Fantastic service, small place so might be a short wait on Friday and weekends but food is great. Would definitely come again!

Very nice Japanese fusion restaurant tucked out in an area of San Mateo away from the main restaurants. Interesting but extremely fresh ingredients here that actually tastes like a great fusion spot with cool twists Super nice staff as well! read more

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Creamy SOY milk pho! Have you tried it? I believe Rin-Tei is pioneering the next big food trend! Their entrees fuse Thai & Japanese flavors! APPETIZER: Japanese Style Chili Poached Chicken (served cold with cucumber and finished w/ a spicy sesame sauce) ENTREE: Creamy Soy Milk Pho with Poached Yuzu Chicken (the lemon was so bright and really brought out the refreshing herb flavor!) ENTREE: Creamy Soy Milk Pho with Keema Curry (the minced pork curry completed the creamy milk SOY well!) ENTREE: Kra Pao with Braised Beef (served with a yolky fried egg - the garlicky chili basil was delicious! I HIGHLY recommend this dish!) This time we tried their lunch menu and we'll definite be back to try their dinner menu! If Ryan if your server, you're in good hands!! He's so kind, makes the best recommendations, and really took care of us! PARKING: street parking all around read more

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Every time I visit this restaurant, the service from the staff is consistently excellent. I always order the same Vietnamese beef pho. The noodles are delicious, the broth is rich yet not greasy, and the beef slices are incredibly tender and smooth. It is almost impossible to find any flaws. If I had to point out one area that could be improved, it would probably be the choice of beef chunks. They are still very tender, but the texture feels just a little dry at times. Even so, this small issue does not take away from the overall experience. Overall, I highly recommend this modern pho restaurant. They also offer many other dishes with great value for the price. Strongly recommended to everyone. 每次去拜訪這家餐廳，服務員的服務都非常得好，我始終點一樣的越南牛肉粉，好吃的麵條，濃郁的湯頭也不油膩，加上超滑嫩的牛肉片，無可挑剔。硬要說一個能改進的地方，唯一美中不足的部分應該就是牛肉塊的部位挑選，感覺也是非常嫩，但是口感始終有一點柴。但是瑕不掩瑜，整體來講，我非常推薦這一家好吃的現代河粉店，裡面還有非常多性價比非常不錯的餐點，強力推薦給各位。 read more

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Okay ngl I came here on the whim of a tikkytokky featuring the cold tan tan men and the chicken soymilk pho, they both so interesting. Guess what, it's pretty interesting!!! And worth trying! Get the soymilk pho, it reminds me of Korean kong guksu a little bit. Not very much the classic pho flavor but the soymilk broth hearty and yummy nonetheless. The prices are on the steeper side for the portion but honestly, I think this restaurant is a growing venture in a tough market and expensive location, I think they are worthy of support as they continue to develop creative meals! read more

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Amazing find by my sister! Rin-Tei is a true gem, offering an elegant kick to some traditional asian dishes. The chef has done an amazing job mixing some of the greatest flavors with amazing ingredients. We had a platter of delicious appetizer. And then I ordered a chicken rice dish, my sister got the milky pho, and her boyfriend a beef dish (forgot the name). We finished with three desserts, mochi, ice cream with strawberry and yozu sorbet! Wow! Pure bliss in my tummy :) Thank you for creating these comforting and delicious dishes, and also satisfies my helpless sweet tooth. Ambiance was superb. Staff were friendly and super efficient. We shall return! read more

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My friends and I dined at Rin-Tei on a Sunday afternoon and the restaurant was empty when we stopped by. You're handed menus at the table, but you actually need to order with the host at the front (and you pay for your meal upfront as well). I really didn't feel comfortable with the tipping situation. The receipt you sign has pre-calculated checkbox options for a 18%, 20% or 22% tip, but you're tipping for service and food you haven't received yet. Don't even think about not leaving a tip, because the host is staring you down as you make your selection. The prices here are definitely on the high side, with main dishes coming in around $25. I ordered the keema curry and felt like it was very unremarkable; there was nothing particularly special about the dish. There's ground pork mixed in with the curry, but it ate very one-note, lacking layers upon layers of flavor. With some boxed Japanese curries, you get hit with a strong curry flavor right of of the gate, quickly followed by a nice subtle sweetness, and then rounded out with a hint of spiciness at the end. That flavor complexity was not here. For the chicken croquette appetizer we ordered, the inside of the croquette had the consistency of a crab cake, and the outside had a very light coating. The croquette was fine, but I would've liked it to be more crunchy, and the inside needed a touch more salt. Overall, I felt like the value simply wasn't here for the quality or quantity of food received. Not sure if I would stop by again. read more

