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    HE&C Tea + Pot

    4.4 (405 reviews)
    Open 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 4:30 PM - 9:30 PM
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    Order HE&C Tea + Pot Takeout or Delivery

    HE&C Tea + Pot Photos

    Business Info

    HE&C TEA + POT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    American Wagyu Short Rib + Golden Chicken Broth
    James N.

    I've been seeing this place all over social media and decided to give at try while stopping by Palo Alto. We came around 3:30 and were seated right away. The waiters were very attentive and the food came out really fast after ordering. I definitely recommend ordering the American Wagyu as it was very soft and melted in our mouths. The golden chicken broth was also very rich and flavorful. Definitely will be coming back here again next time I'm in Palo Alto.

    Kiana C.

    SO GOOD! Not a bad price for what you get too! I went on a weekday around 7 PM and there was no wait! Service was great, helpful, and attentive! Food was incredible... I still think about it to this day. Located in a great area (downtown Palo Alto) and looks cute and classy inside. I can't wait to go back soon! Maybe this week even...

    Christine D.

    Flavor (2/5): Mid, mid, mid. For the price point the quality and selection were both disappointing. They have sets of veggie and mushroom platters and different cuts of meat. The only thing memorable from this was the lychee balls. Even the soup bases was disappointing. Instagram Worthy (3/5): You probably came here like me because the pictures got you. Yes the hot pot is cute because the butan stand is like ancient china vibes but I'm telling you now, the vibes in the restaurant weren't it. Save yourself the pictures it's not worth it. Service (3/5): Was told we could get a free drink and the owner recommended the mango sago. I love mango sago so I picked it. It tasted like crayon, and has just been sealed and sitting in the drink fridge not even freshly made. Takeaways: You're telling me it we spent $85 before tax for 2 people to have lunch, didn't leave full not even satisfied. For that price I'd rather go to AYCE hot pot else where because even those places have better quality for a cheaper or comparable price. Ov

    Our feast!
    Jade T.

    The food is very fresh, tasty, and good portion. Items are ordered separately. Broths have rich flavor the create a more decadent experience with each bite. Service is fast, efficient and welcoming. Ambiance is clean, cute and welcoming.

    Maggie W.

    I've been meaning to try he&c hot pot in downtown Palo Alto for the longest time, and I finally got the opportunity to do so! I haven't had the opportunity to have foods that are better experienced at in person restaurants for the longest time, so I've been desiring hot pot and soupy items forever. We were seated around 4 PM and decided to order a wide spread of items with the tomato base and Sichuan spicy base. The fresh cut noodles were really QQ and the veggies and meat were incredibly high quality! My favorite is the lotus root because it soaks up the flavor of the broth incredibly well without getting too soggy in the hot pot. It has a nice textured crisp crunch to it! The leafy greens were also fresh and gave us a much needed dose of fiber. This spot is so cute and has an Instagrammable vibe to it while also being true to authentic roots. I would come back here if I was in the area and needed to satisfy a craving. The service is quite good, we needed to have our water refilled a few times and they come by and fill your broth with chicken stock if you're running low so it doesn't get too diluted!

    A portion of the American Wagyu Business Combo
    Jasmine H.

    We came here around 6:45pm on a tuesday night and were seated immediately. Within a few mins, there were no more seats available. Seemed to be a really popular place! We ordered the American Wagyu Business Combo for $80 and a chong ching spicy chicken and it was more than enough food for 3 people. What a good deal. The soup bases are really flavorful and come in a really cute pot that you don't find anywhere else. The sauce bar is in the back of the restaurant with limited selection but it has everything you would need. The food is good and the price is even better. If i'm in the area again I will definitely come back.

    Kung Pao Chicken and Spring Rolls
    Arcelia G.

