Asian buffet restaurants bring to mind steaming trays of Chinese and East Indian food. But Milwaukee added Hmong cuisine to that array when Jackie's Cafe (3906 N. 76th St.) opened about a year and a half ago. Fans of Vietnamese and Thai food should find flavors to favor in this no-frills atmosphere. If the inclusion of a pho full of meat, greens and vermicelli pasta amidst its slightly sweet broth—as well as made-to-order long, sticky steamed buns chocked with vegetable filling included in the buffet's price—doesn't provide incentive to try Jackie’s, there's plenty else to woo patrons unfamiliar with Hmong cuisine. Chicken and pork are given a gamut of preparations from hotly spicy to boiled with greens. And if you've ever wondered what fried rice unlike that at any Chinese takeout would taste like, wonder no more. At Jackie's, it's tasty in a way not far removed from a warm breakfast cereal.
