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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!
Sunday night dinner party of 4. We were greeted by Chen who was our very attentive server throughout the evening constantly checking on us We started off with the appetizer of Dungeness crab cha Gio which was excellent. The star of the evening was the duck salad. This salad had the right mix of duck meat and a flavorful greens in generous amounts. We split it among the 4 of us, however when I come back next time, I will order it as my entree. Each person can share a hot pot of broth with as staple variety of proteins and add on more toppings to customize your pot of broth. I ordered the oxtail which came with nice flavorful pieces of oxtail. The dessert which we preordered when we ordered our entree was the friend banana. This dessert came with a scoop of Tuckers I vanilla ice cream. The dishes here are unusual for Vietnamese and I enjoyed trying out something different than pho. read more
Been wanting to try Bacogai for a while, finally made it for dinner! Got the lemongrass tofu and mushroom banh hou, the lau canh chua hot pot, and a coconut to drink. The tofu was super flavorful. The hot pot broth reminded me of tom yum, sweet, sour, and so appetizing. Definitely hit the spot. read more
Celebrated a friend's birthday here with a party of 6 and had a solid experience. Service was attentive and friendly. We shared a duck salad which was delicious! I would highly recommend it. We all ordered our own dishes since the dishes were not as ideal for family style. My friends ordered hot pots. For the oxtail pots, they said it was a generous portion of oxtail pieces. The plate of ingredients to cook was also quite sizable. I tried the broth which was flavorful. I ordered the beef luc lac. I was impressed by the tenderness and deep flavor of the beef. The noodles were cooked perfectly. It's not too much food, but was just enough for me. With $75+ of spending, you can choose a complimentary item off of their list of options. We chose the ice cream/fried banana. Because we were a bigger party, they gave us enough to share for the table. Bacogai is a more "fancy" type of place for Vietnamese food but overall food quality is good. read more
9 months ago
LOVEEEEE this place so much. When I am in the area, I always try to make a visit. I usually am skeptical of slightly upscale Vietnamese places, but this place is worth every penny. It is a pricier meal but it also isn't THAT upscale, but it is definitely on the trendy side. The food here is just simply amazing! Everything is fresh, the broths are SO flavorful. You can't really go wrong. The lau canh cua has good flavor, and the lau oxtail is so rich, it's like an oxtail pho broth that's been simmering for ages. All the add ins that come with are fresh and delicious. Initially I thought maybe the portions could be lacking but the more I visited, I realized it's honestly a perfect hearty portion with a good balance between all of the protein + veggies. There was a decent amount of oxtail in the lau oxtail! Some appetizers I've tried - the duck salad is refreshing. Would recommend this one to share. The spring rolls were decent, they cut these into bite size pieces, it's a small portion. I'd say this one is my least favorite so far, it just isn't anything special. The staff here is friendly, the food comes out quickly, the times I've come it hasn't been busy. In a plaza with lots of parking. Ambiance is casual yet very cute, perfect for casual days or nicer dinners. Overall, run don't walk if you want something to warm your soul! Especially in alameda, I'm glad there's a Vietnamese hot pot place around , let alone a hot pot place period. I hope this place continues to thrive! read more
9 months ago
2 years ago
This place was so cute! We came in on a Friday for dinner and were able to make a reservation via Yelp. A personal size hot pot, I loved the appetizers! The duck salad was delicious as well as the tamarind fish sauce wings! The hot pot its self was also a good portion, I opted for the canh chua. The drinks were good as well the dua dua reminded me of a pina colada!! They serve cocktails, beer, and soju! The service was good considering how busy it was. read more
This place has so potential. I've been here four times already including the soft opening. I'm Vietnamese and from San Jose, so I've had a lot of good Vietnamese food. The food is pretty good, but there's a lot of downfalls with this restaurant. 1.) When I had their hotpot, the flame blew out twice. They should switch over to gas. This would allow me to control the temp of hot pot and not overcook my food. The shrimp and everything in pot was already overcooked since they put everything in the pot before they bring to your table. 