Wow.. why am I just now trying this place... wanted to see what the hype has been about.. finally seeing it. Came here with someone who frequents this place so everything we ordered was spot on and delicious. That branzino wrap set is amazing.. the non alcoholic drinks were good (cant wait to try the coffees and cocktails next time).. the Vietnamese shrimp salad was surprisingly my personal favorite. So fresh, clean, yet still flavorful. I love that the portions are decently sized, especially the entree. The bread pudding was also so surprisingly good. Kicking myself for not having tried this place sooner!!! Can't wait to come back and try the brunch and coffee!!! read more

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Kei Concepts does Asian Fusion well and Nep Cafe is no exception. We ordered several items to try, but my personal favorite would be the Seafood Tom Kha Pasta. It's a blast of intense flavor. I would pass on the Bun Bo Hue Dry Noodles. The execution was excellent, but because of its dry format I found it inferior to an actual bowl of bun bo hue. Desserts were great! I liked both the Mango Sticky Rice and Banana Bread Pudding. Service was fantastic. We were seated promptly and our server was attentive despite how busy they were. Ambiance is great too. The decorations were beautiful. read more

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Great place to go with friends and family. Service was quick. I ordered the Banh Mi Chap with Filet Mignon. It was delicious but extremely rich and sits heavy on your stomach. It comes with a side of toasted banh mi bread, but the bread is extremely hard to cut through without smashing it flat. read more

NEP Cafe - Irvine - Banh Mi Chao - Filet Mignon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

My first time for lunch on a Saturday and the wait was minimal for 8 people. Service good but could be better. Dishes were prompt but because one person had a nut alert they kept leaving the nuts out of my entrees. I tried the Xoi Chien (crispy rice) and the server described it as delicious if you like different textures. I must because I loved this dish and would cone back for it. I also tried appetizers of Chicken Wings, Calamari, and Broccolini- all very good. I would say the appetizers are a good size portion for a party of two. We were 8 and ordered double and it was small portions for the price. The coffee drinks looked amazing and I ordered the Wildberry Matcha Latte and it did not disappoint. Finally the Mango Sticky Rice was yummy as expected. It did get very busy and the ambiance felt rushed. But the food was excellent and the service good enough. read more

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Top tier modern Vietnamese restaurant that combines high quality ingredients and complex delicious flavors. The food was fantastic, a short and simple menu and every dish was beautifully presented. The interior is very well designed and offers plenty of seating as well as a bar area. The staff are all very professional and helpful. Best to make a reservation since it very popular especially on weekends. read more

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Amazing experience! The food was exceptional with beautiful presentation and a delight to our senses. The service was outstanding with attentive staff. The ambience was upbeat, loud but joyful. read more

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Plenty of availability on a Sunday evening. Got the curry crab omelet, vietnamese shaking beef, and seafood tom kha pasta and all were delicious. Also got the calamansi white peach drink which was also very good and refreshing. For dessert we got the banana bread pudding. It was ok, I would try another dessert next timr. The service was very quick, we got our food fast and our drinks were always filled. Lots of available parking spaces outside and overall great experience inside. read more

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My Bestfriend recommended me this restaurant , we always attend her relatives Party in Santa Ana and when we talk about restaurants this is what they always recommend to visit. There are 2 locations for Nef Cafe my best friend recommended and we chose the one that most of my Yelp friends go to between the 2 locations, which is this one. It was easy for us to find a parking space, there's actually plenty of parking around. The restaurant was packed when we arrived, but didn't get that long for us to be seated. We checked out the menu right away and there were so many delicious things I saw, but here were our picks: *PORK TOMAHAWK *SEAFOOD TOM KHA PASTA *WHOLE BRANZINO *LYCHEE MILK PUNCH COCKTAIL The TOM KHA Pasta doesn't have a lot of Seafood, but they were bigs ones in my plate ,so thats okay for me. On this one I could really taste the Tom Kha flavor in my Pasta, really good. My son ordered the PORK TOMAHAWK. This has a good portion for the price. This one was so Tender and cooked to perfection, my Son was already complaining about how I kept reaching out for his Pork Tomahawk , that's how much I liked it, I kept getting some from my Son's plate ;) My Husband shared the Fish with wraps with me 'coz the Fish was big, plus all the veggies salad and wraps that came with it were so sharable. I do like this one too, it's Fun and delicious to eat, but I think I prefer these more as Fried Fish, the Fried ones have more Crunch to it when eating it in a lettuce wrapper, but as I said, this is still a very good one too. My LYCHEE MILK PUNCH Cocktail is also good. Delicious foods and the service was fast and friendly here . Definitely this NEF CAFE is a place to come back for dining again. read more