    I had never been here before but my friend had been wanting to come here for the longest time. Today was a perfect day since it was cold and rainy outside. This place is small so I can imagine that on the weekends and later on at night it can get packed. We got here early, as soon as they opened up. I got the spring rolls and the king pao chicken. Soo good. I love having rolls. You would think you can't mess it up, but restaurants can. These were crispy and tasted great. The QR code is at the table for you to order. WiFi is also available. The business does not have their own parking but plenty of street parking in downtown Palo Alto. Service is wonderful. Friendly and available for us to ask questions about their menu. We truly enjoyed our evening. Will be coming back.

    Lamb Shoulder
    Yikai L.

    Didn't know about this place until a friend recommended it and we came for a lovely two person dinner. There's plenty of street parking nearby. The place is well lit and clean. Waiters and waitresses were attentive. Now on the food. There were some expensive premium Wagyu beef combos on the menu. We felt it was a bit of overkill for shabushabu like this, so we ordered beef/lamb plates, seafood combo, mushroom combo, etc. Overall I liked the quality of food, and the soup base is also quite flavorful. From a hotpot perspective there's little to fault. But one thing to keep in mind is that hotpot is supposed to be a common folk cuisine. We ended up with a bill of over $130 for two, which is in no way great value, as hotpot should be. As a result, I can only give this place four star.

    You order Ala carte via phone from their QR code
    Mary K.

    We had a party of 4 that arrived around 2:15pm on a Saturday, there was no wait. We came here originally because we saw photos of skewers on Yelp but unfortunately skewers are no longer on the menu. We were disappointed but decided to stay and I'm glad we did. We were pleasantly surprised with the broths and the quality of the ingredients. We ordered the chicken broth and the Tom yum. Both were solid options and I liked the variety. The Tom Yum broth definitely has a kick to it even when we ordered mild. My favorite thing was the yam noodles that look opaque and hardened when it arrives but when cooked, becomes transparent. Those noodles are so chewy and soaks up all the flavor in the broth. It's really good. There's also a sauce bar that you create your own sauces at. Although it's small and has limited options, I appreciate how they have garlic, cilantro, soy sauce and sugar-- that's usually my go to sauce. I would definitely come back. It's worth the price for the higher quality ingredients.

    Grace X.

    I love this place. The portion is huge for a big group. We had a wonderful time here. Definitely worth to go! Try mango dessert it is the best!

    Original chicken and golden pumpkin broths
    Jade C.

    Fast service, quality ingredients, super tasty broth! Fun place for a date with friends or family.

    Special BBQ Feast Combo Recommended for 1-2 guest
    Tiffany C.

    Went to He&C Tea and Pot for the first time with my friends and we decided to order one combo that came with three meats, seafood, veggies, two noodles, two soups, dessert and two drinks. We figured that was already a lot of food so decided to add an extra meat platter, mushroom platter, veggie platter, and two more soups. This was plenty of food. The broths were very flavorful and the fresh knife cut noodles were good. Meat slices were also good. The service was fast. The restaurant is well ventilated and spacious. It is a nice option for a la carte hot pot :)

    Hot pot
    Cindy L.

    My friend and I ordered a la carte hot pot. I ordered the spicy soup which was quite tasty, but it was not the most flavorful but had the right amount of spice and was not too oily. We shared napa cabbage, enoki mushroom, two plates of beef, three color noodles, and vermicelli. Every thing was very fresh but I would not get the noodles again as it didn't really absorb the soup very well and the colors don't really affect the flavor. We also ordered the seafood platter which was $19 and came with scallops, mussels, fish (the crunchy type that's super good), mini squid, and shrimp. We both really enjoyed it, especially the scallops, squid, and fish. We also ordered two drinks. I ordered the mango pomelo slush and my friend got the brown sugar boba milk tea. The mango slush was tasty and refreshing. The milk tea was soooo watered down, so I do not recommend. Staff members were also really nice. Overall great hot pot place. It's not my favorite hot pot place but you'll definitely get a good meal here so I recommend it to others.

    The sauce from he&c

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    Page 1 of 11

    HE&C Tea + Pot Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - HE&C Tea + Pot

    Is there msg in any of the broths (chicken or vegetarian mushroom? Have allergy

    Only 1 person per pot?

