Needs work but is the best there is in SF for now. I usually go here for my Vietnamese Desserts and the Pandan waffles (Banh Kep). This review is more for those who are not familiar with Vietnamese-style desserts and who tends to order To-Go.
Tip #1 Coconut Milk spoils easily.
If you have any kind of dessert that includes coconut milk, it will spoil if the temperature gets warm. That is why they put ice in the cup. However, the ice will dilute the sugar level, making it bland. Always ask for a bag of crushed ice on the side, especially if you are taking it to go. Taste your dessert first then add the ice in small portions until you get the desired level of sweetness. I tend to consider the coconut milk not sweet enough so the bag of crushed ice just goes into my freezer.
Tip #2 Do not mix your dessert.
Mixing the dessert with the coconut milk will get the whole dessert to spoil even faster since you introduced the coconut milk to the rest of the cup. If you are taking it to go, leave the layers separated until you get home or where ever you are going to enjoy your dessert then stir it all together. I tend to try not to stir everything together so I can have a chance to taste each layer by itself to see how it tastes. If you plan to have your dessert immediately then stir away.
Tip #3 Tapioca is fresh on the day it is served.
I learned this the hard way. I ordered a dessert #2, which came with tapioca balls. I took it home and had it the next day. The tapioca balls were getting hard and not the good kind. Some places make good tapioca balls which can last through to the next day and still be chewy. These are not the kind. So if you are not having your dessert with tapioca balls on that same day, ask for them to not put it in or ask for them on the side.
Tip #4 No red bean, more like Kidney bean.
I am a bit embarrassed to point this out since a really authentic and good Vietnamese dessert place will not use Kidney beans in place of red beans but this place does. So if you are like me and you like the jellies and other items in your dessert cup, ask for less red/kidney beans and more coconut jelly, pandan jelly, or fruit. Even better is to ask if they can substitute mung bean or taro paste instead.
Tip #5 No taro pieces, more like taro paste.
I found out that even though the menu says there is taro in the dessert, it is more like a paste. Other Vietnamese shops will put whole pieces of taro but I am guessing for convenience and for you to use a straw it is made into a paste instead. If you stir your drink too much you might miss the taro paste completely since it melts into the coconut milk.
Tip #6 Combo jelly is dices up into small pieces.
If you like the combo jelly, which tends to be a red jelly and coconut jelly diced up into small pieces, ask them to put more. I am sure they can take out the red/kidney beans and replace it with the combo jelly. Usually there is not a lot put into the cup.
Tip #7 What is red tapioca?
Red tapioca when I first saw it reminded me of the red tapioca with chestnut inside from a Thai dessert. But when I bit into the one from this shop I realized it was a gimmick. Think of it as a red dyed tapioca ball with nothing in the middle. It looks nice in your cup but you are not missing anything if you never have it.
Tip #8 Substitutions are ok or create your own dessert.
There is nothing wrong with asking for substitutions or to create your own drink with the items you like. The only difference might be the cost. It says on the bottom of the menu "No cost for additional add-ins" so take advantage of this while you can. If you do like fresh coconut pieces added in it will cost you extra.
Tip #9 Take home desserts need to go into the fridge immediately.
I tend to order 2-4 cups of the dessert and put them into my fridge immediately when I get home. This makes the dessert not spoil and I can enjoy them anytime later in the week. If you plan to take the dessert home, order the dessert and go immediately home, no stopping along the way. Do not collect your $200, go immediately home and put them into your fridge. If you are making stops along they way, put them in a cooler with ice or try to keep them cool or it will spoil.
Tip #10 Order the Pandan waffle crispy.
There are two flavors of waffles, Pandan and Coffee ($2 each). Both have shredded coconut in them and they do take a while to make. Ask for them to be crispy and left on the waffle iron for an extra 45 seconds to make them crispy. Nobody likes soft and soggy waffles. If they do turn out soggy and soft, I tend to take them home, pop them into my toaster over or toaster and they will crisp back up. Enjoy them the same day or the next day. Do not try to save these as they will go stale very fast. The only way to preserve them is to wrap them in a plastic bag either on the counter or in the fridge. Eat them in the morning for breakfast with coffee. I recommend the Pandan waffle over the other.
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