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One of the things I like about nep is how consistent it is. I feel like the things i got years ago still taste the same, but sometimes I get accustomed to it and it gets a bit boring (though they do change the menu often). However, i found one hidden gem of nep cafe is the stir fried vegetables. Especially the garlic fried greens the garlic flavor was so strong and good wok hei and my previous experience with the brussel sprouts were good too. I do think the portions went down a bit (inflation) particularly with the ceviche, but again same good quality. Filet Mignon Banh Mi Chao the meat quality is okay because its quite covered by the sauce so you don't necessarily need to splurge on this, but the dish is filling and the variety is a uniqur brunch exp to have. My go to is always the wings for the solid portion and consistent flavor. Everytime you state a special occasion they celebrate with a card with really nice paper and maybe even a dessert. Overall, its one of the go to spots to bring someone outside of orange county b/c I feel it represents OC foodie culture well where both aesthetic for food pics and decent flavor mesh. It was still a filling meal for 3 gals. read more

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James was absolutely wonderful! He was so kind, efficient, genuinely attentive, and he took such great care of us throughout our meal at NEP Cafe. His amazing service and excellent recommendations really made our experience extra enjoyable. We left feeling well taken care of and very impressed by his warm, friendly attitude. James truly deserves recognition and promotion for the level of service he provides! Thank you James & we will definitely be back :-) ps. the coconut matcha & Tom Kha pasta was bombbbb! read more

NEP Cafe - Irvine - Seafood Tom Kha Pasta - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

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We somehow ended up visiting twice in a 2 week period, lol, so I'm going to split my review up since both visits were quite different. Friday brunch review: I thought we were going to be able to beat the crowd, but I was wrong LOL. It was packed! Luckily, we were able to get seated after a short 15-20 minute wait. We got seated near the bar at a high-top table. It took a while for our orders to be taken, but after that food came out relatively quickly. I got the roasted chicken congee and my husband got the beef belly rice bowl. At first, I was appalled by the $19 price tag for the congee, but after it came out, I could see why. It definitely is big enough to feed 2 people. There was SO much congee, and my chicken piece was HUGE! The congee was flavorful, but not overpowering, which paired with the chicken very well. My husband's beef belly rice bowl reminded me of a Vietnamese version of bibimbap, lol. The beef belly was tender and it was a delicious, balanced dish. ---------------------------------------------------- Thursday dinner review: Compared to Friday brunch, the crowd was much thinner for Thursday dinner. Half the restaurant seemed empty and we were able to get seated immediately. For dinner, we ordered the calamansi white peach, crispy calamari, Vietnamese shaking beef, and seafood tom kha pasta. Our drink was refreshing, not too sweet, and I did like the citrusy flavor and carbonation. My tom kha pasta came out REALLY fast (weirdly fast?). It came out so fast that it made it awkward how long we had to wait for the other dishes to come out (15+ minutes). Also, parts of the pasta tasted lukewarm.. not sure if it was sitting out for a while, or if they rinsed the pasta with cold water and served it immediately lol. And while I appreciate al dente, it definitely was leaning towards undercooked. The flavor of the sauce was good though. The crispy calamari was fine. The calamari at INI is better though. I like that the jalapenos gave it a nice kick, but there was SO much breading. I felt like I was eating more batter than calamari and it made the dish overly heavy. The flavor of the shaking beef was really good, but some pieces of beef were exceptionally tender, and others were so chewy that it made it difficult to eat. The rice was also slightly soggy and a little underwhelming in terms of flavor. Despite our subpar food experience, the highlight of our night was our server Mia. She was so sweet and attentive and handled all of the kitchen mishaps with grace. She came by multiple times to ask us how we were doing, gave us numerous status updates regarding our food, and apologized for the delay from the kitchen. Her service was on par with a fine dining restaurant and without her superb customer service, our dinner experience would have been completely soured. Overall, I do like the unique dishes and offerings here. Both food and service are a hit or a miss depending on the day (from our experiences) but I would come back. read more