    The pots are designed for 1 per person. But sharing are welcome.

    Are any of your broths gluten free and is safe for guests with gluten allergy?

    Unfortunately the broths are not gluten free.

    Is there a gluten free option for the noodle?

    There is the option of selecting vermicelli rice noodles or cooked white rice instead of knife cut noodles or udon.

    View All 6 Questions

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    Met up with some old colleagues here the other day for dinner and the food was was amazing as…read moreusual! I'm glad we made reservations as the restaurant was quite packed on a Monday evening. Because they are located at the beginning of downtown, there is usually plenty of parking on the adjacent streets and also a parking garage directly behind the restaurant at the Webster/Cowper Garage. The restaurant is well-lit, clean, and inviting. The tables are well-spaced from each other. For the appetizer we started with their salt and pepper calamari. This was excellent and was was served with a cilantro lime dipping sauce. Since a few of them have never dined at Tamarine or it's been years, I recommended one of my favorite dishes to share, the Empress Rice. The garlic and ginger sticky rice topped with a sunny-side up egg and drizzled with sweet soy sauce is a must. They break the egg and mix it in table-side. We also ordered their garlic noodles which was also great. Traditionally other restaurants use lo mein noodles or thin spaghetti, but they use egg noodles here. You can taste that wok-tossed garlic, butter, and parmesan cheese flavor in the noodles. I think there was a hint of black pepper too. For the mains, the shaking beef is always a hit. The filet mignon beef cubes are so tender and cooked a perfect medium rare. It's served with a side of arugula salad. It was our first time trying their lemon grass sea bass and we all loved it. Since this was pan roasted there was this flavorful lemongrass and garlic crust on the fish! The service here is consistently friendly and attentive. Our waters were constantly refilled and empty dishes removed promptly. Even though there are many new restaurants in downtown Palo Alto, year after year, I keep coming back to Tamarine and have been for the last decade+!

    Tamarine was pretty good, but honestly not amazing…read more For starters, we got the calamari, peach and burrata salad, and chicken wontons. For entrees, we had the red chicken curry and branzino ca nuong with pan-fried eggplant, jasmine rice, and coconut rice. For dessert, we tried the black sesame cheesecake, mango coconut tapioca, and banana beignets. They put a happy birthday sign on the cheesecake, which was cute, but just a heads-up, the birthday dessert was not free. The food was good overall, but nothing really stood out to me. Also, as someone who eats Vietnamese food quite often, I did not feel like any of the food was actually Vietnamese. The branzino came with nuoc cham, but that was pretty much it. Most of the menu felt more generally Asian-inspired than Vietnamese, which was disappointing. The service was just okay. The servers were nice, but not super friendly, and the whole interaction felt a little awkward. I also felt rushed throughout dinner because they kept asking if they could take our plates, even though we were clearly still eating and there was still food left. The restaurant definitely has a classy vibe, but to me it felt more like awkward classy. Overall, the food was decent, but between the service and the lack of Vietnamese flavors, I probably would not rush back.

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    INDO Restaurant & Lounge

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    4.2
    (1.3k reviews)
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    A bit of a late post, but we had our wedding dinner here in December. The event was last minute as…read morethe goal was to have my mom join before she couldn't anymore, so this was incredibly meaningful. We kept it small and intimate (12 people) and Michelle was absolutely fantastic with answering all my questions and making sure everything went smoothly. We reserved a portion of the outdoor area with a few dividers, and the staff were kind and accommodating. The family loved the food - in fact, it was the first time I had seen my mom eaten so much in a very long time. The noodles were my favorite :) We had come here a few times before and all were great times, but very special shout out to the staff here. Thanks for making that evening special for me, my husband, and our family.