2.) The people who work here are very nice, however the service is slow and they don't pay attention to the front of the restaurant. Every time I've been here I had to wait or watch other customers wait since there's no one in front or paying attention. Even when they take my order or other customers order, they just go to the back of the kitchen and never come back out. I believe they are short staffed because it seems like the owner or the staff will come out and take people's order but go in the back of the kitchen to help cook. So I've noticed every single time all the customers are waiting for someone to come out from the back of the kitchen to either ask for the check or water or pick up DoorDash orders. They really need to hire someone to maintain front of the house or have a bell at the door so they know when customers come in. 3.) The restaurant is always slow during lunch because not everyone has time to have hot pot and the menu is very limited. So they decide to come out with a lunch menu to drive traffic. They advertised on Instagram, which made me want to stop by to try. The lunch menu included vermicelli bowls and chicken pho. The day I stopped by they were out of chicken pho, and the vermicelli bowl, they were out of shaking beef. So they had to make me grilled pork instead. The dish was delicious. However, why advertise on Instagram and be out of everything? I watched other customers walk in asking about the lunch menu and just leaving since they were out of everything. That's literally just two dishes. Honestly, they just need a larger menu during lunch and evening and not focus on the restaurant as a hot pot restaurant. At this point they just need customers to survive. read more
Bacogai is not your average mid-week Vietmanese dinner option. Bacogai is definitely a spot you stop by for date-night or to celebrate a special occasion. The food here is spectacular, but that definitely comes at at price. My wife and I stopped by here on a Friday evening around 6:00 p.m. without a reservation and there was plenty of seating available in the restaurant. We were able to sit anywhere we wanted and not long after we sat down, we were able to place our drink order. My wife ordered one of their low-proof wine-cocktails while I got their milk stout. It doesn't say on the menu, but most of their beers are from Dokkaebier, which is a brewery that predominately makes Asian-flavor inspired beers. Although the menu says that a hot-pot is suitable for one person, it is more than enough for two to share, especially if you do add-ons. My wife and I got their Lau Canh Chua hot pot and added on a bowl of rice on the side as well as an extra platter of raw beef. I've had plenty of Chinese hot pot at the typical spots - Happy Lamb, Haidilao, etc., but none of them have had a broth like the one at Bacogai. The broth had a wonderfully complex sweetness and sourness to it that reminded me of Tom Yum soup from Thai cuisine. Easily one of the best broths I've had from recent memory. There's plenty of veggies and proteins included with the hot pot, such as fish balls and fish filets. The filets are firm, but flake apart nicely when you bite into it. In addition to the hot-pot, we also got their duck salad and the banh hoi with beef la lot for appetizers. The appetizers here are so good, I would gladly order these two items again as my main. The duck salad is very similar to a lightly dressed coleslaw with shredded duck pieces. The dish is very refreshing and the fried shallots are incredibly fragrant in the dish. The rice crackers that come on the side are yet another crispy element to this well-composed dish. The banh hoi comes with vermicelli noodle, fresh herbs, and a side of nuoc cham, a fish-sauce based dipping sauce. The meat is not seasoned that much and the vermicelli is not seasoned at all, but once you combine everything into a single bite with the nuoc cham, the entire dish makes sense and you get a perfectly balanced bite. If you're curious about what Vietmanese hot pot is like, I cannot recommend Bacogai enough. read more
My friend loves this restaurant and said their hot pot was really good so I came here with her. Service was pretty good and the restaurant looks nice. I like the decor. For food, we ordered lau ox tail (beef hot pot) and lau canh chua (sweet and sour hot pot). My friend said the beef hot pot was good, personally, I thought it was okay because I usually don't eat this hot pot flavor so don't quote me on this. As for sweet and sour hot pot, it has good flavor but not exactly excellent so I'm not sure if I'd order it again. We also ordered fried banana and a Vietnamese coffee. Fried banana batter has good flavor but it was quite hard. The good thing about it is it's not too greasy. Vietnamese coffee is just okay. Overall, it's not bad but I think it's too expensive for an okay experience. read more
2 years ago
