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Best wings: fried I think without any batter, super crisp skin, juicy meat and flavorful sauce. Extra points for the fried garlic bits and sometimes they will have some herby like basil or cilantro - wish they would be more consistent with that. Haven't dined in yet, all DD orders. Enjoyed what I have gotten here so far. Smaller portions but they spend a lot of time with the food here, not greasy, some meats from Spain and Australia.
Recently revisited Bacogai for lunch. The last time we were here, we really enjoyed the hot pot, but this time we decided to try something different on their menu. We started off with a Vietnamese iced coffee ($6). The coffee was strong (just the way I like it) and slightly sweetened with condensed milk. We ordered the beef luc lac (shaking beef) banh hoi platter ($28), which is served along with lettuce, herbs, and nuoc cham. This seems to be a popular dish among those that frequent here. The beef was delicious and surprisingly super tender! Second dish we tried was the braised salmon clay pot ($23) that's served with rice. Salmon was cooked perfectly and the sauce was delicious. Definitely spoon some of the sauce over your rice! Portion-wise, I did wish there was more from both taking in consideration of the price. Total price came out to about over $60 before tips.
The hotpot was really good. The soup was flavorful and they give you plenty of vegetables and side dishes to cook yourself. The claypot with pork shoulder and egg was okay, but the pork was too dry, probably overcooked. The wings were delicious and give big pieces. Unfortunate the dessert portion was lacking. Pandan waffles came out cold, which was a bit disappointing. Also the espresso in the affogato was not hot or warm, so it was like just drinking coffee and eating ice cream separately instead of an affogato dessert. Overall, the hotpot and wings are the highlights, and I would definitely come back to try other dishes.
Food 5/5 I ordered the Salmon Claypot and Small Hot Pot -- both were excellent. The salmon was well-seasoned, though the portion was surprisingly small. For the hot pot, the soup was very flavorful and delicious, quite different from other restaurants. Service 2/5 To be precise, I should say the restaurant's management was the real issue. There were only two waitresses, and they had to welcome customers, clean the tables, deliver dishes, and help customers check out. The restaurant wasn't even full when we arrived, yet we still waited at least 15 minutes just to get seated because the waitress too busy to clean tables. The wait time for the dishes was also unbelievably long. Checking out took even longer. It was clear the restaurant was extremely short-staffed, which seemed like a major management problem. Overall, the dining experience was disappointing, even though the food was good.
LOCATION: Blanding/Fruitvale PARKING: Lots WHAT WE ORDERED: * Bo Luc Lac Garlic Noodles ($22) - My least favorite dish of the three, but it was not bad! I wish it had more garlic. The bo luc lac was a little overcooked and tough for my liking. * Bo La Lot Banh Hoi ($27) - The nuoc cham that came with it was pretty light. I usually like to drench my food with nuoc cham, so I had to add a lot. The bo la lot was unexpectedly pretty yum! I love banh hoi so I'm glad I got to try it here. * Oxtail Lau ($28) - Light and tasty broth with a platter of fresh vegetables. It comes with ramen noodles, but you can sub it out with vermicelli. Pretty decent (but pricey) Vietnamese food in the East Bay. Bacogai has both a traditional and modern blend. I'm glad I got to finally try it, but I don't think I'll return regularly because I'm not used to such high prices at a Vietnamese restaurant. I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to try more homey and cozy Viet food!
Went to Bacogai on a Monday for my partner's birthday and it was a relaxed vibe. We had a reservation, and was seated quickly and had dedicated, supportive, helpful service the whole time. It was our first time trying hot pot and our server gave us a ton of information, recommendations, along with some suggestions on additional food to pair with the hotpot. We got the duck salad, which was savory, full of citrus, chunky due to the large shrimp chips, and was amazingly delicious. We also a salmon bowl, which I guess I didn't get a photo of but the salmon was so tender, rich, and memorable. Finally the hot pot, full of oxtail, large pieces, great tofu, mushrooms, and we followed the recs of when to put in certain items, was recommended to get extra broth if needed, and also if the burner goes out they can re-light it. Because it was my partner's birthday he did get a little treat, which was lovely. We will be back to try more food! Loved what we had and excited to try more.