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I've been NEP Cafe in Irvine a few times now, but only now getting around to writing a review. Nep Cafe is part of the Kei Concepts family offering a modern fusion take on some classic Vietnamese dishes. In short, they pull it off very well. My first time there, we ordered the pork tomahawk and the boneless ribeye entrees. Those dishes by themselves can be pretty expensive, but we were able to share it family style amongst 3-4 people. Not only were both the tomahawk and the ribeye were extremely tender and juicy, but the Vietnamese seasoning (nuoc cham, tamarind dressing) probably was what made each dish standout. It's a pretty refreshing take on some classic dishes. More recently, I went back and ordered their Bun Bo Hue Dry Noodles. For about $20, you get a decently sized bowl filled with plenty of meats, veggies, and noodles. I was rather skeptical, but after tasting the dish, it does not lack in flavor despite not having the broth. The meats were tender and seasoned well, and the vegetables provided a nice refreshing balance to the dish. It's a dish that I would order again. read more

NEP Cafe - Irvine - Bun Bo Hue Dry Noodles - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

Trendy, casual Kei Concepts brunch spot that came highly recommended by locals. Tons of ppl waiting, opted for a table outside. We tried the following: - Egg Coffee with Salted Egg Yolk (very nice, although very sweet) - Banh Mi Chao Beef Belly - Banh Mi Chao Filet Mignon - Broccolini Everything was a hit--food, decor, service--which left us with a lasting impression. Now we know why our friends come here all the time. read more

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Came here for my dad's birthday and it was amazing! Service was very friendly, fast and they even provided him with a birthday treat. The Creme Brûlée cofee was balanced and had a great texture. The beef belly rice bowl was flavorful and was a good size. However, my favorite dish was the 5-spice roasted chicken. The flavor penetrated into the chicken all the way to the bone. The skin had great texture and flavor. I left thinking about when I could be back! read more

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Fantastic Vietnamese brunch! Everything was delicious and I can't wait to come back and try more menu items. The egg coffee was strong, creamy, and perfectly balanced. The beef belly/brisket skillet was unctious and savory -- I loved all the different components and being able to build a perfect bite each time! From the smooth pate to the tender beef, runny eggs, and crispy and fluffy baguette, such a great start to the day. The crispy sticky rice was very tasty and the egg was a great accompaniment, but do keep in mind the rice loves to get stuck in your teeth LOL. read more

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Came here for my birthday with my parents and absolutely loved everythinggggggg. I have no other words, but you definitely need to visit this place ASAP! I've only been here once before, but it is good every time. Everything was so delicious and extremely flavorful absolutely 10 out of 10 with no notes. Took pictures of everything we ate but I pretty much recommend every single dish or drink. The parking is in a shared lot with other stores and a Tesla charging station so be warned lol. It gets pretty loud inside with the music and everyone talking so if you're looking for a quiet vibe, this might not be it for you. However, everyone here is so nice and always on top of it so that definitely makes up for it! read more