I thought about giving this place a 4 star and would probably land on a 3.5 if I could...but the reality is I wouldn't come back so 3 stars it is. Food is solid, but for the price I'd rather eat elsewhere. We got the summer rolls and off-menu chicken wings (5) for appetizers and the Beef Luc Lac and the Lau Canh Chua hot pot. Both appetizers were fine but not amazing. You get 5 wings for $12 which is okay, but the portion size for the summer rolls is laughable - 6 slivers of spring roll for $12...yikes! I also can't recommend the beef plate despite the flavor being solid because it is just not good value ($27 for barely any meat...literally could be an appetizer elsewhere). The hot pot was enjoyable and filling enough for one person with a normal appetite, but I've had better hot pot elsewhere so its just not worth coming back imo. On the plus side, service was good and attentive (possibly because we were 1 of 3 tables seated), but our waitress was just friendly enough to have a positive experience in our dinner without being overwhelming. read more
Bacogai is a Vietnamese food establishment that has more special dishes-banh hoi and soups. Aesthetic is pleasing with the green walls and nicely presented tableware. Service was not the best. We asked for a few more minutes to review the menu and the server probably came back 20-25 minutes later after we flagged his coworker down. The food took a good while to come out. It really felt like 20 minutes. One of our friends' dishes did not come out at all and we had to ask about it after waiting for another 5 minutes. The server said the chef was busy and working on it but I have a feeling it was completely forgotten. They gave us an oxtail soup without the extra noodles and veggies that usually come out with the full entree, so we could snack on it while the actual dish was being made, which was kind of nice. My canh chua had a variety of toppings, shrimp, okra, fish balls, fish, vermicelli, etc. I enjoyed it! The soup could probably fill up one big appetite or be something to share if everyone else had their own food. The beef luc lac tasted good but wasn't as wow as I would've expected. My server came by to replace my fire for the soup, and said he could bring more soup base to refill, but he didn't come back at all. Overall bacogai is highly priced with smaller than expected portions and not anything too special than the average Vietnamese dish. The main entrees (banh hoi and lau soups) on the menu were average $26-28. Service could be better. read more
Bacogai has been on my radar for a while now! It's definitely not common to see Vietnamese hot pot, so I was excited to try it! My party of arrived at noon and was seated right away. However, it definitely gets busy! Would definitely recommend checking the waitlist and jumping in line via Yelp! We ordered two items: 1) Duck Goi-Slaw Salad - this is a must try! Between the two items, I liked this one a lot! The slaw was cut really nice and thin and was dressed with a nice tangy sauce. Most importantly, the duck added so much good flavor without making it feel greasy! It was such a nice salad! 2) Lau Canh Chua - of course, I also had to try the hot pot! The broth was had a nice depth of flavor (sour and sweet). The variety of toppings was nice as well. Overall, a great meal and the servers were attentive and really friendly. Definitely worth a visit! read more
2 years ago
Fusion individual hotpot cuisine. I ordered the oxtail hotpot and others ordered seafood or bone marrow combos. My oxtail pot comes with oxtail and some vegetables and had an add-on for lamb shoulder. 4 Fried spring roll was nice with seafood inside ... quite good. 4 The chicken wing special of the day appetizer was excellent. Light battered crunchy on the outside & moist tender meat inside. 5 Service was mostly attentive & water was flowing endlessly altho at the end I had to search for wait staff to order dessert. 4 The fried banana dessert was disappointing: 1.5 Ice cream is tasty tho 4 You will feel comfortable in a simple set up in the restaurant An interesting place to explore. read more
5 months ago
Got here by accident for restaurant week but did not participate as we wanted different entrees. 3 course dinner for $65. See picture. Quality/Quantity - Simple menu done well. Banh Hoi (see picture of menu for definition) and hot pots. We got the following today: Duck Goi-Slaw Salad - This was a disappointment. We have had much better. If they did duck slices rather than pieces of meat, it would have taken this dish to the next level. My daughter still liked it though. Lau Canh Chua - My wife really liked this but my daughter and I liked the other hot pot. Lau Pork Bone Marrow - My daughter and I liked this hot pot better. Good broth flavors. Beef Luc Lac - This was my choice and the hit of the meal. The meat was cooked perfectly. Good flavors. Got both hot & cold water today, see cool water "pots." Also available - Full bar, cocktails, beer, wine, tea, coffee, etc. Atmosphere - Semi open kitchen. Clean bathrooms. Cool decor, CNY themed. $$ red envelopes everywhere. Plenty of mall parking. Open 6 days a week from 11:30am to 9:30pm, closed Wednesday. Heat lamps for future outdoor dining. Service - Self service waitlist kiosk; we got here right when a table opened up. Got lucky. The owner, I believe Emily, was the only waitress. And it was busy so we were understanding, but she struggled handling the business. Her mother and another guy helped clear and set up tables. They greeted customers and got them seated. But many of the customers after us had to wait a while to get served. Plus they had to flag Emily down for service. Emily is a very hard worker but should probably hire another wait staff. Price - $106 + tip. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since November of 2022. read more
