Stopped by 888 Pan Asian and ordered the combination pho. It was really good with a flavorful…read morebroth, generous portions, and plenty of meat. The serving size was definitely worth it because I had leftovers, and it somehow tasted even better reheated the next day. Always a great sign when the quality holds up after taking it home. Solid spot for pho if you're looking for a satisfying meal with big portions. Note to self: make sure to ask for the chili crisp oil on the side next time. It didn't taste nearly as good without it, and they don't automatically include it. Definitely worth requesting because it adds so much more flavor.

Came here on a late night food eat after a drive from San Antonio. We ordered spring rolls with…read morechicken, grilled Korean barbecue short rib, and general Tso chicken. overall the flavor profile of everything was really good. The spring roll was really refreshing, the grilled kbbq was very flavorful, although my only downside to it is that it's really chewy. It's a pretty big establishment with plenty of seating. There's parking out front since it's in a bit of a plaza area. Service is quick, and they bring you everything you need to the table, including the sauces.

Never tried pho before so I winged it by ordering brisket pho LOVED IT! I love the ambiance in the…read moredaytime nice and quiet the staff is super friendly you can tell there's a lot of love put into this restaurant.

Dim Sum, drinks, and service were all fantastic! Will definitely return for Dim Sum again.read more

Authentic Korean food Very good glass noodles…read moreGood portions of chicken overall Free pickled vegetables for the lunch special Kim Chinwaa authentic Overall, great venue for lunch or dinner.

I usually don't like leaving bad reviews, but wow--that was FOUL. I ordered the rice medallion…read moresauté with the recommended pork belly as my protein and asked for no mushrooms. The girl taking my order was friendly and even double-checked if it was an allergy--I told her no, I just really don't like mushrooms. But when I got home and started eating, everything in that dish tasted like mushrooms--or at least had that same gross, slimy, squishy texture. Even the pork belly (I think?) was soft, squishy, and honestly disgusting. Pork belly can be amazing when it's grilled or fried and crispy, but this was the total opposite. I don't get the hype around Koriente at all. The only good thing was the friendly and honestly super fast service.

We are from Houston and stopped in here for lunch. The food was delicious! I had the Chicken…read moreTeriyaki Banh Mi. It was light and flavorful and perfect with the iced mint green tea. Highly recommend!

One of my friends and I had a meet up at Azure, a Vietnamese restaurant located on North Lamar in a…read morestrip mall. I suggested this restaurant because it had 4.9 / 5.0 rating (67 reviews). This charming Pan-Asian café is warm, welcoming and with quite a lot of personality. The menu captures unique tastes such ascreamy udon, crispy chicken karaage, pho dip banh mi, croffles, bingsu, and Vietnamese coffee. The atmosphere is relaxed and laid-back. Neon signs, cute décor, and a laid-back vibe with cats as its focal point bring this restaurant to life. The store manager and staff were super friendly and welcomed any questions regarding the menu. The vibe was familial. Also, the music playing in the background was quietly intoxicating. My friend ordered the Banh Xeo Tacos, which she enjoyed very much. The bonus was they were gluten-free. I was not very hungry at the time, but I can always find room for dessert...so, Mango Bingsu was my dessert de jour! Mango Bingsu is when mango marries shaved ice (milk-based) and sweeten condensed milk. It reminded me of the desserts I had in China. Yummy! Azure is a whole vibe...it is the real deal! Definitely returning...

I first heard about OKO about a year ago and never got a chance to visit until recently for a…read moreValentine's Day dinner. Leading up to it we were pretty excited since we've seen a lot of online buzz about the place Man...we were super disappointed. I immediately knew we made the wrong choice when I ordered a "Banana Old Fashioned" and the only thing "banana" about it was a tiny banana chip that got tossed in a normal old fashioned (no joke, see pics) The prices on each of the items are also way too high for what it is. And the amount of food they give you is like ordering a side dish. You could get better bang for your buck at a food truck, and I'd argue that you can probably get better tasting food at a food truck too It's not even about the amount of food. If the quality was good, the price can be justified, but just because a waiter tells you how to dip your food in the sauces that it comes in, doesn't make it "fancy" You can tell this place loves their fish sauce, cause that's the only flavor you're going to get here Dessert was an absolute joke. Two scoops of blue bell ice cream with fruity pebbles sprinkled on top. Something that also bothered me at the end is that they pass on the credit card fees (3%) onto the customer. It'll say on the receipt. Even fast food restaurants don't do this. Waiters were very nice. Vibes were okay except for the "Valentine's Day" paper menu having a lot of food smeared on from previous diners. It was just another classic "let's charge NYC prices in Austin" type restaurant. Absolutely joke.