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This is my first time at this location. I've dined at the NEP in Fountain Valley which is far from me. I was happy to see there was one close by. it is in a lot with many other restaurants and shops-- parking can get hectic, but it wasn't too bad. I came for a birthday dinner. The ambiance was casual and relaxed. We were seated and greeted promptly. The food was amazing. The steak had a lot of complex flavors that all worked together. You can definitely taste the vietnamese influence. The dumplings were a little too spicy for me. Garlic noodles were great. Drinks were strong and delicious. The espresso martini was super strong. Banana bread pudding was one of the best parts of the meal. Will definitely come back! read more

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Creative Viet cuisine, expect it little heavy for brunch/breakfast. Enjoyed everything. Lots of eggs Drink menu are fun too. read more

NEP Cafe - Irvine - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

Had a delightful brunch in this Irvine location. It's a lot more spacious and less busy the fountain valley location too. I recommend the tom kha pasta if you want something unique, and their bread pudding dessert is absolutely delicious. read more

NEP Cafe - Irvine - Crispy Calamari - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

I already know how great the food is here at Nep, which is why we had planned a larger party birthday party here (around 30 people). The whole process was easy, we coordinated over email and then there was an OpenTable confirmation. Showed up on the day and everything was perfect! They put us in a semi-private patio on the side. The tables were already set up with an empty one up front for gifts or birthday cake set up. Food was served family style per table. We got the drinks along with our food package choice, and it was a hit! Everyone LOVED the drinks. There was so much food, we even packed some for leftovers. Lastly, I wanted to give this shoutout to Paul our server for the event. He was ON IT! Took the time to explain the menu to the guests, got their orders, and helped out wherever he could. The whole day was a blur, but he made sure to ensure it was smooth sailing. So super big thank you to him! read more

Nep Cafe continues my blind loyalty to Kei Concepts. Did it emotionally wreck me (in a good way)? Yes. Coffees and matcha = elite. Space = gorgeous and roomy. Staff = ridiculously nice. Food?? No misses. The crab toast, bánh mì chảo beef belly, congee, and xôi mặn are all stupid good. I would eat the xôi mặn daily if geography allowed it. Been here multiple times and it has never let me down. Comfort food excellence. End of story. read more

NEP Cafe - Irvine - Deliciousness -- share with friends! Congee, crab toast, bahn mi chao, fried rice and xio man. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

Highly recommend going here if you haven't already done so. Their lunch and dinner menu changes completely and they're both AMAZING. I can confidently say I've tried almost every single menu item and they are all delicious. The restaurant does get loud when it's busy so don't go here if you're looking for a quiet place to talk. Also, very kid friendly! read more

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Came with my wife and her co workers, after visiting Tanaka farms. Place was packed but we were a party of 8 and didn't take too long to be sat. This was our first time here and everything looked good in the pictures. Coffee was nice and strong. Food tasted really good. Food was filling and flavorful. Justin, staff member came by and asked how I was doing and if he could get anything for me. Service was good, food was tasty. We'd definitely come back. We recommend the ban mi chao. read more

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Food and drinks were great. The atmosphere was nice and service was great. We got the banh mi cao beef belly and filet mignon. Got the kids meal and garlic noodles. My husband and I enjoyed the banh mi cao but were surprised that it was sweet. My six years old daughter didn't like the filet mignon and said it was chewy for her. She does eat a lot of steak and it's a little hard to impress her. She did love the garlic noodle but not so much the chicken nuggets. However, my son enjoyed the nuggets very much. read more

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The food here is consistently good, and every time I bring friends, they end up loving it too. I've tried several dishes over multiple visits, and the quality has always been reliable. My personal favorites are the seafood ceviche, the seafood tom kha pasta--which has a great balance of creamy, tangy, and savory flavors--and the Vietnamese shaking beef, which is always well-seasoned and cooked just right. The interior is clean, modern, and welcoming. I've liked the space ever since it was EMC Seafood before becoming Nep Cafe, and the atmosphere has remained one of its strengths. It's a great spot whether you're catching up with friends or going out on a date--it feels comfortable but still stylish. Service has also been consistently good. Dine-in experiences are smooth, and my takeout orders are always packaged neatly with utensils and napkins included. Orders are ready by the promised time, which I really appreciate. Overall, this is a dependable place I'm happy to return to and recommend to others. read more