    Unfortunately we were disappointed by the quality of food. We were expecting dishes with a more…read moreheavier taste profile of Indonesia but we felt that it was more Chinese/Western based. We tried the sea bass which we had to ask to give back because it was really not what we expected. The fish filet itself was dry and did not taste fresh, it was very different than what was detailed in the menu and there was a broth under the filet. I don't know, we just weren't expecting a fish soup. Next, we tried the crispy pork and mie goreng with high expectations, and instead we were disappointed yet again. I think we will try to explore other Southeast asian cuisines. Thank you!

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    Yeobo Darling

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    4.1
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    1.3 mi

    This place is hard to make a reservation. We managed to land on a 8:30pm reso on Friday night and…read moreseeing that they close at 9:30, I was worried a lot of dishes would get sold out and we would be sent out the door in an hour. I was totally wrong! We were greeted and sent in to seat quickly. The seats have a sling at the bottom to place our bags. The fact that the seats are one piece without a gap between the back and the seat so we can put the bags behind our backs is already a big peace of mind. Monica took good care of us. I forgot how many times she refilled our water without asking; my glass is always full. She was warm and friendly and never overextended her time with us. She gave us a quick intro on the menu since it was our first visit. We went with the following: -Chilled Brentwood corn custard, trout roe, hearts of palm. It tasted good and the trout roe didn't taste as funny as my experience in Sweden. It was not as chilled as we'd like, but overall the taste is good. -Scallion croissant, rou song butter. The bread is crusty on the outside but soft on the inside. The moment we cut it up, the buttery aroma spreads and put us at awe. The rou song butter is fine and filling. I do wish there's more rou song as we dig into the butter. We've heard good words about this bread, glad that it is consistent and carries its reputation. -Halibut, cabbage, chili vinegar. Very tasty! Although a bite size portion, the rolled up halibut in cabbage is very balanced and flavorful. I only wish there's another piece for me to revisit. -Yeobo Darling chicken wings. It's like the Korean chicken wings, tasted good, not disappointing but honestly, how much better can chicken wings be in a place this good already. So I would say it's a steady dish that can't go wrong, but also hard to wow. We chose it as it has the restaurant name on it, but I would not call it its signature dish. -Lu rou lasagna. Interesting dish, the pasta was baked crispy at the edge and covered by the lu rou inside. It's like tasting a twisted version of meat sauce noodle in a Chinese dish. Worth trying. -Duroc pork collar & banchan. This is a jackpot dish. We couldn't stop talking about it all night long! Thick layer of pork, roasted and covered in the Korean gochujang sauce with a hint of miso? The texture is soft, juicy and absorbing. The fact that the chef can make it this thick yet maintain a consistent texture is impressive. We love this dish! -Crispy anchovy, koshihikari rice. We rank it as high as the pork collar. Soaked in flavor yet crispy, each grain carries the flavor equally. There's the right amount of anchovy on top, delivering the right flavor profile. Top dish! -Chocolate mousse, taro rice cake, cocoa nib tuile. We found the other 2 desserts too common, so we chose this one. A layer of hard cocoa on the top, with taro soup in the middle and some chocolate mousse at the bottom. It's hard to scoop all the way to get everything, but the taste is interesting and rich, slightly salty and not just plainly sweet. Interesting dish. The ambiance is a bit dark with warm yellow light. Slightly hard for us to read the menu under the dim light. And a bit embarrassing as we photographed each dish the flash went out. Limited street parking but there's a public parking lot at the back. Restroom's scented candle is another touch of service done right.

    Food: 2.2 out of 5 - food came out unique but flavor $ taste needs improvements…read more Service: 4.4 out of 5 Ambiance: 4.2 out of 5 Portions: 1.5 out of 5 - too small Price: 1.3 out of 5 - portions & taste of food- over priced Location: 4.5 out of 5 Parking: 4.6 out of 5 * 6% of SM surcharges really

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    Corner seating
    Corner seating
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    Potato jeon, hokkaido sea urchin, prosciutto ($28 each)
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    Rara

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    4.3
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    Ok we went back and Yall Got to Try to Carrot Cake Dessert! (If they have it...). It actually is…read morereal healthy caked carrot, not like you're thinking, but it's made good with spices and talent! The momo's were delicious! And we also got the bison jerky plate again, which is kinda what I want here . We're gonna be back!