We had reservations and were promptly seated. I was very interested in trying out VN hotpot. We ordered: Eggrolls: kids like these Lau ox tail: the meat was good but the broth was so salty. Lau pork bone: this broth was really tasty. Bo luc lac: not what I am used to but kids ate it. Wagyu beef: good Roe fish balls: good Overall food I would give 4 stars. Service: docking stars because we had a lot of trouble flagging down waitress for food, to relight the fire, etc. Would have been nice to know that we could get 1 comp broth refill. They were pretty understaffed. I recommend cutting/serving the Napa cabbage into smaller more manageable pieces since the pots are so small. It was hard to add the toppings and have it cook before our fire went out. read more
So this was a random find and was only craving some hot pot on a cold Monday sprinkly evening. This place popped up on Yelp while checking in the area I was in and I said let's check it out. We arrived around 6ish and there was not too many people but by the time we left, it was 3/4 full. A very modern ambiance for a Vietnamese restaurant. Nicely decorated and plenty of tables even for a big group. It's located in the old Blanding shopping area now where Nob Hills Market is where they modernized the place from my childhood days in Alameda. Alameda has been changing a lot over the decade and for the better with more places to eat. We ordered their sangria and it was pretty good. We also ordered their Beef Luc Lac. Very good portions of beef. The marinated beef was very good and we finished all of that. We also ordered their Lau Pork Bone Marrow soup, and added Wagyu beef and some enoki mushrooms! Not a disappoint. I actually thought the pot was small and that it was not enough for my husband and I to share but I was so wrong!! Very rich broth but once you add the veggies it makes the broth so much better. The broth was so good and creamy. Since it was only two of us, we couldn't order more or add a dessert to try because we were just too full from two things. Service was great! We will definitely be back to try other things. If you like hot pot style, come try this place. [20R,2024] read more
3 years ago
Had dinner with a friend here on a Friday night and it wasn't too busy, we were seated right away and I was able to easily find parking in the lot in front. We ordered the shaking beef and I got the seafood hotpot, and everything was great! The beef has lots of flavor and was tender, and the hotpot broth was a bit sweet and sour. They give you plenty of food to cook in the hotpot, you could even share one between two people if you get one or two appetizers as well. We also tried one of their low-abv spritzers, which was light and refreshing. The service was good as well, they were friendly and came by a few times to relight our hotpots and check on us. A great place for Vietnamese food that's a bit different from other places in the area! read more
I loved the concept and enjoyed the food. I would definitely come back just for the canh chua. It's a small restaurant so definitely make reservations ahead of time. Food We tried a variety of items. Definitely stick to one dish at a time since the tables are a little small. Ordering more than a hot pot is a little tricky space wise. Bo Luc Lac -- 7/10 Vegetarian Eggrolls -- 7/10 Decent, nothing wrong but nothing I would crave again. Duck Goi -- 7/10 Good flavor but very little duck. Not sure if it's worth the cost. Canh Chua -- 9/10 Probably my favorite item. Worth it to order extra fish on the side. Be sure to use the provided condiments. Their fish sauce was really good. I would definitely come back for this! Pandan Waffle -- 7/10 Not as crispy as I would like. Light on flavor. I've had better pandan waffles. Fried Banana -- 9/10 Can't go wrong with this. Service -- 10/10 Service was attentive and very helpful. Environment -- 8/10 Plenty of parking. They have indoor and outdoor seating. Tables are on the smaller side so keep that in mind when ordering. Cleanliness -- 10/10 Value -- 9/10 For hot pot, it's a little pricey, but definitely worth the try. read more
Went on a weekday for dinner and surprised their was no wait! Was seated immediately and was greeted by a nice gentleman who was vey helpful and patient! It was our first time and was really excited to try to food since we've heard nothing but great recommendations. Being Vietnamese, most Vietnamese places don't impressed me much. However this place changed my mind. Ordered: Fish sauce wings $15 10/10 Lau pork bone $25 10/10 Shaken been banh hoi (woven noodles) $27 Free extra broth refill I can't wait to go back and try other items on the menu. I want to try to canh chua. I really enjoyed the fish sauce wings! Not many places can get this flavor right but this! It's a must here. We were really indecisive so the host was really nice to explain everything on the menu and recommend their poplar dishes. Place is a decent size and clean. Plenty of parking as it shares a parking within a shopping plaza. Despite all the things I've heard around poor customer service, I didn't experience that day. read more
