De-Jie Tse
Google
We visited Bánh Xèo Cô Ba with relatively high expectations, as the restaurant has received a Michelin award. The setting is typically Vietnamese, though it lacks attention to detail, which isn’t necessarily a negative since many restaurants in Vietnam have a similar aesthetic.
As Bánh Xèo is a traditional Vietnamese dish, I believe it should be prepared with coconut and as little oil as possible. Since this is the restaurant's specialty, I expected it to be nearly perfect. Unfortunately, the Bánh Xèo we had was quite greasy and lacked any hint of coconut flavor. The whole time, I found myself wondering what aspect of the meal earned them a Michelin award.
On a more positive note, we also had the congee with shrimp, which was delicious, and the net lui was decent. However, the service left much to be desired. The staff seemed overwhelmed and did not respond well to our requests for more salad or rice paper. They also appeared stressed rather than welcoming or cheerful.
All in all, the food had its moments, but given the Michelin status, I expected a lot more, particularly from their signature dish.