Great spot with a calm, quiet atmosphere and aesthetically designed interiors. The area around is also great for walking around after, to fight the food coma. The food was excellent across the board and hit exactly what I was craving, especially the lemongrass pork bánh hỏi. The green thai tea was perfectly balanced and not overly sweet. On top of that, the staff was very attentive and made the whole experience even better. Highly recommend!
Amazing service, our server was very attentive and the food was delicious. It was my first time here and I enjoyed it so much!!
What a surprise! Want hotpot on that day but didn't want crazy amount Chinese style or the Shabuya buffet type. Found this one because saw the review has the one person hotpot. The one person hotpot was exactly what I want and I added an additional Australian wagyu beef which was very tender. Just enough amount of the food and all the vegetables were very fresh. My son ordered the duck salad and the clay pot pork belly. Duck salad was a very refreshing taste. Lime sauce over the braised duck, it cane with shrimp crackers. Pot belly was very tender and plenty of sauce. Perfect to eat with steam rice Only one server but she was very friendly and handled the whole place very well. Clean environment with beautiful green walls which were very nice to use as the picture background . Will be back to try their other dishes.
Very delicious lunch. I ordered the mushroom and tofu clay pot. It came with a side of jasmine rice. I also had the vegetarian spring roll. The clay pot had the best tofu I've ever had. I mean marinated in some richness that complimented the mushrooms. The best. The only downfall to this establishment is service is a little slow and it's kind of dry in there although it's decorated pretty modern. Thank clay pot is a go to for sure.
First time picking up Bacogai to go, but won't be the last! We ordered a few items to share, and everything traveled really well for takeout. Got home 30 min later and still fresh, vibrant, flavorful, and didn't lose its luster on the drive. Shrimp Garlic Noodles: Chewy, garlicky, and 6 big plump shrimp. Flavorful but not overpowering. Definitely a staple dish when ordering for a group. Veggie Udon Hot Pot Kit: Broth packed separate so nothing gets soggy. Fresh veggies, fish balls, and noodles ready to build at home. You can definitely get 2 full meals from this dish. Shaking Beef Vermicelli Rolls: For me, this is a gold medal dish! Fun little noodle bundles and sliced beef organized perfectly for wrapping & dipping. Even when the beef is gone, I'm dipping all the scraps - no waste! Crispy Tofu Salad - Crunchy tofu over a fresh slaw with tangy dressing. Huge portion and saves well for a few days. Everything traveled perfectly, portions were big, and the flavors hit. Feels like restaurant dining, just in your kitchen. Big time stamp of approval!
Bacogai always hits the spot when I'm looking for a cozy meal that I can enjoy while catching up with friends or family. They serve traditional Viet food but they're known for their Viet Hotpot! I've been able to try all of their broths except the vegan broth. My go to is their Lau Oxtail because you get little bits of bone marrow in each oxtail piece! Each hotpot comes with a pre-set veggie & add-ins plate but the staff are always so nice and have let me substitute the ramen noodles for udon noodles before. I always appreciate how plentiful the mushrooms are and that they will replace the Sterno (heating mechanism) if it runs out. You can also get a broth refill! Usually the first one is complimentary but I'm not super clear on that policy. Make sure you use the sauces they provide for each table! It's a fun way to mix up the flavor profile of your hotpot. I always mean to ask what each one is... but I forget every time. Maybe it's better that way--keeps a little mystery and makes me appreciate them all the more. If you're looking for something other than hotpot, you should try their variety of Banh Hoi (woven noodles served with mushrooms or meat and lettuce wraps) and Duck Goi-Slaw Salad! The salad is very refreshing and has that classic Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese fish sauce dipping sauce) flavor with the perfect balance of sweet and savory. When I first tried it, I was worried that the roasted duck would be too greasy for the delicate profile of the dish, but the fat was cooked out just enough to where the meat was still juicy and the skin was still light + crispy. On my most recent visit, we placed a takeout order too--we got the beef luc lac garlic noodles and summer rolls. They were out of pork for the rolls, so they doubled up the shrimp. I do hope to try it the original way next time. The peanut sauce was a bit too sweet for my taste, but a little sriracha toned it down. The beef luc lac noodles were fantastic: super tender beef, perfectly cooked noodles, and an even coating of garlicky sauce. I also have to say, the staff always make the experience memorable. They're incredibly attentive and make sure everyone feels taken care of. The layout helps with that too--low barriers between tables mean they can see the whole dining area from the main counter. The space feels open but still cozy, kind of like being at a big family gathering. Looks like they recently added clay pot dishes to the menu--I'll definitely be back to try one soon!