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This is such a cute and unique place! Came here on a Friday at 7pm for 4 people and waited like 20 minutes. It's a smaller dining space that's why. The outside has a cute little garden walkway. We got the soy milk pho - such an interesting dish that I was dying to try! It was actually really good since the broth was light. The pho was a little sweet from the soy milk. The original pho broth flavor is subtle. The noodles were cooked perfectly chewy and I lovedddd!!! The wagyu skillet was tender and juicy! My friend and I both thought the meat tasted like al pastor for some reason lol. Not a bad thing. read more

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Cute little diner with pretty aesthetics! The prices are a little on the high side but the quality of the cod and beef pho were wonderful! I only had a few bites of the curry but that was very tasty too. The cod was about $28 for three pieces, but the cod was very flaky and well seasoned. Of note it does NOT come with rice. The beef pho was good and the slices of beef that came with it a very tender and break apart easily. The broth is light and clean! Service was quick and attentive, our food came out super quickly too. read more

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Got two different soy milk pho broths. Both had creamy savory soy milk broth. The noodles were cooked very well - I get anxiety thinking about how rice noodles usually get soggier towards the end, but these remained firm and chewy through the meal. The waitress was also super friendly. I was a little sad that I mixed the mentai throughout the broth as instructed but the broth was pretty hot and cooked the mentai through, so I felt like it lost a little of that mentai flavor. If I got this again I would wait for the broth to cool a bit first. Overall it was a light, clean meal in a bright and clean environment, and was so peaceful on a rainy day. read more

Rin-Tei - Yuzu chicken soy milk pho - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I'll begin with the pros by saying the staff were SUPER friendly and kind, and you can tell they take a lot of pride in the business. The dishes are unique and I was excited to try the creamy soy milk pho ($25) since I've never heard of anything like it, but the flavor profile was a little bland and it just tasted like a creamy chicken broth with rice noodles. The wagyu loin ($39) was tender, but it was just a tad salty for my liking. The salmon tartare ($23) would've paired a lot better with some kind of wonton chip rather than the thin tortilla chips, so that was also just okay. The prices are too steep for what it is. read more

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Modern and calming ambiance overall. Their dishes are very unique and exceptional. Soy milk pho was one of a kind, very clean but savory taste with soft chicken and refreshing yuzu. The broth tastes very healthy so we finished almost to the last drop. Sizzling wagyu was a great visual with charred grilled enoki and yuzu/lemon juice. The meat itself wasn't too greasy, and overall clean taste. We wanted to try out one more menu (yes, I'm in my last trimester and I eat a lot) so got the Japanese curry. This was more like home made comfort food. The frozen dessert with peach and milk was interesting, milky creamy gelatinous but frozen so it was a great refreshing end of our meal. Definitely will come back to try their karayake with draft beer/sake when I can! read more

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The food was really good! My favorite was the soy milk pho. It was unlike anything I've ever tasted before but in a good way! What an unexpected combo. I will say it takes a while for the food to come out so keep that in mind! read more

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Another episode of ladies who lunch with my friend Shanna and baby Ava. Enjoyed our calamari appetizer, although the calamari was more chewy than tender, and our basil tofu and keema tofu entrees. Will have to come back for their signature dishes, like the soy milk pho. Decor is minimal and stunning, perfect for a date night, and the service is unmatched. Many small batch food stuffs also available for purchase. read more

