Brenda T.
Yelp
I was a bit surprised, but this place passed the Viet parents vibe check! I think there's something for everyone, but this review is for the Viet homies looking for more traditional, homecooked flavors. I am also incorporating feedback from my very picky parents. Sorry I forgot to take photos!
DON'T JUDGE THE MENU TOO HARD
We were a bit nervous about the absence of the Viet restaurant classics, but in their defense they don't explicitly advertise as a Viet restaurant. We asked lots of questions and learned the Vietnamese names of some of the dishes, which was helpful.
SUPERB CUSTOMER SERVICE
The folks who run the restaurant are SUPER friendly and chill. The interactions weren't weird or forced, and we didn't feel like anyone was trying to sell us anything. I don't need exceptional customer service like that, but in this case it really added to the experience!
VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN FRIENDLY
This is a very vegetarian and vegan friendly establishment. If you're not sure what your options are, just ask. The uncle told us they're very accomodating and can make veg versions of pretty much anything on the menu.
OUR FAVORITES:
Vietnamese coffee / cà phê sữa đá: you can tell the coffee was slow dripped properly. It had depth of flavor and wasn't too watery. It was the correct shade of brown (IYKYK), which is an indicator of good coffee to condensed milk ratio.
Condiments: my parents really respect their chili oil and sauce game. Well made condiments can make or break a meal, so I thought this was worth mentioning.
Pickled vegetables: came with the ribs entree. Nice balance of sweet and sour, and good texture. I also liked that it wasn't just pickled carrots and daikon.
Vietnamese grilled ribs / cơm sườn: Nice and sticky, caramelized meat, perfectly charred. A lot of Viet restaurants only serve pork chops (which I like too) so ribs is a treat!
Bánh khọt: a rare find in our local Vietnamese restaurant scene! They're savory mini pancakes topped with shrimp and scallion oil, and you eat them with veggies, herbs, and dipping sauce (nước chấm). Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. I loved how coconuty the batter was.
Creamy coconut noodles / bánh tầm: another rare find around these parts! This is a sweet and savory dish from Vietnam's Mekong Delta region. Traditionally, it comes with shredded pork rinds, but the uncle told us they left it out to accomodate more American palates. I don't think it blew my mom's mind, but she was happy just to see it on the menu and eat it. I enjoyed it, although it's more of a snack/sort-of dessert as opposed to a filling meal. If you're not familiar with this flavor profile, I would recommend ordering other things as well so your dining experience doesn't hinge on this lesser known dish.
Seafood hotpot: there aren't many Vietnamese hotpot options out here! Sure, you can get bigger bang for your buck elsewhere, but if you specifically want Vietnamese or Southeast Asian hotpot this is a solid choice. The broth alone was very flavorful, filling, and comforting. The seafood was on the same level as other hotpot places I've been to around here.