Beautiful restaurant in the Nob Hill Shopping Center service individual hot pots. The crab cha gio was tasty and yummy. Portion was smaller than I expected but satisfied the craving. I ordered the Lau oxtail and the presentation was breathtaking. The soup was served on a wooden stand with a heating "element" and the soup additions on the side. A nice amount of ox tail and the meat balls were also a nice touch. I'm not a big soup person but the broth was amazing -- rich tasting and so flavorful. You can add additions to your hot pot for more $. So it does add up when your soup is $20+ and the add-ons range from from $3 to $15. A nice addition to Alameda! read more
This place was soo good! We ordered the banh hoi, lau ox tail, and I had a lager drink as well. When the food first came out, to be quite honest it didn't look like there was much. But between two people we were soo full after. We shared the banh hoi and soup and ordered 2 Lagers. Our meal was around 90 bucks including tip. Banh hoi Luc Lac: the meat was sooo good! I've had this specific meat wrapped in leaf before but this was the juiciest one I've tried. The egg roll was very crunchy and the filling was unique. I've never tried purple banh hoi but I didn't taste much of a difference between the two. I do wish there was more mint and bigger lettuce sized wraps for texture and freshness. It also felt like the dish was missing pickled carrots and daikons. The meat was the best part of this dish. Lau ox tail: this broth was very flavorful. The ox tail was soft as well. I felt like there was a good amount of oxtail and meatballs. I don't really like tripe but the tripe in this soup might have made me reconsider... there was something about the tripe that was so good! I do wish there were a bit more noodles though. Even though we were sharing between two people, I'm not sure there would of been enough noodles for one person to be full on their own. I believe the meat from the luc lac was what really filled us up! Lager drink: this was a very interesting beer. I have never tried anything like this. It has like a floral, jasmine tea flavor to it. I really enjoyed it :) Overall amazing restaurant, great service, and delicious food. I will be returning! read more
3 years ago
Vietnamese hotpot? Say less. I have been wanting to try this place for a long time and glad I finally tried the hot pot and some of the appetizers. We started out with their fried spring rolls and then the seafood hot pot and it hit the spot. The drinks were low abv but still good. I would highly recommend going here! read more
TLDR: should definitely come!! There's plenty of parking at the plaza, so nothing to worry about. The restaurant is chic with the forest green and terra cotta accent, and the service was quick and servers are very nice and accommodating. Food wise: My friends and I ordered their egg rolls, duck salad, beef luc lac, all four of their hot pots, pandan waffle, and a bottle of sake. Everything was PHENOMENAL. ~ P H E N O M E N A L ~ The duck salad arrived first and it was such a great starter that got us so excited for the rest of the food we ordered. The egg rolls were juicy and the fish sauce really complimented it. My favorite is definitely the beef luc lac and the lemongrass pork with vermicelli. You really need to wrap the meat in the noodles and dip in the sauce and get that full experience. *yum* My favorite out of all four hot pots would be the lau canh chua and the bone broth, but honestly, you CANNOT go wrong with any of the four. I love that you can order extra ingredients for the hot pots if you're still hungry. There were five of us, and we didn't need to order more food and we're stuffed by the end of it. Lastly, we cannot forget to order the pandan waffles and I love how creamy the ice cream was and the pandan flavor was actually strong enough, but not overpowering. ALL IN ALL. COME. YOU MUST. read more
2 years ago
Delicious spot for a personal serving of hot pot! Great helping of veggies, noodles, mushroom, and meat. The broth is delicious too. At the end of the meal, I love taking that extra bit of broth and slow sipping it as soup. Very kind and attentive service too. A great spot to take your friends or family to! What we ordered: - Lau Oxtail - Lau Pork Bone Marrow read more
1 year ago
I can't decide if I like the Oxtail or the Bone Marrow hotpot more. I personally feel the Bone Marrow soup is good with rice and Oxtail soup is better with noodles. It comes as an individual pot, so it is recommended for one person. You can definitely share as a couple and order some extra dishes like Banh Hoi (rice vermicelli woven) with beef. read more
4 years ago