I took my partner here to celebrate a birthday and it was perfect. The restaurant is dim, moody,…read moreand elegant. Also loved that I could take him here without breaking the bank. We ordered the hamachi, the pork belly, and the kare kare, and had the halo halo for dessert. I also got the karaoke girl cocktail. I would say the portion sizes are in the small side but for everything we ordered between the two of us, we did end up being full enough, not belly hurting. Every bite is well balanced with yummy flavors and textures. Leanne was our server and she was awesome. I love when servers describe the dish and recommend how to get the best bite. Can't wait to come back!

Mom's Special Cooking IS actually special. As far as I know, it's the only place to get Burmese…read morefood in Austin, and it is wonderful. The restaurant itself is clean, bright and welcoming, the decor is nice with a good selection of those Burmese puppets and other charming doodads, and the people who run the place are lovely. Of course, the real test is the food, and judging from the lunch I had there today, this place should be a winner. My friend and I shared a tea leaf salad as appetizer, and it lives up to the best I had in Myanmar. We both tried variations on the Shan noodle entree, dry (as opposed to a soup-based version) and both the chicken and pork types were delicious, with a wonderful complexity of flavors and textures. So far, the only concession I noticed to American tastes was in the portion size. The entrées were huge, which is OK by me, as I am already looking forward to dinner and maybe breakfast! The service was very friendly, and we got to chat with mom, the genius behind these great flavors, and she is as wonderful as the food she cooks. If you're familiar with Burmese food, you're in for a treat. If you're not, give it a try - - because I selfishly hope that this restaurant will be around for a good while.

If you were anything like me when growing up, you always looked forward to your mom's cooking. Her…read more"special cooking" was not about elaborate dishes. It was a simple meal made with love and basic ingredients such as rice, vegetables, and meat. When she cooked, the kitchen became the focal point of the house. You could smell the aroma wafting through the entire house and enveloping you like a warm winter coat. Mom's Special Cooking restaurant is based on this same principle...really good food made simply. I got a chance to meet "mom", and she was the quintessential mom figure...warm, friendly and welcoming. Also, the restaurant feels lived in and homey. I ordered the tempura shrimp and was more than pleased. The shrimp were served on a wooden skewer in an oblong shape. This was not your typical shrimp skewer. First, the shrimp had an oblong shape. Importantly, the tempura was extremely lite and enjoyable to eat. In addition, the shrimp skewers were bursting with flavor.

Went to Qi for dim sum brunch and overall had a really enjoyable experience. Qi is know for…read morecombining western and traditional Chinese cuisine by using local organic farming. Did not have a reservation on this occasion, but they always make me feel welcome and manage to fit us in. Sat on the outdoor covered patio that was cool and shaded. The atmosphere is modern and lively, making it a great spot for a weekend brunch. Started the meal with cocktails including Lycheetini with Deep Eddy Vodka, Giffard Lichi-li. lemon, cranberry, I cut the cranberry. Also had a Fresa Paloma with Socorro Reposado Tequila, Contratto, strawberry, lime, grapefruit, five-spice that was very sweet and garnished with a flower. You are given a card where you can mark your dim sum selections. I ordered the Shrimp Pancake, Snow Crab Ball and Chinese Sausage Sticky Rice. The standout was the shrimp pancake that had a really great texture and flavor. The snow crab ball had a strange texture with shrimp surrounding the snow crab claw. The Chinese Sticky Rice is always a favorite. Also ordered the Truffle Egg Fried rice and Birds Nest with Seasonal Vegetable. The Truffle rice is so flavorful like a flavor explosion in your mouth. The Birds Nest is made with fried potato shreds which contain the a variety of vegetables including cauliflower, peppers, mushrooms and asparagus. The nest is also edible and has a crunchy texture. The presentation of the food is amazing and everything came out hot and fresh. The flavors were on point, and you can tell there's attention to detail in the preparation. Service was attentive outdoors and the pacing of dishes felt just right for a relaxed brunch. This restaurant is truly a gem whether you come for brunch or dinner service. Will definitely be back.

I wasn't as blown away by the service and menu as I hoped- but continue to hear great things so…read moreI'll be back. Can't recommend the truffle fried rice or soup dumplings enough. The chicken basil pot stickers and pork belly were good.. but a bit dry for my taste. However, the sauces they offer were all good. Martini was a jump scare in color but taste was on pointtt! Service was fine but we were out front on the patio and though our waiter was attentive while we ordered, we ended up finishing and waiting 40 minutes for someone to come by so we could grab the check. I ended up just heading inside and the maître d' was able to close us out. Tables around us were open so I'm not sure what had them held up, and it could've been a one off, but definitely not ideal at this price point.