3 years ago
I've wanted to try this place for awhile since I've never had Vietnamese style hot pot before. It's in a shopping complex area of Alameda, so super easy to find and park at. As an appetizer, we got the Mama Rose's Crab Cha Gio ($3), which were very unique tasting and a great texture. However, the crab flavor could've been more prominent. For the hot pots, we got the Lau Pork Bone Marrow ($25) and Lau Canh Chua ($27). I loved the amount of veggies and noodles that each of these came with, as well as the flavors of the broth. I could not stop drinking the soups of each of them. I especially loved the Lau Canh Chua because of its distinct sour flavor. Overall, really fresh and unique addition to Alameda. I do think it's pretty pricey for what it's worth, so I'd only come back for a special occasion! read more
Really unique experience! I've never had Vietnamese hot pot before so I was excited to try. All the food we ordered was fresh and light. Particularly the duck salad, it tasted refreshing. The hot pot was delicious too but I did feel like there was a lot of filler vegetable items. Not a lot of meat. In general, I feel like none of the dishes tasted special or mind blowing. The service was fast and attentive. Ambiance was nice as well. Overall 3/5-decent! read more
3 years ago
Bacogai has been on the top of my bookmark list ever since I saw them on social media. Hot pot is my favorite type of meal so I knew I had to make the drive out to Alameda to give it a try! I was able to easily make a same-day reservation via Yelp, but because the restaurant was full when we arrived, we still waited about 15 minutes. We didn't try any of their drinks but they have a nice list of cocktails, wine, and beer. Now onto the food - We ordered the Beef La Lot ($25) as our appetizer and it was delicious. It was my first time having this dish and Bacogai has set my expectations high! However, my boyfriend mentioned that $25 is on the pricier end for this compared to other places he's tried. Perhaps because this is categorized as an entree on the menu, but I think if I were to order it as an entree, I would only get it if I wasn't that hungry since the portion is on the smaller side. For our individual hot pots, I got the Lau Oxtail ($26) and my boyfriend got the Lau Canh Chua ($27) which is mainly seafood with a sweet and sour tamarind broth. I really enjoyed my Lau Oxtail broth and there was decent amounts of oxtail, tripe, and beef balls. My boyfriend is a big fan of tamarind and his broth was very flavorful and "exactly what he wanted". Because the portions are on the smaller side and there really isn't much meat, we ordered the beef tongue and Australian wagyu beef as an add on to share. The quality of the meat was good but also on the pricier end. Service was great, they were very attentive, checked in on us multiple times, and re-lit our fires quickly when it went out (2-3x). Overall, Bacogai was a delicious and high-quality meal, but it was expensive for the amount of food we got. I don't think I'll be visiting regularly since the drive is a little far from me, but if you're in the area its definitely worth a try. read more
This place is worth a try considering there are not many Vietnamese hot pot spots. It definitely is on the more pricey side considering the portions. It can get really busy here, but workers are friendly. There is plenty of parking as it is located in a plaza. read more
Sent a link about Bacogai to Trac, my Viet expert, in all things related to food & booze. He was excited to try this new place especially the banh hoi. We went last Friday 9/8, Along with his family, his wife Aine & son Stellen, we started with the duck slaw (my favorite dish) followed by the ban hoi...the leaf wrapped sausages with the noodle squares were great...I would have preferred the dipping sauce less sweet. (In fact, I wished there was an option to have a few table condiments to adjust flavors... chilies.. fish sauce etc like when I go for pho. ) That same option was even more so for the hot pots. I wanted more punch for both the sweet! & sour? seafood broth which again was a bit too sugary for me and the creamy pork broth which I thought was somewhat bland. I also thought that the sliced pork needed to be fattier both for flavor & mouth feel ie shoulder or rib meat. I'd return but to try other items. Its an appealing space with great decor & good service. And maybe they had the condiments I wished for if only I had asked our server? next time....we'll see read more
2 years ago