New spot for Vietnamese hotpot, something I haven't really seen done. For two people we shared an oxtail broth hotpot, duck slaw salad, and the lemongrass chicken platter. They do have a nice selection of sauces that they provide with the meal so definitely add those. The oxtail hotpot broth ($26) was rich and flavorful, maybe a bit oily, but fat is flavor... it's a single serving, and the pot is definitely on the smaller side but you can share between 2 people if you order another entree. Comes with 3 small pieces of oxtail bone with meat, and a small tray of veggies. The lemongrass pork ($23) was good as well, came with 3 skewers of grilled pork and one of their real crab eggrolls (cut in half), as well as veggies and woven rice noodles. The pork was pretty flavorful, some pieces were charred a bit on the edges but generally fine. Taste was as you'd expect from this dish, fish sauce is on the sweeter side. The crab egg roll was good, different than the typical cha gio. Wish they provided more than 2 lettuce leaves as we needed a lot more to make the wraps that this dish is meant for. Some pickled daikon and carrots on the side would have been nice too. $23 seems pricy but you get a decent amount of protein and we packed up about 2 skewers for leftovers. Duck slaw salad ($17) was a nice appetizer, no complaints. Also ordered a beer off the drink menu which was $9, a bit steep imo. I'm from LA so I got a bit of sticker shock looking at the menu here. The single portion hotpot is already $26-27 and adding a la carte meat can be +$10-15. If you have a big appetite this may not be the best place for you as you would need to spend a lot to feel full. But for two women with moderate appetites, it was just fine and we even had leftovers. It's definitely not a mom and pop type Vietnamese restaurant like you'd see in Little Saigon, but I understand cost of living and fair wages are higher here, and this is in Alameda. Total bill was $95 after tax and tip. Overall it was a good quality meal, but I was a bit surprised that for two people it's nearly $100. I'd consider this a bit of a splurge. I'd come back, but maybe just not order drinks to keep within the budget. read more
This place is delicious! Unassuming little spot sitting right in the middle of this little strip mall. My lunch with spring rolls and iced tea and the lemongrass pork was about $40. It was served with a tasty hot sauce that I loved. Service was great! I had to take a call and came back about 20 min later and our server asked if she could warm up my food. 10 out of 10! A little different than a usual Vietnamese spot, and I kinda liked it. I will definitely be back. I have been talking about it ever since. Support this place so it stays open!!! read more
This place is so yummy. I have taken many friends to this restaurant. It's a nice modern feel of lau (viet hot pot). It creates a cute way to share food with your friends. One pot usually serves about 2-3 people. lau oxtail: 5/5 the broth is really rich and has a lot of flavor without being overly salty. This broth is a yummy beef broth. I really like the thinly sliced mushrooms, it absorbs the broth flavor very well. lau pork bone marrow: 5/5 also a flavorful hot pot. All the sides that come with it balance it very well. cha gio: 5/5 i thought it was very tasty. good appetizer to start with. bo luc lac banh hoi: 5/5 the bo luc lac is flavorful and is very good finger food. Definitely a nice thing to have on the side with the lau if you want more things to taste. if you didn't get the lau i would only say this serves 1 person. I wish the portion was a little bigger but other than that, this dish is also a winner. summer rolls : 5/5 these were really good too. you honestly can't go wrong in terms of taste. just some things are more worth than others. pandan waffle with ice cream: 5/5 i think this tastes good, a bit overpriced for what you're getting. read more
3 years ago
[IN A NUTSHELL] flavorful hot pot, small hot pot, overpriced food [VERDICT] - APPROVED (but expensive) [RUN-DOWN] Came to this restaurant for my aunt's birthday. The place was an average size place and the food was overall good, but I think that the experience itself was not ideal. This was more of a bougie version of hot pot. The pot was super small (and if you wanted more broth, it would be an additional cost). The flavor was in the broth, don't get me wrong but for the price and the amount of food, I don't think it was worth it. They do say that one pot is ideal per person but we shared and it was good. I think it would be worth it if you shared one pot and added meat? I'm not sure, I was just not satisfied with the pricing, but my reviews are based on flavor and taste, and that was there. Much like other hot pot places, you do cook your own ingredients and put it in the hot pot whenever you want. I also appreciated that we could get another candle to reheat the soup to keep it warm while we cooked the food. I would also recommend adding some sort of starch, we had the udon and ramen and out of those I would pick the udon. [SCORE & ORDER] OVERALL: 3.9/5 Beef Luc Luc Banh Hoi (Shaking Beef) $27 (4/5) -Vietnamese woven vermicelli noodle served with choice of protein, vegetarian cha gio, lettuce, fresh herbs, fried shallots, scallion, and nuoc cham sauce -The beef was really tender and more