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Didn't have 1 bad item. Both the service and food were phenomenal. The ambiance is clean with a few tables and bar type seating. Our party came right at opening to ensure a table! Soy Milk pho - 5/5, love the mushrooms and texture of the noodles. They've got a little thickness to them. The flavor of the broth was so goood Green curry - 4/5, good flavor, simple dish, if I could change something the consistency is very watery/runny. I wish there was more texture or thickness but other than that the flavor was very well rounded Papaya salad - 4/5, can't go wrong! The beef jerky on top was interesting but I wouldn't call it anything out of this world The consensus at the table is that the roast beef carpaccio was a must get! Highly recommend! It comes with fresh wasabi if ur into that. read more

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We tried this place on a Saturday night and it was packed. Thankfully we had reservations. It's well lit and cozy inside. For parking, there's street parking on El Camino or the parking garage across El Camino at the corner of 2nd Street in San Mateo. We decided to try several dishes and they accomodated our request to have small bowls. The vietnamese Papaya Salad is made of green papaya and has very small pieces of beef jerky. I personally liked the Calamari that was served on a bed of shredded red cabbage. What made it even more delicious was the cilantro sauce on the side. The Garlic Shrimp was also tasty. The shrimp is tossed in this garlic butter sauce. We were glad we shared the Creamy Soy Milk Pho with Mushrooms and Chicken. It's a huge serving of this rich chicken broth based soy milk soup sauteed in butter. The rice noodles was firm to the bite. The Japanese-Inspired Beef Stew with White Miso is this rich beef round dish said to be braised for 48 hours and infused with white miso. It's served with steamed rice and pickled tomatoes. A sizzling plate with Wagyu Beef is this very savory melt in your mouth dish which is my favorite. read more

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What an incredible space and concept! Super minimalistic, very attentive service and great food. The soy milk pho was very light and had a mild flavor, could not taste the yuzu much. The chicken and rice and the appetizers were got were amazing! Walked in for week day lunch date and no wait. read more

Rin-Tei - Chicken and rice - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Came here for the soy milk mushroom chicken pho and had a feeling (mix of anticipation and faith that good cooking actually does exist) that it is going to be good. I parked in the meter spot just in front, which was free on a Sunday. We were the only customers until half hour after opening. We were seated and asked to order and pay in the front at the beginning of the meal. I am happy to report that the mushroom chicken pho was indeed very good. The broth composed of soy milk, cow's milk and chicken broth and it was just short of creamy which means it wasn't too heavy. Each ingredient was managed so well and packed with flavor from the chicken to beech/mixed mushrooms. I read a review that said the chicken is dry and mine was firm but still tender enough. The noodles were pho noodles and firm but not el dente (that's a positive imo). My sister's tantan noodles had firmer and chewier noodles. At $25 on average per bowl of noodles, it is pricey for noodles but it was excellent and I left so full that I almost couldn't finish everything. I heard the staff say the beef pho is also very popular so I am interested to return to try it. read more

Rin-Tei - Tantan noodles - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I had bookmarked this Asian Fusion restaurant for a while now and finally got to try it a few days ago. Came here on Friday evening ~6:30pm and had a 15-minute wait for 2 people and was given the menu to peruse while I waited. The service was friendly, and the space cozy (There was a counter bar type seating for ~8 people plus ~5 tables of 2-6). My friend and I decided to share a calamari, sizzling wagyu loin, and creamy soy milk pho with mushrooms and chicken. Calamari - crispy, flavorful. The cilantro dipping sauce had citrus in it to cut the heaviness of the fried batter. Creamy soy milk pho with mushrooms & chicken - Hearty portion with a really yummy umami-heavy broth. Was not heavy at all. I think they used chicken breast so it was a little dry/overcooked in my opinion but I could overlook that, since I had the broth to try to counteract that. Sizzling wagyu loin - Served sizzling to the table. The server poured a lemon juice sauce on top, tableside, causing the dish to sizzle more, which was pretty neat. Upon first bite I thought the combination was a little too acidic, but after eating more tender slices, I realized it worked well to combat the greasiness/fattiness. The brussels sprouts included in the dish were a nice accompaniment. I love garlic & cilantro, and this dish had a lot. In conclusion, yes, I would definitely return to introduce my family to all of the above dishes and to also try other tantalizing ones on the menu that caught my eye! read more