First I would like to start off with the service! As soon as we walked in, we were immediately greeted by the staff. First impressions are huge! As soon as we get seated, the table is set to perfection. 10/10 We put in our order, I can't remember the names of our dishes but I will provide pictures for you. We had the salad with duck in it. I honestly would go back just for the salad alone. It had that a really nice bite to it. The shallots added so much flavor, and you know when you get a salad and sometimes they over dress it? Well that was not the case, it was dressed and definitely impressed. Had a squeeze of lime for that extra zing to it. Perfect! We also had the hotpot, and let me tell you! The soup base was flavorful. It didn't need anything. It had that sweet and sour taste to it, and the fact that you get to add extra little sides in it made it so good! Kayla our wonderful staff member told us to add bean curd, and that little bean curd soaked up all the flavor , and as soon as you put it in your mouth, the flavor bomb kicked in! So good The other item we ordered was a beef stir fry with rice noodle and lettuce, I am a big meat eater. The beef alone was epic, it was savory, and the rice noodles that comes with it was really good. It came with a dipping sauce, and just like the bean curd, the rice noodles packed all that flavor! This is definitely a restaurant you have to try. The whole setting of the restaurant was beautiful, from the cuttlery to the food it was amazing! Definitely a date night, a go to in alameda, a fun dinner with the family. I can't wait to come back to try other things on the menu. I'm sure they won't miss - (this means that they aren't going to fail for you people who don't know what that means). read more
2 years ago
It stays on my mind! What a gem of a spot in alameda. The Lau Oxtail Hotpot is flavorful with a sweet hint, which is the main reason I keep coming back for it on a cold or rainy day. Make sure you try their homemade sauces - the chili pepper paste, as well as a cilantro based sauce and a sesame based one. Their Spicy Fish Sauce Wings are also pretty good. Every visit has been delightful--highly recommend! read more
Great service with friendly and attentive servers! My parents absolutely loved the Canh Cua soup -- it was definitely their favorite. However, I found the Oxtail soup to be a bit too sweet for my taste. That said, I really liked the overall concept of the place. The ambiance was modern but still captured that Vietnamese food vibe, making it a comfortable and enjoyable experience. read more
Food was good, but expensive for what you're getting. Vietnamese hot pot is a new concept for me and it's silly that I haven't thought of it sooner! Such a simple concept and nicely executed. I ordered the pork bone marrow hot pot which was $24. The soup was very flavorful. There wasn't a lot of meat available and the plate was mostly vegetables, 2 fish balls, 2 lobster balls, noodles and tofu, so I wouldn't say it's that worth it. The oxtail hotpot definitely had more flavor and it felt like there was more meat. The oxtail was cooked down nicely and was very tender. In addition to the two hot pots, we also ordered the banh hoi beef luc lac. Portion was kind of small for $25. The beef was alright, but this was the least worth it to me. Overall, nice execution but I feel like you could get a little more bang for your buck at places like Tastee Steam or something, if we are comparing similar concepts. Glad I got to try it once, but it's definitely not a regular dining spot for me. read more
===TL;DR=== - Banh Hoi section: Beef Luc Lac (shaking beef) - Hotpot section: Lau Canh Chua with a size of Prime Black Angus Beef (they ran out of wagyu) ===TMI=== This place has been sitting in my bookmark but I guess they're all over IG now. Let me tell you, they were boooooomb! Such a refreshing take on Vietnamese cuisine. Went there on a Sunday toward their closing time for lunch (2:30pm is the cutoff time), they were so packed we had to wait still. Luckily they still took us in. Not sure if they're under staffed or their business is just ramping up but we sat there for quite some time with no one taking our order until a lot later (they were also busy bussing tables). Ordered their 2 iconic items on the menu and there was no regret. Chefs kiss to their hotpot! The sweet and sour tamarind flavored broth was at such a balance, I can't stop drinking more. The beef and fish fillet were soft, soaking up all the broth. Currently their hotpot are small individual sizes so if you're not planning to order sides, 1 per person will be a good portion. If you're planning to order sides, I recommend sharing 1 or multiple pots with folks as it also gets filling. Next, their shaking beef was NOT dry! Blesssss them. The noodles had a great bounce, perfect pairing with the sauce it came with. It was a very cozy and comforting meal. Can't wait to come back to try their other broths! read more
3 years ago