on the medium rare side which was super juicy and delicious. I would highly recommend getting this. The purple noodles also tasted like taro noodles but that could just be my mind thinking because it's purple it would taste like taro haha. The meat had so much flavor that it went well with the lettuce and the nuoc cham sauce. Lau Canh Chua $27 (3.5/5) -Head-on shrimps, fish fillet, fish balls, lobster balls, tomato, bean sprouts, okra, bac ha, enoki mushroom, Vietnamese herbs, pineapple, rice vermicelli, sweet and sour tamarind-flavored broth -If you like sweet and sour and tomato flavored hot pot, this is the one to get. There was a lot of fish in the one we had which I appreciated. This has more of the sour taste which wasn't overpowering but it does have more of the sour taste, and so I don't think I would get this flavor of soup again. Much like hot pot, you add your own ingredients at the time you want. Lau Oxtail $27 (4/5) -Slow cooked oxtail, beef balls, tripe, fried taro, greens, king trumpet mushroom, soft tofu, ramen, creamy and nutty bean curd broth -Flavor of soup was really rich and honestly my favorite of them all. The flavor was there and it was so rich. I really appreciated this one. There was also oxtail in it which I think was super juicy. There were a few pieces that felt as if it was overcooked, but other than that, it was super delicious. Lau Pork Bone Marrow $25 (4/5) -Sliced pork, beech-seafood mushroom, soft tofu, fish balls, lobster balls, greens, udon, rich pork marrow broth -Bone marrow soup was also super rich. If you like pork, this is the soup to get. It was really creamy and the pork broth was super juicy and flavorful. I finished all the soup at the end for this one haha. I wish they added the bone of the bone marrow for the aesthetic, but it was just the broth. I would highly recommend getting this one. Lemongrass Pork Banh Hoi $23 (4/5) -Vietnamese woven vermicelli noodle served with choice of protein, vegetarian cha gio, lettuce, fresh herbs, fried shallots, scallion, and nuoc cham sauce -WOW. This one was very flavorful and super good. I love making a wrap with the noodles and the lettuce. The lemongrass flavor was definitely there. **random, but the do charge for cake cutting/storing (I think it's $1 each person) [SERVICE & ATMOSPHERE] (not reflected upon review score): Service was really great. The waitress was super nice and made sure everything was good for our big party. The atmosphere was also nice. It was pretty quiet in there but also the fact that there wasn't that many people when we went was also nice to have. [TIME STAMP] FEBRUARY 2024 read more
Took my mom here for a late Mother's Day lunch . Place wasn't too busy . Customer service is great . Clean open space . The Lau Pots are so small I was afraid it wouldn't be enough but it was plentiful . They weren't skimpy on the portions which is great considering it isn't cheap it's on the steep side . However there aren't a lot of Lau places I know around Alameda or Oakland . The shaking beef was so good! The oxtail needed more time to cook though it hard tough to chew . The total for the three Laus and shaking beef was around $160ish which as I mentioned is quite steep but it was good for a first time experience read more
2 years ago
I was here a week ago and it's located in the same plaza as Nob Hill in Alameda, great and safe location. When we entered the ambiance is really nice , very clean and modern, friendly workers. We ordered oxtail Lau and shaking beef . The portion is very small for once person but my friend and I shared due to it's our first time trying it.. they are in the pricey side. I wasn't quite satisfied with any of the food we ordered.. the broth is lacking that oxtail flavor and the shaking beef wasn't marinated . It would be unfair to compare the food from restaurants in San Jose but The food did not hit the spot. I'm not sure if it's the hype but I feel like I had better. I prefer authentic flavors that's all. read more
I've had this place bookmarked for awhile after seeing it all over social media. It is flavorful but it is on the pricier side considering the portions. I came with my boyfriend and we ordered the crab cha gio, beef luc lac and lau canh chua. The cha gio were crispy, light and flavorful; I could've eaten 10 of these alone lol. The beef luc lac was also very flavorful. The lau canh chua looks small but it was pretty filling but we also ordered a side of beef. Overall, it is pricey but I will be back. :) read more
So much hype surrounding this place. I saw it all over social media. The food itself in terms of flavor is great. I would say the portions are kind of small given the price. It does satisfy that Vietnamese flavor profile if you long for it or need a quick fix. Service was very friendly. I felt like staff checked in pretty frequently and it felt warm and welcoming. The restaurant itself felt spacious. Not bad for a date spot. I would say this place is worth a try if you're curious. I prefer AYCE hotpot elsewhere in general. I wouldn't come here often, but I'm glad this place is an option if I can't get a home cooked meal from time to time. read more
