vegetables, cilantro, and of course a generous amount of chile. Unlike the pho and some other dishes, this one comes already made spicy, and of course that is part of the flavor mix of hot and sour soup. It has more of a clear broth than the dark brown base used in Chinese style hot and sour soup, and I think it is worth a shot if you like spicy food. This soup does not have okra, which I think the authentic version is supposed to have, but it is full of snow peas, bamboo shoots, and other vegetables. I enjoy the generous amount of pineapple and tomato for flavor, and there is really nothing missing that I think it should have (I am not a big okra fan anyway).

Pork clay pot

The vermicelli bowls are very prominent on the menu, but other Vietnamese dishes are somewhat hidden among the Chinese menu items (although the waitresses are very good at pointing them out if you ask). Pho is listed under "Chinese Specialties," and I think this is one reason many people never discover that it is served here.

A few other items are not listed on the menu, but are available if you ask. One is the Pork Clay Pot that is a traditional Vietnamese favorite. This was mainly meat without a lot of vegetables, but as can be seen from the photo there was plenty of broth to give it flavor. It is made with fish sauce that is a little bit sweet (as is the fish sauce used with the vermicelli bowls) except on this dish the sauce is already mixed into the food. I thought this dish was quite good, and was another item I liked much more than the Chinese buffet.

I have not explored all the available drinks, since I am usually satisfied with hot tea. I know beer is served, and I believe they have Vietnamese coffee.

The almond cookies on the buffet are especially good, and I would say to try them if you are going the buffet route. They also have a great soft ice cream machine.

The popularity of the buffet has been an important part of the restaurant's success, but the Vietnamese food is almost a "hidden gem" because it is not well known, and it is not very prominent on the menu. Despite the limited number of items, though, the Vietnamese food is some of the best in the city.