Doi Moi was just okay. Out of three people who all ordered three different items on the menu, none of us really loved our meal. The atmosphere and ambiance of the place was nice. We were seated at the bar without a wait time and enjoyed it. Service was good and we got our food quick enough. The server made a mistake and gave us a dish that none of us ordered but said we could have it because of the mistake, and surprisingly that was the food we enjoyed the most (it was the brussel sprouts). It was a little overpriced, we ordered vegetable plates with a side of rice but for what we paid rice should be included with vegetables. Overall, we won't be coming back any time soon. read more

Doi Moi - Broccoli and rice with green tea. - Vietnamese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great bottomless brunch spot, drinks are excellent! Our server Maria was amazing and very attentive.

Shaken beef! Wings! Crispy a fish! Their food is consistently delicious. Definitely in my 14th Street Top 3!

Lauren and Lorenzo were incredible! Their cocktail and drink recommendations were on point! Def recommend the "beef jerky", dumplings, and pickled veggies. Tell them what you like and they'll make the best drinks you've ever have!! read more

Racist host staff this past Friday night. First off, I would like to say that I have never left a bad review for a business on yelp. And I had a wonderful 5 star experience at Doi Moi previously sitting at the bar with a friend. The food was delicious and the bartender (A tall thin guy) was awesome... A real class act! Unfortunately I was taking meds and couldn't have the special hot drink my girlfriend had. So we returned on Friday night... Anticipating and excited for another wonderful experience. We couldn't sit at the bar as it was jam packed. There were a few tables in the restaurant but it was pretty full as well. A young man was the first person to make contact with us. He looked at me and we locked eyes for an awkward 30 seconds (felt like 5 minutes) with him not even greeting us properly and I asked for a table. He tells me that there are no tables. I ask about the tables that are empty and a young woman pops up from a seat behind the hostess stand and tells us that these are held for reservations (completely understandable... the food is awesome... No biggie). Things got weird when the couple behind me was then asked "table for two?" (by the young man who had a staring contest with me). They say yes and he tells them there is a 45 minute wait and asks them if they would like to be put on the wait list. This is where it went from weird to an awful and dejecting experience for my friend and I. We were not told about a waitlist, but about reservations. The people who walked in 10 minutes after me were put on the waitlist that I wasn't even offered. I began to bring up the unfair and unwelcoming treatment with the hosts who both smirked and looked at each other. I hate to think this is why, but the truth is the only difference between my friend and I and the people behind us was the color of our skin. They knew nothing about us at all. I felt humiliated and couldn't even digest what had just happened to me. My girlfriend and I didn't even want to eat out after that. It was such a polar opposite of the amazing experience that brought us back for more. I sent an email to a contact listed on the website named Aaron to address our experience . I'm not a tweeter or instagrammer or yelper of bad experiences before addressing with management or owners. In fact, this type of experience hasn't happened to me in a long time. Unfortunately they didn't respond to my email attempt at reaching out. So here I am writing about this awful and racist experience in 2016 at a restaurant in the nation's capital read more

This trip to Doi Moi in a group of 9 was a disappointment. We went there on a busy Saturday night, and given the large group size, I was expecting tight accommodations which we got. That was ok. Service was clearly lacking - the server forgot an appetizer (all for the better in the end), forgot a drink, did not have time to check in and so on. Maybe they were missing some staff but clearly, service was not a strong suite, even discounting of the Saturday night rush. What was really good was the grilled pork rib which managed to find that perfect mix of juicy and tender, with a beautiful glaze outside that matched the sweet cane and sesame in a perfect mix. Sadly, that was it in the food department. The fried rice had a slight burnt milk smell, and a rather anodyne flavor. It seemed more tossed together rather than an integrated whole. The Bakso soup was only saved by the Thai basil leaves. The whole snapper was over fried, and under flavored, and did not have enough sauce. The breaded samosa was probably the single worst dish of the evening - with an unsalted, tasteless mush of a filling and a strange oily crust. Costco's frozen samosas are 10 times better. The Jackfruit Curry was apparently 'a spin on a traditional Thai dish'. Sadly, they spun the flavor right out that dish, with an under seasoned curry and undercooked jackfruit. The 'slightly sweeter purple sweet potato' did not complement the missing 'notes of peanuts and tamarind'. Needless to say, the only reason to go back would be for the ribs but that that is about all as the place missed the mark on food and service. read more

Server was really great. Atmosphere is also great - good place to start the evening. Got a mango daquiri that was also good. Fried spring rolls were pretty salty and drunken noodles kinda bland but the sizzling beef was fantastic read more

Everything was great: the ambiance, decor, service - and especially the food. The last time we went was years ago, and it was just average then. But we knew that the restaurant had been overhauled (menu and otherwise), and we're very glad that we gave it another try. read more

RICARDO was the best! He made our experience at doi moi delectable! Love love love Ricardo!!!