NEP Cafe - Irvine - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

NEP Cafe is a hidden gem. The prawn salads and fried calamari were amazing as starters. We also had the shaken beef and seafood coconut cream curry pasta as main courses which also exceeded expectations. Service was courteous, attentive, and on point. Layout of the restaurant was a modern Asian fusion vibe and very appealing. Highly recommend and we will be returning to try the other dishes. read more

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First time visiting, they had friendly quick attentive service with modern spacious decor & delicious flavorful Asian fusion food that's beautifully presented. We enjoyed everything we ordered: Seafood Ceviche, Shrimp garlic noodles, Vietnamese shaking beef, Mango sticky rice & Yuzu white peach drink. Make sure you make reservations online! read more

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Overall great experience. One of the items we order came out wrong and when I let our server know they were super nice about it and offered to send us a replacement. When we got the replacement they also made sure to double check with us to make sure it was correct and was what we wanted. All the other food was great too. We got the beef tongue fried rice which was my favorite out of everything we ordered. Highly recommend getting that here. The mango sticky rice was also a bit sour but that was probably mainly due to mango's being out of season. The menu was kinda hard to read. They used yellow for some of the wording and that was hard to see. read more

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Wow what a beautiful brunch spot in Irvine! This restaurant has such a gorgeous interior with amazing lighting. Food: great! First off, the coffee is strong like a Vietnamese coffee but the creaminess from the egg was delightful. The roasted chicken was also very tender and juicy, not dry whatsoever. And the toppings with scallions, shredded pork, and pickled veggies were refreshing. I can see why people come here for some nice Vietnamese fusion brunch. Service: exceptional! The server was so so kind and patient with us, helping us take pictures with the best lighting and angles. She was super nice! Thank you for making our cousins special day with a nice treat as well! read more

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Nep cafe always hits with their matcha!! Their matcha cloud latte is my favorite drink of all time and their food selection always makes me want to go back to try others! The service is just bare minimum, nothing really special. I just love this place so much, definitely coming back. read more

NEP Cafe - Irvine - Garlic Noodle - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

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This was absolutely amazing. Right from the start things were great. Spicy wontons - melt in your mouth excellence and cooked to perfection. (I didn't know you should eat the outside! lol) Shrimp and garlic noodles with such great flavor and grilled nice and crisp. Seafood pasta delicately plated glowing in the light. The crab curry omelet was so delish- surprising me with every bite. Calamari so perfectly light and lightly crispy in every bite. The shaking beef- only wish there was more beef- juicy and flavorful. And the fried rice. We shared the table of food with colleagues, enjoying every bite and could ignore work for a few and speak of the flavors and relish the food we shared. Enjoying the experience as food was brought out in perfect timings, giving us time to enjoy each item separately and then devouring them all again. A coworker even went back with family that same weekend. I will definitely go back and enjoy this experience again. read more

Crab toast Seafood ceviche Filet mignon banh mi chao Garlic noodle with crab Pandan old fashioned Mango sticky rice Creme brulee coffee Finally got to eat at Nep Cafe and it did not disappoint. Everything we got was so good and flavorful will definitely get them again. My absolute favorite was the seafood ceviche. The ceviche and garlic noodle has a spicy kick. My husband loved the filet mignon banh mi chao, the meat was so tender and the sauce pairs perfectly with the bread. Our food came out within 10 minutes of ordering, and our server was super nice and attentive. It was my birthday so they gave a complimentary ice cream. Will definitely be back and can't wait to try their dinner menu! read more

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Came here for happy hour. Ceviche, wings and garlic noodles are legit. Cocktails are also well made. Not a big fan of the banh mi chao even though this is what they're known for. Overall a solid 4 on the food. Service was really good, our server was very attentive and made sure we're well taken care of. read more