The food here is amazing. I ordered the Lau Oxtail. I was impressed with the amount of meat and the abundance of veggies. I also tried their chicken wings (not on the menu, but the server verbally let us know about them), and they were sooo good. I'm not sure if they're a limited time special, but I highly recommend you try those. The flavor was on-point, and they were perfectly cooked (crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside). I should also mention that the service here is also great. They were always checking in on us, and when I packed my togo they offered to separate my ramen from the broth to keep it from getting soggy. Super considerate and sweet. read more
3 years ago
Tried this viet hot pot place after seeing it on instagram a few times. Place decor is nice and the staff are friendly. We ordered the hot pot, it was cool and novel to have ur own little hot pot to make ur own dinner. The broth was super salty to me, I'm literally still thirsty now and I had it like 3 hrs ago. The ingredients were good. I could have used more veggies. I wouldn't return but it was worth a try and a nice night out. I have to give props to the servers cuz when ur fire dies they just pick up the hot pots and stick another coal thing under ur pot like it's nothing read more
My partner and I visited Bacogai a few months ago. I was particulated excited to try their canh chua--a traditional Vietnamese soup that I grew up eating--in the form of a hot pot. Ultimately, while there's a lot to like about Bacogai, I felt it missed the mark, especially with the canh chua. What disappointed me the most was the lack of flavor. Perhaps the deconstruction--separating the broth and cold ingredients--affected the flavors in a negative way. Some of the ingredients also didn't quite work together. For instance, I felt the canh chua broth didn't work well with the pork. I also wasn't a fan of heating apparatus they served it on, as it only had one heat setting. It looked interesting, but I disliked that my soup stayed on high heat the whole dinner. I found myself preferring a simple, traditional bowl of canh chua for ~$15 (or my mom's for a lot less). This deconstructed hot pot version costs almost twice as much. There also seemed to be a general lack of direction in their menu and cuisine. An example is they provided three dipping options, including, randomly, Thai chili. It felt out of place, and I wasn't quite sure how to use the dips. The server told us we could use them however we wanted. The dips seemed like an afterthought. There was also sake on the menu, which seemed out of place. This added to the incohesion I felt during my dining experience. On their IG, they seem to emphasized the Vietnamese aspect, but it seemed much more like Asian fusion. There were definitely parts we liked though: - The ingredients seemed to be good quality. Including the pork, shrimp, and veggies. - My partner's bone marrow broth was delicious (more than my canh chua), and the meats tasted better cooked in it. The pork shoulder tasted amazing in this broth. - The crab chua gio was tasty (although not spectacular, as I couldn't find much crab in it). - The atmosphere and aesthetics felt modern and nice, if not a little bare. - The staff is friendly. Ultimately, I think they could use a bit more focus and clarity in the direction of their food and dining experience. I would return to give them another shot. read more
2 years ago
2nd time here. Don't get me wrong, the food is delicious and unique to the regular Vietnamese pho. It gives you a different view of other flavors Vietnamese food offers. However, for a Saturday - and not too particularly busy when we arrived, the service was extremely slow and inattentive. They didn't seem equipped for staff in the kitchen or to wait. They apologized that the crab rolls were going to be delayed, but we didn't expect everything else to be delayed. The soup ended up losing the flame as we waited for our other additional meats to arrive and the noodles had already soaked up all the broth. The corn that was also delayed was brought to us frozen so I don't understand why they just didn't serve it earlier. For napkins, utensils, etc. I had to get up and either get it myself or walk over to them to ask for help because they rarely made it to our table to check in. For the price, it isn't worth the novelty of having a hot pot from here. Went down from the last time I came here. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
Visited during their soft opening, and the food was delicious. Service was a bit slow but that's understood with a soft opening. We ordered the egg rolls for an appetizer which were really good. I ordered canh chua soup which is sour and spicy, similar to Thai Tom yum. I wasn't a huge fan of the pre-selected seafood items as much, even though I know the selection is authentic to that broth. I would prefer more a la cart options without any pre-selection. I do wish we were able to get the gas powered grill that's adjustable versus the candles we got. Ours kept burning out or overboiling the broth, so was a bit inconsistent. read more