Love the ambiance here and the drinks. They also have a great happy hour deal. I'm only giving it 3 stars, however, because I think the food is very mediocre. Especially for the price. I've been here more than once, and every time I am left disappointed by the food. I would not recommended the food at all, but as a bar it gets 5 stars. read more

Mariah was our server and she was fantastic! Food and drinks were refreshing and delicious!

Amazing atmosphere and customer service. Beautiful indoor & outdoor seating with delicious food. Not to mention, the brunch cocktails were perfect for Sunday funday. Can't wait to come back! read more

I really wanted to like this place because of I've heard great things and to be fair, the vibes and the great service do live up to the reputation. However, the food left much to be desired. The menu is a mix of Viet and Southeast Asian dishes, and the portions for most dishes was too small. The one exception was the char kuey teow - my friends and I agreed this was the best dish of the night. We were extremely disappointed by the Obama bun cha - I've had this many times in Hanoi and the version served here was not authentic at all. The sauce reminded me of Americanized sweet and sour and it came with too few noodles and literally 1 lettuce leaf... how are you supposed to eat bun cha with 1 leaf? read more

Ricardo was the best server ever!! Super attentive and nice to us!!! Great vibes overall

Great menu of French influenced Vietnamese cuisine. He droid portions. Best of all is t he staff, cheerful, helpful delightful. Wish I wish I lived closer so I could come more often. read more

Disappointing... changing to a new chef & new menu - don't have pork buns anymore, the chicken buns are not great AT ALL ... little pricey for what you geT now read more

Greeeat Food, I've tried the Drunken noodles & egg rolls. Both 10/10 HIGHLY recommend. Their food is seasoned beautifully. Great accommodating staff. They have an amazing happy hour & the bartenders make strong drinks... heavy on the strong hehe. The ambiance is pretty mixed/great, you get a night life type vibe downstairs & a very island-y bright vibe upstairs. Honestly nothing bad to say! read more

Came here for Brunch and was blown away by the amazing food and drinks. I loved the fried chicken and the shrimp friend rice. Would definitely recommend. Can't wait to go back. read more

We had a wonderful brunch last Saturday. Ashley, our server, was awesome! She was attentive, prompt, and made great recommendations, helping us make the most of our dining experience. Thank you Ashley and Doi Moi team! read more

My husband and I decided to check out Doi Moi before a show a few weeks ago. We'd walked past it a few times and had heard good reviews. We arrived early with no reservation and were seated right away (before 7 pm). The ambience in the restaurant is very cool and I would recommend for a date night or a group dinner with friends. We promptly ordered and that's when everything went down hill. To summarize our experience I think we ordered horribly wrong and our servers were terrible (I say servers because we had about 5 different people come to our table with ZERO introductions). When we asked menu questions we were met with blank, undescriptive suggestions. Had we had a server who actually knew what was on the menu I think our food experience may have been better. Overall the worst part of our experience was the terrible service and equally terrible food. What's slightly disheartening is that it seems the other patrons in the restaurant were experiencing the opposite. Servers were very attentive to the guests around us and everyone seemed to be enjoying their food. Was definitely a huge miss for us, but may need to give it a second chance. Stay away from: king crab fried rice and the Kee Mao stir fried noodles Try: the Bok Choy (veggie side dish) and the strawberry shortcake for dessert read more

Terrible food terrible service wouldn't recommend even if There was a gun pointed to my head

Super yummy food and great service! We had the pleasure of being served Ike who was amazing and made the experience all the more enjoyable! Highly recommend read more

Was really disappointed to see that several staff at Doi Moi (the hostess, a busser and someone in the kitchen) were not wearing their masks. It was late and they were probably just getting lazy, but the lax regulations were extremely concerning at a time when cases in D.C. are spiking. Although I absolutely adore the food, and have been a regular since I moved to D.C., I do not feel comfortable going back. read more