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Rin-Tei is a hidden gem in San Mateo. Inside is so cute and the staff are wonderful. The must-order item on the menu is the soy milk chicken pho. I thought it sounded weird at first, but the waitress told me I had to try it for my very first visit. THANK YOU because I was soooo pleasantly surprised. It is quite possibly one of the best soups I have ever eaten. The broth is so flavorful but also clean-tasting. You just have to try it! read more

Took the wife out for lunch and she found this spot near by. A quick view of the menu we both decided to give it try. As we expected, the taste and freshness of the dishes we ordered were really good and the serving sizes were plentiful. If your looking to try something new I recommend you give this establishment a try, you wont be disappointed!! read more

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Wow, stopped by because I wanted pho and apparently this is the place to go for pho in downtown San Mateo! The restaurant is clean and looks new/freshly remodeled. For a weekday lunch, waitstaff seat you and bus your table, but have you order and then immediately pay at the cash register. I got the "beef pho" (5/5 stars) but I want to go back for their creamy soy milkpho, plus they have other items on their lunch and dinner menus that look great. read more

Rin-Tei - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Mateo, California

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The beef pho is amazing!! It's a bit pricier than your normal pho, but I think there's that extra love that goes into it and of course the service and ambiance is a few notches up. The restaurant itself has a nice aesthetic with dishes and decor that are tasteful. It's interesting that you order at the cashier and sit down as before a waiter used to come to take your order. But nonetheless a great experience! read more

While looking for a restaurant still open for business past 9pm, we found Rin-Tei. Its minimalist interior was casual, modern and welcoming. Ordered Rin-Tei Plate which consists of papaya salad, fresh spring rolls, calamari and fried chicken. Fried chicken was similar to karaage and quite good. Spring rolls were very fresh. Calamari had some rubberiness although the cilantro dip was super tasty. Also enjoyed the peanut sauce for the spring rolls. Croquette had chicken filling with an indescribable denseness that was soft with unique mouthfeel. Hmm interesting dish. read more

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Ambiance: designed like a modernized ramen store. Good date vibes if you are going for a brighter aesthetic Service: exceptional! Server was super nice and food came out fast Food: The mushroom pho was delicious. The soup base wasn't too heavy and the toppings really enhanced the textural diversity. The keema curry was more on the average side. Good but nothing spectacular. read more

Rin-Tei - Mushroom and Chicken Cream Pho - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Food: GET the mushroom pho. The broth is so umami and the dish overall was so unqiue. Missing it already Service: Very quick and friendly staff. Ambiance: A very nice and intimate place to get dinner. Good for date night read more

Rin-Tei - Keema Curry - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Mateo, California

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A unique Asian fusion spot best known for its soy milk pho, and it's definitely worth trying at least once. The broth is smooth, comforting and light - so good that I finished most of them. I ordered the soy milk pho with mentaiko, which was flavorful and satisfying, though I do wish there were options to add protein. This version was mostly noodles with mentaiko on top, making it a bit carb-heavy. Adding meat or another protein would really elevate the dish, especially given the price point. Overall, it's a good and enjoyable meal with a cozy and causal space, perfect for catching up with friends. read more

Rin-Tei - soy milk pho with mentai - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Mateo, California

Went here around 6:30pm on Wednesday, pretty crowded, but there was seating at the bar section so we got seated there. We got genmai hot green tea and we had to wait for it to seep in. It was fairly tasty. We got creamy soy milk pho with chicken and mushrooms, super good. Love the creaminess and homely taste it gives. We also got the roast beef carpaccio, the chef explained to us to eat altogether with the real wasabi, it was life changing, I've never had such great carpaccio. Overall, the place is super good, fairly small so I would suggest coming early for a seat! read more

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Food: - Great food selections - Nicely plated - Great taste Service: - Friendly - Attentive Ambiance: - Clean - Comfortable - Nice decor read more