    Love all the flavors!…read more We ordered: Dal that khana set chicken $27.99 - a very interesting presentation but the actual chicken curry is just a tiny bowl so I dunno about the value of this item. Chhoila chicken Momo 10 pcs $19.98 -- I was warned about the spice level that this can be really spicy and in actuality, it's not that spicy -- so if you're used to eating spicy food, you'll enjoy this dumpling. For reviewers who didn't enjoy the momos, it's probably because they ordered a plain version. Timur chicken $18.99 - this one was the highlight! Has that numbing Sichuan pepper -- simply delicious! Buffalo jhaneko sekuwa set $23.99 - spicy and flavorful. My only critique is that there wasn't enough buffalo Service was polite. Wait was 15 minutes for dishes to arrive to the table. Ambiance is typical dark vibe. I love the comfortable booth seating. Not crowded at all at 3pm on a Friday. Parking was about a block away. Total bill was $99.25 for 4 dishes. I thoroughly enjoyed most of the flavors and my overall experience was good but the portions for the meat are rather small so I have to mark down a star for overall value.

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    Rangoon Ruby

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    3.6
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    Family friendly but also sophisticated, with great ambient lighting for mood--bustling on a Friday…read morenight. We had a variety of veggie dishes: the yellow pea fried tofu is a must have: the chili sauce it comes with understated, and the "tofu" slices themselves melt in your mouth like custard, unlike any tofu we've had. The samosa soup was also off the hook delicious--savory and tangy, and our other dishes: tea leaf salad and palata bread were quite good. Were burmese fans and highly recommend!

    We were recommended to check out Rangoon Ruby, a Burmese spot in the DT Palo Alto area, by one of…read morethe Stanford staff. We came here for an early dinner, and ordered: +Palata - served with coconut chicken; you can opt to sub for vegetarian curry or lamb curry +the Burmese Pad Thai - prepared with rice noodles, red bell peppers, onions, baby bok choy, cabbage, peanuts, bean sprouts, and scrambled egg; you can opt for chicken, tofu, shrimp as a protein option, so we went for the shrimp +the Country Style Beef Curry - slow-cooked with onions, garlic, potatoes, lemongrass, and spices +and, Mango Shrimp - tossed with basil, fresh mangoes, onions, and mango puree; served with fresh mango Portions were on the smaller end, and it seemed as if we were getting sampling/tasting plates. Note that they also have a GF and a catering menu. Staff were friendly, and the restaurant is narrow but had plenty of seating. +Burmese eats +small portions

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    Rangoon Ruby
    Samosa Soup
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    Nobu Palo Alto

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    3.6
    (1.1k reviews)
    0.0 mi
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    This review is for their afternoon tea menu…read more Nobu has the BEST afternoon tea I have had in the Bay Area. The menu consisted of sweet and savory bites, which were all really yummy. The food was pretty diverse with some of the Nobu regular menu classics (but in a mini version). The tea was pretty good as well but did not stand out compared to the food. At the end, they also offer cut fruit. The fruit selection was more exotic than I expected but still delicious. The vibe is also amazing. The seating is covered outdoors so it is very shady but also gives garden vibes. The garden is very well maintained and there is even a small path you can walk through. It is super peaceful and the tables are all massive and spacious. Service was decent, though I wish they refilled the tea. Even though the food was amazing, there were some items where you could tell it was left out for awhile. For example, the crispy items had a bit of staleness to it. Not a huge deal because overall it was highly enjoyable. I have been to a few afternoon tea places in the Bay Area and this has been the best in terms of value, taste, and ambiance. I will 100% be coming back.