Visited this local grocery store around the corner from my hotel, and noticed that there was a…read moreMalaysian food pop-up there called Wee's Cozy Kitchen. It piqued my attention enough that I decided to come by several hours later to get my dinner there. Bit of a unique setup as it's literally just a desk at the front with a menu you can order off. You put your order in on Square and wait. And then someone comes to bring your food out all nicely wrapped up! This is probably because the person who would take your order is actually also making the food in the bank/ Ordered the Beef Rendang, since I wanted to try something that was uniquely Malaysian. The beef was very tender and paired well with the sauce. It also had an unexpected spicy kick to it, but it wasn't overwhelming. Did not expect to find Malaysian food in a downtown Austin grocery store, but here we are!

I'm no stranger to restaurants inside of other businesses, but this one took some getting used to…read more While there are a few tables inside of Royal Blue, Wee's is definitely better equipped for takeout. There's a separate register toward the front of the store for you to place your order. However, there's a very good chance the proprietor will be in the back making food, so it's really a spot for you to browse the menu and order online. Once you get past the set-up, however, Wee's is very, very good. The menu offers Malaysian curries, noodles, satays, snacks, and drinks. I opted for a beef rendang and a Thai green tea. After about 15-20 minutes, Wee emerged to hand me my order. She gave me a warm greeting and seemed invested in me enjoying my meal. And enjoy it I did! The meat was tender, the sauce rich and creamy, and the coconut flavors paired well with the pickled vegetables. There was also a lot of it: for $18, I felt like I got my money's worth. Wee's Cozy Kitchen is easy to miss unless you're looking for it, but if you stop by, you're in for a treat.

Tried the Loro x Siete: Backyard BBQ collab at Loro Asian Smokehouse & Bar and it was such a fun…read morehappy hour bar experience. Loro is an Asian smokehouse and bar featuring grilled and smoked meats with Southeast Asian and Japanese-inspired sauces, sides, and a bar that boasts craft beer, boozy slushees, and batch cocktails. Parking at this location is a bit of a challenge. They have overflow parking in the back but the spots are really small. We sat at the bar area and worked our way through cocktails, apps, and dessert. We opened a tab and the bar staff takes your order which is convenient, versus how you normally have to order by waiting in line at the bar. The bar staff was extremely busy because they have to make all the cocktails and take the line orders at the bar. They are a master of multitasking. It was $3 martini night on Tuesday, so was excited to sample the four different drink options. lychee martini, Mexican martini, and Lucky Cat cosmo martini. Lychee martini is made with new amsterdam vodka, sake, elderflower, Mexican martini with espolon blanco, olive, yuzu, lime and cosmo with vodka, blood orange, naranja, lime. The lychee was hands down my favorite of the three. We started with the Dip Sampler that included a trifecta of smoked shishito queso, smoked salmon dip and Thai green salsa with the Siete blue corn tortilla chips. We went through the chips quickly and got a second round of wonton chips which I preferred to the Siete chips. Tried the Mango Chamoy frozen Slushee with Siete Chamoy Botana Sauce & Siete Chile Lime Seasoning Rim, passionfruit, Aperol, Sake and Sparkling Wine which was refreshing. All their boozy slushies are $5 during happy hour. Ordered the oak grilled edamame from the happy hour menu and it was a flavor explosion with a dusting of serracha powder, lemon zest and white sesame. For dinner, I ordered my go-to rice bowl with coconut-scented rice, seasonal pickles, thai herbs and steak as the protein. They normally served this with Bavette, but the steak was a bit tough and chewy this time. Finished everything off with cheesecake with five spice crumble, yuzu marmalade for dessert. The vibe at the bar was relaxed and lively without feeling overwhelming, and the collab menu felt creative without trying too hard. The ingredients are very thoughtful for a fully developed flavor profile. Just what I would expect from the culinary minds of Tyson Cole and Aaron Franklin. Definitely one of the regulars in my list when craving good cocktails with a casual but elevated food menu.

Plenty of parking, lots of seating options both indoor and outdoor, no wait, easy ordering at the…read morebar, creative menu. We came here for a small late lunch during a hot day and this place checked all the boxes. Plenty of seating options and we loved the AC. Both high chairs and booster seats available for kids. The char siew pork belly was very good. Nothing like barbecue pork belly or asian char siew, but somehow they made it work. Chicken karaage was what you would expect, similar to what you get at Japanese places. Portions are big. The sesame rice noodles were highly reviewed but kinda underwhelming. Sauce was surprisingly spicy and the sesame flavor wasn't super obvious. We also tried the rendang beans and rice, which was a creative spin. I enjoyed the curried beans with the fragrant coconut rice. Nice spot to rest, relax, enjoy a meal and drinks. Enjoyed our experience.

They recently changed the eggrolls here and they're awful! Made me vomit within two minutes of…read moreeating them- they used to be flaky and delicious and now they taste like gas station egg rolls or from a box. The wonton soup is still amazing, as well as the shrimp fried rice- those eggrolls are just not good though

My favorite the egg rolls with a little hot oil!!! Husband…read moreloves the chicken fried rice. I enjoy the beef with scallions or beef and broccoli with wontons. The egg drop soup is good too!!