I recently dined at this French/Vietnamese cuisine restaurant with a group of four adults and four children, and the experience was extremely disappointing from start to finish.
Service & Cleanliness
Upon arrival, there was no staff guidance for seating, so we seated ourselves. While this was not a major issue, the booth we chose was dirty, with food scraps left on both the table and floor from previous customers. The two waitresses on duty failed to properly clean the area before seating new guests. I had to request that the table be wiped down, which should have been standard practice. One staff member attempted to clean the area afterward, but the situation had already reflected poorly on the restaurant's professionalism.
Menu Discrepancy & Availability
Prior to our visit, my sister-in-law reviewed the restaurant's online menu, only to be informed upon arrival that it was not accurate. The cashier explained that only select items from an in-house menu were available, displayed on a chalkboard. Many advertised dishes were unavailable, including specialty pho options. Customers were limited to beef pho or beef rib pho only, which was misleading.
Order Handling & Wait Time
We were informed that the kitchen was low on noodles and broth and needed time to prepare more, which we understood. However, during the wait, a separate family who ordered after us received their pho first, despite the kitchen being aware of limited inventory. This reflected poor order management and prioritization.
After 30 minutes, we were told there was no more broth available. We were offered the option to wait longer for more to be prepared or receive a refund and order alternative items. Because part of our group had already received their food, we reluctantly chose to switch to rice dishes despite originally coming specifically for pho.
Additional Order Issues
When reordering, I attempted to add spring rolls, but the waitress informed me that the previous customer had taken the last one, implying the item was not freshly prepared or replenished. This further highlighted the restaurant's limited readiness and planning.
Staff Preparedness & Professionalism
The overall service felt inexperienced and poorly supervised. While staff age itself is not an issue, the lack of training, communication, and basic hospitality standards was evident throughout the visit. The operation felt disorganized, and staff appeared unprepared to manage even a moderately sized group.
Food Quality
The food was underwhelming and poorly executed. The pho lacked aroma and depth, tasting diluted.
* The chicken curry resembled a bland stew, lacked salt and richness, and was served lukewarm.
* The grilled pork rice bowl and lemongrass rice bowl tasted premade and reheated, with meat that did not seem freshly prepared.
Between the poor cleanliness, disorganized service, misleading menu, limited availability, lack of staff training, and subpar food quality, this restaurant failed to meet basic dining expectations. I will not be returning. This experience reinforced that high star ratings do not always reflect quality or authenticity. read more