Located in the Pacific East Mall with 99 Ranch Market and other Asian cuisines in Richmond, Mi Southeast Asian Eatery is one of my favorites to visit in the plaza. They have a similar restaurant in Oakland Chinatown with the same items on the menu. When I am in the Richmond Area, I always make it a habit to stop by Mi no matter what since I love eating Chinese comfort food. They are known for their Teo Chow ho fun but their menu has plenty of options for appetizers like oyster pancakes, other noodle options like dry noodles, stir-fried noodles, and more. You can’t go wrong with a hearty bowl of noodles with delicious broth. I came here recently and grabbed my usual noodles along with an oyster pancake for an appetizer. The service was extremely fast and if you speak Cantonese, the staff is very friendly and responsive.
Since it was my first time trying an oyster pancake, I didn't know what to expect but it was delicious. The texture was more on the gelatinous side and it reminded me of an omelet with oyster chunks mixed in and had a chewy texture. The dish was quite big and it was a good dish to eat before my noodles arrived.
Number 21 is my must-order dish every time I am here and I always get the flat noodles. You can't go wrong with clear broth filled with fish balls, fishcake, minced pork, pork slices, etc under flat noodles and it is so delicious. You can opt for fish cake instead of pork kidneys, which is what I usually do since I do not like the texture. Grab a small saucer and fill it with hoisin and sriracha sauce to dip the meat in. I've been going to the one in Oakland Chinatown for years so the number 21 item is a staple for me. The broth here is more light and not too heavy. Another tip I would suggest is adding some hoisin sauce to the soup as it elevates it a bit more and provides more flavor.
Overall, Mi Southeast Asian Eatery is a great place to go if you are craving noodle soup. Each item is around the $10 - $12 price range so it is not too expensive. It gets busy during lunchtime so make sure to come early then head over to the supermarket to do all your grocery shopping.