    Was celebrating two graduates here recently with a nice dinner. Justin took care of us for the…read moreentire dinner. He was extremely knowledgeable on the menu and as first timers he made an impression with his recommendations and professionalism. We ordered some of their specialties like the yellowtail sashimi jalapeño, new style salmon sashimi, some edamame, their green salad which had a citrus peanut dressing. This salad was amazing! Followed by some hot dishes like the black cod with miso, the Chilean sea bass with dry miso, the rock shrimp tempura with creamy spicy sauce. We also tried the prime filet toban-yaki and the eel cucumber roll. The food was delicious and just what you would expect from a high end place like this. Some of the drinks we tried included the lychee martini, the monarch cocktail, the matsuhisa martini, mango passion cocktail, the porn star martinis and some of the mocktails: cucumber mint lemonade and the lychee passion.

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    Inside bar
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    BIGEYE TUNA SASHIMI
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    Rin-Tei

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    4.7
    (1.2k reviews)
    12.3 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Takes reservations

    Visited on a Friday night with a friend, restaurant was about half full when we arrived so we were…read moreable to quickly grab a table. Space is minimalist with a clean aesthetic. As we finished dinner most tables were taken but a few bar seats were open so a solid spot for walk in dinner. Beverages: Sake Flight - we got the daily japanese flight which had a fun mix of sakes from japan two filtered sakes and one unfiltered giving us a range of tastes and textures Food: Vegetable Spring Roll - good, very light and refreshing, classic rice paper wrapper filled with crisp fresh lettuce, bell pepper, radishes, and carrots, served with a thick creamy peanut sauce with nice savory nutty notes a great starter Japanese Style Chili Garlic Poached Chicken - excellent, served chilled, tender poached chicken in a delicious spicy garlicy soy sesame dressing, served with cucumber which provided a nice cool refreshing bite, really well balanced with great depth of flavor Soy milk pho with chicken & vegetables- good, a very unique and interesting take on pho, broth has a subtle soy milk flavor with a nice depth from the chicken broth, served with flat rice noodles which made this a lighter dish, chicken in this was also very tender and juicy, the yuzu kosho added a nice subtle citrusy spice to the broth, noodles had a slight bite wish it was cooked just a touch longer, flavors were really balanced as well with lots of complexity Service was good, really quick and efficient, staff was warm and friendly and were knowledgeable about the menu with solid recommendations. Staff refilled our water throughout the meal and checked in periodically. Pacing of dishes also felt just right not much of a wait between courses. Overall really enjoyed our meal at Rin-Tei, a great spot for a nice dinner that's still fairly affordable for the bay area. Really loved the fusion and unique twist this spot offers. Definitely worth a try if you are in San Mateo

    I wanted to like this so bad. This was highly recommended by many folks, but now I'm questioning…read moretheir taste buds haha. Very clean and cute eatery with an adorable entrance. You enter and check in at the front where you will be seated and given menus. Once you decide on your order, you head back to the front to place your order and they'll bring it to your table later. Our order... Creamy Soy Milk Pho $25: It's straight forward, taste like pho with soy milk in it. The dish doesn't open some new flavor combo in your taste buds, just expect it as is. Keema Curry $23: I liked this a lot, fan of curry. However, this wasn't spectacular curry. Tasted as good as I can make it at home, but I'm not a great cook, just follow the instructions on the box. I liked the flavor but bummed that I paid that much for it, haha. I was very confused it tasted as such. Vietnamese Papaya Salad $12: Another of my favorites dishes, but boyyyy, this missed the mark. It was so strangely bitter. Again, the ingredients seemed quite fresh, but the sauce (which makes the whole dish) did not taste good. I would avoid. One note I will say is that the ingredients do seem fresh. I guess it could be considered clean eating? But over all, the visit was disappointing unfortunately.

    Photos
    Cold Sesame TanTan Pho
    Cold Sesame TanTan Pho
    Creamy Soy Milk Pho with Poached Yuzu Chicken and Greens
    Creamy Soy Milk Pho with Poached Yuzu Chicken and Greens
    Azuki Mochi Ice

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    Azuki Mochi Ice

    HE&C Tea + Pot - hotpot - Updated August 2026

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