Viva S.
Yelp
We had a reservation, and the place was reasonably busy for a weekday night. We went with veggie dumplings to share and veggie pho for each of us.
The veggie dumplings were mid at best-- the wrappers were too thick for my taste, which overpowered the filling and left it lacking flavor.
After waiting another 30 minutes, they finally brought out our pho, but by then we were starving and visibly annoyed at how slow the service was. The waiters didn't seem to care much, and even though the place wasn't that busy, it felt like they were ignoring us. They also messed up our orders and kept forgetting things we asked for, like a to-go box and even a fork.
The veggie pho was served generously but in a poorly chosen bowl--it was filled to the brim, making it impossible to add the bean sprouts, basil, or jalapeños they served on the side. Trying to mix everything was a messy struggle, with broth spilling over the sides.
Despite the awkward serving, we managed to eat. The pho itself was okay, but I wished it had more spice or extra sauces on the side. I didn't bother asking, though, because of how bad the service was. The soy protein, surprisingly, was the standout--it was well-seasoned and paired nicely with the broth. The broth itself was decent, but when combined with the noodles and veggies, it fell a bit flat.
I ended up eating only about a third of my meal and packed the rest to go. The packaging was pretty bad, though--by the time I got home, the broth had leaked out, and they didn't even bother packing the bean sprouts, basil, or jalapeños.
Oddly enough, the restaurant itself was freezing, too--I couldn't take off my jacket, even though we were seated inside with the door closed. Maybe they should've turned off the AC!