Service - 5/5 Attentive and efficient. Can't ask for anything more. Ambiance - 4/5 Clean and decor is nice! Good space between each table. Was a bit loud, but not the restaurants issue. Food - 4/5 The individual hot pots were a hit! We got three of them. Flavorful and delicate. Only thing that I didn't like was the vermicelli noodles that came with the hot pot. It made the soup a bit thick for me. The duck salad was great but a bit basic, but I probably wouldn't order it again. The other appetizer we got was good too, but not amazing. Overall- 4/5 Would definitely come back for the hot pot! Great portion and the price was reasonable. read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
This was our first time trying Vietnamese hot pot. Tldr, it is amazing! The seafood broth is slightly on the sweet side but if you like that its really good. We had the seafood hot pot and the pork bone hot pot. You get Thai chilli, bean sauce and fish sauce on the side for dipping. We also had the green Thai tea, which tastes like jasmine matcha. Service is great! The servers are very attentive. The decor is also very inviting and clean. The only downside is because it's a hot pot restaurant, the wait times are pretty long. But that's just indicative of a popular restaurant serving good food. read more
7 months ago
Modern colors and table ware. Pros modern presentation of traditional Vietnamese foods. Come for the ambiance. Eat a hamburger afterwards. . Nice staff. Extensive cocktail menu. I think this is really more of a cocktail bar place???? If it was a bar on piedmont or montclair then everything makes sense... Cons honestly the price. The bill for 4 adults was over $200. We left hungry. New place so i give them a few weeks to decide who their target customers are and who their paying customers are. read more
The food was great and the servers were amazing. We got the Canh Chua catfish hotpot. The flavors were sweet and savory, very tasty~ They have a good amount of alcohol selections including speciality flavored beers. We also got the Bo Luc Lac and they had purple thin vermicelli noodles. The only issue in my steak was that the meat was chewy and hard to tear. My personaly preference would be to have it more cooked. Overall, I would definitely recommend trying this place. read more
Cost: $$$ (for Vietnamese food) Food: 5/5 Customer service: 5/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Parking: parking lot Very few places in Alameda make it to the list however Bacogai leaves me craving for more! Finally a Vietnamese spot on the island that's worth the drive. They serve upscale-y Vietnamese dishes as well as individual hotpot. My partner got the oxtail hotpot which was the winner of the night- super flavorful and aromatic soup base with oxtail and a side of noodles and veggies. I tried the canh chua (Vietnamese sweet and sour soup) for the first time and I was definitely amazed by the amount of bursting flavors. The tamarind flavored soup base came with fish filet, shrimp, fishball, lobster, pineapples, and a side of vermicelli, tomatoes, and okra. Lastly, we finished off with some pandan waffles and a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream. Yummmm... Customer service was warm and attentive. Shout out to our server Rijeana! She was incredibly sweet and patient with us. The restaurant is located in the middle of the plaza with ample of parking spaces. I would definitely recommend this place! read more
Came here around 6pm on a Friday evening with a party of 3. There wasn't a wait, but it started getting busy by the time we were in the middle of our meal. We split a lau oxtail (not pictured), lau canh chua, and beef luc lac. I also ordered the matcha thai tea. All were delicious. The interior is slick and modern, with cozy touches of plants and wood tables. My friend said it reminded her of Vietnam, especially since hot pot is eaten everywhere there in the evenings. My only concern was the fact they kept the door open and that we were seated directly in front of the door, leaving a cold breeze that we eventually forgot about as we ate our food. It is a little pricy for the smallish portions, but was a wonderful experience. My favorite was the soup in the canh chua and flavor of the beef in the luc lac. We paid $40 per person after tax and tip. read more
3 years ago