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TLDR: Food is solid but unspectacular. I really don't understand the hype or the 4.8, but I guess hard to argue with the averages? Generous 4 because I might be missing something and for offering the curry dish. Reviewer "Abe. J." put it very well - "aggressively mid." Ambiance (4/5): * Comfortable setting with long bar counter seating. * Simple, contemporary black and white. Service (4/5): * Very friendly server and food came out in decent time. * Getting up to pay at the front after eating at a place with this type of ambiance is strange. I've only ever done that at a hole in the wall pho joint. Menu (4/5): * Somewhat interesting and decent selection. Pho (4/5): * Kind of unique, but also not super memorable. Keema Curry (4/5): * Bonus points for offering this type of dish, but... * also again, not especially unique. I kept thinking I could probably make something similar at home. Spring Rolls (3/5): * Once again, good but just like every other Vietnamese spring roll. Calamari (2/5): * Chewier than average and every piece came apart from the batter. * The sauce was uniquely herbaceous and tasty but couldn't save the dish. read more

This was a really interesting small establishment. We didn't eat much here but what we did have was good! I'd say a little on the pricier side. The establishment is very small and I'm guessing they're shooting for super fine dining. However all the patrons were pretty much dresses casual to semi casual. Vibes were good but not sure it was for us, and that's ok because maybe it IS for you! read more

Interesting fusion of foods, such as pho with glass noodles. Weekend lunch had available seating. The interior is simple. Ordering was odd because we were already seated, but you need to go host stand to order before getting your food. Order creamy tan tan pho ($23) and chicken rice ($18). The chicken rice reminds me of hainan chicken. Chicken is a Thai style steam chicken. Sauce is miso ginger which was really delicious. Creamy tan tan pho was interesting and yummy. soup consisting of milk (whole milk and soy milk) in chicken soup with lots of garlic sesame flavor. Wished it had more ground chicken pieces. Neither dish were spicy, good place with variety of times. read more

Rin-Tei - Chicken rice - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I've come to this very cute restaurant a couple times now. Each visit was good with very friendly staff. I have tried the chicken and mushroom pho (the best out of the items I tried), combo appetizer plate (a bit pricey for what you're getting and I think the best item was the fried chicken), beef stew (on the saltier side; this one is a limited item), and chicken/rice plate. I would come back for the chicken and mushroom pho which had very good al dente noodles and a buttery/creamy soup base. read more

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San Mateo has some cool restaurants, and Rin-Tei is one of them. Parking is pretty nonexistent, but that should not detour you from checking this restaurant out. The seating, hostess and waitress turned out to be one and the same, so my speculation is that they were shortstaffed. The place was pretty busy when we arrived, and the seating can feel rather tight, as the actual tables are small and pretty crammed together We ordered the shrimp spring rolls. I wanted something light and fresh. It was packed with lots of fresh veggies and was pretty tasty. There was barely enough of the dipping sauce for the spring rolls and when we asked the waitress for additional sauce, she said she wasn't able to provide it. I thought that was rather odd. We ordered Thai iced tea, which were decent, but not anything spectacular. The clay pot with the caramelized cod was really tasty. It just wasn't a lot of it. Everything about the dish was delicious, but it ate more like an appetizer rather than an entrée. The Keema Curry- we specifically asked how identical to authentic Japanese curry. This dish was when we were told it was really spot on. It was really not spot on. The curry itself which is supposed to be a mixture of minced pork, a variety of seasonings, then topped with a sunny side up egg. There was barely any meat in this "curry ", and the flavor was unfortunately very underwhelming. As a fan of authenticity, this dish really missed the mark. I actually plan on going back because I wanna try some of the other dishes. Couples that were sitting on either side of us had ordered different things that looked absolutely delicious and one couple had remarked about how tasty their food was, so I'm guessing the curry was just one off. If you're looking for a relaxing evening out, this is definitely a place to check out. read more

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Visited here in the summer this year. My friend found this place. Parking was slightly tricky during prime time but I was able to find something nearby. It is a boutique spot. They keep it very efficient. Food is very fresh and Asian fusion. I got a salad/wrap options. It was super fresh and satisfying, yet light. Great options for lunch. Decoration is cozy yet modern. It is right off el Camino. On a busy street bit at a quiet area. Would like to revisit. read more