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The place is huge and theres a bartop. Me and my fiance got seated immediately when we went around 2pm in the afternoon on a Sunday. There was a lot of people but they had enough servers to keep the flow going. The food was 100%! I can't have enough of both! They were extremely delicious and I HAVE TO come back! Tom yum pasta and ribeye fried rice was very very amazing. The fried rice was very flavorful, not normal fried rice or typical fried rice! Don't get tricked by the simple name. Other than the food, we had drinks. Drinks were decently priced like all other place BUT it's also tasty! WIN WIN FOR ME. This is the only Kei Concepts that actually got me good this time! I can't get enough! Coming back to try the beef carpaccio for dinner next time! 100% must-try! Pricey but worth my money. This is the only entree order pricey place I do not mind coming back for. read more

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Nep is one of those contemporary restaurants that also brings some comfort to my heart. I was so happy to enjoy a nice dinner with my cousin and my brother. Jayden assisted us with our order and boy did he make our evening such a hoot! We very much enjoyed his company and service! We ordered the crab omelette, broccolini stir fried garlic, garlic sauced fried tofu, some chicken wings, and the dry bun bo hue. Everything was perfectly cooked. I will say the wings were a bit salty for my taste, but I'm also sensitive to salt. For drinks, we got the sake and the tiramisu Vietnamese coffee. The coffee was perfectly sweet, but be sure to mix th top cream with the coffee to ensure as such. The ambiance is very classy yet vibrant. Great for large party, but recommended to RSVP beforehand on a weekend. read more

the vibes in here were fantastic! a perfect brunch/date spot with lots of seating but may want to reserve for the weekends. the service was top notch, making sure that we had all we needed and providing great recommendations. i love thai flavors so the tom kha pasta hit the spot, with fresh shrimp, scallop, and squid. the dry bun bo hue was surprisingly really flavorful and a hefty portion, and the banh mi chao is a staple (would recommend beef belly if you want less to chew). i would opt out of the shrimp salad and get the squid salad instead. read more

NEP Cafe - Irvine - Seafood Tom Kha Pasta, Bun Bo Hue Dry Noodles, Banh Mi Chao - Filet Mignon, shrimp salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

Honestly this place is an insult to Asian food and fusion. Service is great, but I'm am not wowed by the food and the price. I've been eating Asian food all my life, and for me to pay this high price for very basic food does not justify anything. I feel that people that come here have never even heard of Westminster Little Saigon. read more

Great food and service! This place is a little pricey so it might be better for a special occasion. What we got: Bun Bo hue dry noodle - big portion and very filling Crab Garlic Noodle - very good, has a good portion of crab on it! - the bowl is smaller than the bun bo huge though read more

NEP Cafe - Irvine - Crab Garlic Noodle Bun Bo Hue Dry Noodles - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

Came on a Wed for lunch. wasn't busy. got a table easily. the place was about half packed. I haven't been back here in about a year. I got Seafod Ceviche. it wasn't bad but the coconut flavor overpowered the dish. also ordered the 5 Spice Roasted chicken. pictured looked good. when I got the dish they forgot the quail eggs (good thing I saw the pics first) but I got them once I told the server. the chicken was dry. it was overcooked. sticky rice was pretty good, however. lastly we got Seafood Tom Kha pasta. I wished I knew the words "tom kha" meant coconut cream. again nice dish but strong coconut flavor. all the dishes here had pretty presentation. the flavors for the dishes were mostly good. I did think the portions were a bit small for the price. the pics definitely looked bigger than reality. read more

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So thrilled to have another (and much larger) location! No wait for bar seating on a rainy Saturday noon. But beware of the white Tesla parking lot battles since a charging station is right next to the restaurant! Banh Mi Chao Filet Mignon was delicious. Just be wary of when the food runners get it to you since the hot skillet may overcook the eggs and you want that yolk runny to dip the lovely baguette in! But the filet mignon was perfectly cooked. Lemongrass Tofu was tasty accompanied by the sticky rice. If you're a savory gal looking for a solid protein option, I'd recommend. The sauce was very umami. I'll be back for happy hour! read more

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