This is not an AYCE hotpot place and can be a little pricey but it is definitely worth to try. All their broth were so flavorful with its own distinct flavor, and different broth comes with different toppings. Lau canh chua - this broth tasted sweet and sour with seafood toppings. Lau oxtail - tasted like pho broth, not overly seasoned. Lau pork bone marrow - the broth was so creamy and rich. My favorite! Beef la lot - ground beef wrapped in bethel leaf. The beef was seasoned well with spices and onions. It was really fragrant, but not too strong of a taste. The leaf gave a peppery taste that was not overwhelming too. Shaken beef - the beef was not the most tender but it was not as chewy or hard either. The flavor was on a sweeter side and not as fragrant as the wrapped beef. Taking one star off since it took almost 1 hour for the hotpots to came out. We came on Saturday for lunch and it was packed. So expect to wait if you come on weekends. The restaurant is in a plaza so there is plenty of parking. read more
Bacogai specializes in a small menu of Vietnamese food with dishes that are not so easy to find. To start, the Duck Goi-Slaw Salad was a mixture of shredded roasted duck, cabbage, banana blossom, herbs, and fried shallots, all mixed with a ginger anchovy vinaigrette and served with shrimp chips. The salad had just the right balance of crunch from the cabbage, banana blossom, fried shallots, and shrimp chips; meatiness from the roasted duck; freshness from the herbs; and umami flavor from the fishy dressing. Another feature of the menu was the Vietnamese hot pot, and we got the Lau Canh Chua, which came with catfish, head-on shrimp, fish balls, lobster balls, tomato, bean sprouts, okra, bac ha, herbs, pineapple, and vermicelli, along with a sweet and sour tamarind broth, all boiled in a small pot at the table. The broth had plenty of flavor, but there were condiments offered on the side as well including fish sauce, chopped red chilies, and a fermented bean paste, which added even more variety. But my favorite dish was probably the Banh Hoi (woven rice noodles) with Beef La Lot, or minced beef wrapped and grilled in la lot leaves, which had a distinct herbaceous, earthy flavor. The rice noodles (which came in both white and purple) and grilled meat were served with fried shallots, scallions, lettuce leaves, a vegetarian cha gio (fried spring roll), and nuoc cham (sweet fish sauce), and combining all the ingredients into a wrap made for a perfectly balanced orchestra of flavors and textures. Overall, the food here was delicious, balanced, and beautifully presented, and the service, atmosphere, and value were top-notch too. This restaurant definitely beats expectations for its casual strip mall location. read more
3 years ago
This place!!!!! Best hotpot ever! I tried them all at this point but the bone marrow is my absolute fave, so flavorful, I added tripe and wagyu beef to it for extra yumyuminess! Been here so many times and every time best service, best food, best time! Oh btw great selection of sake! Say hi to Rijeana best server in Bay Area! Thanks girl! read more
9 months ago
Came here on a Friday with a party of 3 at 7:30pm and we had to wait about an hour to be seated. I liked how quick they were with cleaning up tables. It seems like if you come around or after 8:30pm, you won't have to wait. We waited an hour but a couple that came in about 8:30pm were seated right after us and didn't have to wait! You write your phone number down, which is nice, and they give you a call when your table is ready! We ordered the crab cha gio and that was our favorite of the night! My husband and I ordered the oxtail and my best friend ordered the seafood hotpot. We read a lot of reviews that said it might not be enough food for one person / price point is on the expensive side for what you get. We were all full after having our own hotpot but I do agree that with the hotpot being so expensive, I wish it came with more. We can probably find an AYCE hotpot place for just $5 more. Customer service was great and they were very attentive! I still prefer doing hot pot at home but it's a nice place to go to if we're out and about and craving hotpot! read more
2 years ago
Really really good food and awesome service! My wife and I went here based on a friends recommendation. Everything we tried was fresh and delicious. The duck slaw is a must! read more
More info about Bacogai
Ask the Community - Bacogai
Is there option for AYCE during lunch or dinner?
No. This is not a AYCE hot pot place.
In your banh hoi with lemongrass + mushroom should I as for no fish sauce to make vegan?
Yes. Fish sauce on the side so you could ask them to just not provide it.
What are your hours? We showed up today (Sunday) at 11:30 am. No one was there and lights were off. I tried calling your listed phone # around 11:45 am....no answer. So we left.
Does the MAMA ROSE'S CRAB CHA GIO vegetarian vegan (no fish sauce, oyster sauce, and dairy free)?
Yes, they have vegetarian version for Mama Rose's Cha Gio. Make sure to mention it with your server when ordering.
What vegan options you have?
They have mushrooms hotpot as vegan and Mama Rose's Egg rolls as vegetarian options Both are very well made and yummy.
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
19 reviews that are not currently recommended
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