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I went over the weekend with my husband & daughter to Rin Tei. No crowd on a Saturday which was nice. Parking - we found street parking in the area luckily. Baby friendly restaurant which was nice, they also have high chairs. You pay at the register then they'll serve the food. What we ordered: Chicken Rice: We ordered this mostly for our daughter and to be honest, we thought it was just ok. It was Thai style chicken with miso ginger sauce and the taste wasn't anything special. Overall 3/5 stars. Beef Pho: My husband ordered this one and he thought it was ok as well. Standard beef pho, nothing special as well. He was not fan of the noodles, I'm not sure what type they use but it tastes like a pad Thai noodles instead of regular pho noodles so it gave a weird texture. He gave it 3.5/5 stars. Creamy Sesame Tan Tan Pho: I ordered this one. I actually really enjoyed the soup for this one but I agree with my husband that the noodles just gave it a weird texture. The soup was delicious and creamy though. I'd give it 4/5 stars. Calamari: This one I must say was too much batter for us. It's not the usual calamari that we eat and the batter just wasn't the typical fry that we like. 2/5 stars. Service was great but I don't think the food stood out much for us. I'd give it at 3.5 stars but I'm rounding up to a 4. read more

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This Asian fusion spot has been on my foodie bucket list for a while and I had some time before my shift to grab a bite, so here I am. I ordered the Thai fried chicken and the creamy sesame tan tan pho. The Thai fried chicken was good. It tasted basically like chicken karaage. The tan tan pho as it states is creamy and the flavor is very well balanced. The food came out in a very timely manner which I appreciated and the staff is very nice. I definitely recommend checking this spot out if you haven't yet. Try it out if you like. :) read more

Rin-Tei - Creamy Sesame Tan Tan Pho - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Ordered the chicken rice because of other reviews, the chicken was juicy but way too peppery. The rice itself was dry and kind of bland, so definitely not like Thai chicken rice, but it didn't taste bad either. The new soy milk chicken and mushroom noodle soup was actually the best dish we tried. It doesn't taste like pho, ramen, or Taiwanese savory soy milk, more like a creamy miso-butter mushroom soup with noodles. Heavy but comforting. The shrimp kaprow was fine but not very flavorful. It came with a fried egg on Japanese rice, saucy but missing that punchy Thai basil flavor. The surprise hit was the Brussels sprouts appetizer: super good, especially the sauce. The $5 teapot was meh, but it helped since it was raining outside. You order and pay at the counter first; they take the menu away once you order. Service was decent, the vibe is nice and quiet, a good place to chill solo. Would I go back? Maybe, but I'm not craving it. Food's decent, just not worth the hype. read more

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Have you ever had COLD PHO before? @rintei_asianfusion will help transport you to Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam with no flights needed. They have the ultimate trio serving up the most unique fusion dishes we've ever seen! It's a cozy spot that really makes you feel homey and service is amazing. What We Ordered: Rin-Tei Plate Keema Curry Vietnamese Papaya Salad Clay Pot Caramelized Cod Cold Sesame TanTan Pho (MUST TRY) Kra Pao with Braised Beef Japanese-Inspired Braised Beef (braised for 48 hours in white miso ) read more

Rin-Tei - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I've been here a couple of times and enjoyed each time! The food is good, the space is cute, and the service is wonderful. They have very unique dishes. I got the Kra Pow, my friend had the Basil Tofu, and we shared a chicken karaage. Everything was good! I've also had the Creamy Tan Tan Pho (cold), and it was an interesting dish. I did enjoy it, but as Vietnamese girl, I couldn't really see how it was pho like at all. BUT, it was really good, even as leftovers the next days. After looking at the menu, you go up to the front and order with the server, pay, and then they'll deliver the food to your table :) I've only been able to make it to lunch the couple of the times I've been there, but I'm really excited to try dinner soon! read more

Rin-Tei - Kra Pow - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Mateo, California