Been really curious about this spot and finally had a chance to try it! A lot of people don't know Vietnamese food also has their own version of hot pot which is called Lẩu. The traditional version they have on their menu is the Lẩu Canh Chua which is what I ordered. The hotpots are individual portions and recommended as one serving per person. You can also order additional meats ala carte. We also ordered the duck salad, summer rolls, and egg rolls to share. All the appetizers were very good and traditional. Although a bit pricy, I really appreciate Bacogai introducing traditional Vietnamese dishes in a modern and approachable way. Their cocktails were also delicious. The servers were friendly and able to accommodate our large group. However my one complaint is the server did not make it clear that gratuity was already included in the bill. They definitely need to verbally inform in addition to circling or highlighting the gratuity portion so it is clear to guests. Besides that I would come again! read more
I've tried Japanese hotpot, taiwanese hotpot and Chinese hotpot so when I found out this place focuses on Vietnamese hotpot, my husband and I drove to alameda to try this spot out. We got there at around 7 pm on a Saturday and were surprised there was no wait. It's located in a plaza so there are plenty of parking spots close by. The restaurant was half full and as customers leave, new ones would come in. The inside was clean and modern plus it's a good spot to bring a date or to just chill with friends and family. We ordered the Lau Canh Chua (seafood hotpot), Lau Oxtail and the mama rose's crab cha gio. Food came out quickly and service was pretty attentive. We had to flag the waitress down a few times to relit the fire for the hotpot but someone always showed up quickly. The crab cha gio was unique and deep fried perfectly with a crispy texture. I would recommend getting this. My husband got the seafood hotpot and he said it was pretty good. I got the oxtail hotpot and the broth was very delicious. They gave us a good amount of food for each hotpot. Out of the 2, our favorite was the Lau oxtail. Price was very reasonable given the amount of food we got for the individual hotpot. If you are around the area, this is a good spot to check out. read more
Review for 2/25/24 Bacogai is so good! I drove all the way from San Jose to here just to try their dishes and I can confidently say it was worth the drive. This restaurant is now placed on my top 3 hot pot sports in the Bay. We came here on a weekend during opening time and I already see half the restaurant full. The ambiance looks simple, but their silverware and dish plates look fancy. The presentation of the food is perfect and just like how I saw it on these popular instagram foodie accounts. We got the Beef Luc Lac, Lau Oxtail, and for dessert, their Friend Banana with Ice cream in which they all were a 5/5. For drinks, we got Sangria and Spritz which were really good as well! Definitely get the Beef Luc Lac when you get the chance to come here and come prepared with an empty stomach. read more
This meal stays living rent free in my mind. I've never had Vietnamese hotpot before, so I was really looking forward to trying some new dishes in this restaurant. I came here on a weekday around 8 PM as a party of 2, and we were seated right away. I can imagine how busy it gets on the weekends though. I would highly recommend trying at least one hot pot and one banh hoi. I have no gripes with the food at all, but it's pretty pricey for what you get and service was extremely slow. Even though the restaurant was barely half filled when we were there, it took a while to get the attention of our waiter. Sometimes it seemed like he was ignoring us, but I don't want to jump to any conclusions. The meal pretty much made up for the service, and I would still recommend it to anyone in the mood for Vietnamese food. We ordered the Lau Oxtail Hotpot and the Lemongrass Pork, and both were phenomenal. The broth in the hotpot was so flavorful and comforting, and the pork was seasoned perfectly. The pork was honestly one of the best things I've eaten all year. At the end of our meal, we decided to order the fried banana. Fried in rice flour, the outside pastry has the texture of mochi! Best way to end our meal. read more
Our friend who's originally from Alameda, recommended we eat here for dinner. Man I gotta say, this is hands down my favorite hot pot place I've been to, in the Bay Area! The broth of the soup was so flavorful and aromatic, that right when it comes to the table, the smell slaps you in the face! The ingredients are your typical hot pot variety, but the vegetables were the true essence to this tasty meal! They really provide with a unique flavor combined with their rich flavored broth. It was a cold rainy night, and this really hit the spot and warmed us all up! 10/10 on taste 10/10 on service 10/10 on value I just wish they had one closer to me in Solano County,which really needs more great Asian food spots. 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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