As a Vietnamese person, I had very mixed feelings about going to a Vietnamese/Thai restaurant that is entirely owned and operated by gaijins. But on the other hand, I am also happy that other people are able to capitalize Vietnamese cuisine and deliver it to the masses in a non-threatening environment. As for the name, my Vietnamese friend and I had a good chuckle over trying to figure out what they are trying to say. I initially thought that it was, "dôi môi" which stands for a pair of lips- why would you name a restaurant a pair of lips? But they actually meant to say "dô~i mo'i" (Yelp doesn't recognize the characters I am trying to use) which means innovation or change to something new. Oh silly silly! Maybe they should have hired at least one Vietnamese person instead of using Google Translate. The food itself is worthy of 4 stars and it would be on par with what I would expect from either a very good home-cooked meal or a nicer restaurant in Eden such as Rice Paper or Saigon. We ordered the liver larb salad (spicy and more Thai than Vietnamese), sable fish (decent but missing a lot of the vegetable component), scallop curry (spicy and good), crab fried rice (very good). All the portions are small and meant for sharing. I also tried the Kauna Passion Fruit Ale which ended up being a Blonde Ale and they insisted that it was brewed with Passion Fruit although there was nothing on the label that said that. However, I knocked down a star for having only 2 gender-designated bathroom for the entire restaurant! I ended up using the male bathroom because I saw their own hostess coming out of it, and I was appalled to see the naked soft-core Thai porn posters in the bathroom. I am not a prude but this is a restaurant and not a club/bar/lounge. Do you anticipate children visiting your restaurant and using your bathrooms? These posters are offensive and derogatory to Asian women if the owner believes that this adds to the "theme of the restaurant." read more

Meh. Certainly looks gorgeous, but very noisy. We're neighborhood folks and eat out a lot on 14th street. Better places in the hood. The food- We had two noodle dishes. What jumped out was how spicy hot they were which drowned out flavors of lemon grass and mushrooms. Spicy peanuts- same kind of hot too. Pork skewers- very fatty. Peanut dipping sauce tasted like peanut dipping sauce you would get anywhere. Woefully mediocre. Service- perfunctory. Our very young looking waiter informed us that he has "been in the industry a long time" and the scallops were the best he had ever seen. Amusing in that I guess long time industry service is measured in months. The whole thing just seemed pretentious. Now the scary part- we sat at the bar overlooking the kitchen. Not a good thing watching the sausage being made, so to speak. The woman making salads and doing prep, handled a garbage can, chewed on her hangnail, and then promptly dug her unwashed hands into raw ingredients and made salads and other raw dishes. We watched a lot of this prior to ordering. We certainly didn't order anything that required her prep and opted instead for all cooked dishes. There are way too many places on the 14th street corridor to try and that likely do better. We aren't drawn to return. read more

3.5 stars. Doi Moi is another relatively new entry to the revitalized Logan Circle bar and restaurant scene. Doi Moi provides a Southeastern Asian twist to the tried and true tapas theme which shouldn't be too surprising given that it is owned and operated by the same team that brought us Estadio and Proof, two highly regarded restaurants with a similar small plate theme. There were two standout dishes on this visit to Doi Moi. Probably the most impressive was a raw scallop appetizer generously paired with chili, lime, and basil flavors. The scallops themselves were truly outstanding, boasting a very clean flavor and a nice, light consistency that certainly would be on par with some of the top sushi restaurants in this city. Perhaps equally impressive was a perfectly cooked turmeric flavored sablefish. Again, the texture and consistently of the dish was marvelous. This kitchen works very well with seafood. There were other dishes that I would certainly order again. At the top of that list would be an interesting shrimp and eggplant "salad" served with a host of fragrant spices and soft boiled eggs. The kitchen's rendition of red curry duck was also enjoyable with the sweet pineapple finishes pairing expertly with the savory flavors from the duck. Less inspiring was the radish cake appetizer which exhibited a slightly smoky aftertaste and was not saved by the accompanying sauce. I would pass on the dumplings and skewers as well. The kee mao, while vegetarian-friendly, presented like a slightly fancier take on drunken noodles. Having said that, the trumpet mushrooms and Chinese broccoli in the dish were both fresh and enjoyable. Service is great and the space is rather minimalistic, well-lit, and airy. Doi Moi would be recommended for a night out among friends and potentially as a second date. It is certainly a welcome addition to the neighborhood. read more

Made a reservation at Doi Moi based on previous reviews but they completely dropped the ball. Took 30 minutes for the waiter to take our drink order. They were out of half the menu, and when we placed the food order the waiter returned to tell us they ran out of more stuff. One meal came out at time. Terrible costumer service from our waiter, who seemed to not care about the status of our food even though we were at the restaurant for 2.5 hours waiting for dishes to come out. We didn't get all our food before the kitchen closed and they wouldn't make it afterwards even though we ordered over an hour before. Won't be returning. read more

The food here was so good I made faces. A quick rundown of what we ordered: Duck & duck liver salad: this was beyond delicious. It is spicy and savory and served with sticky rice, which is the perfect vehicle for consuming this scrumptious dish. Spring rolls: my boyfriend judges any Vietnamese / Thai food restaurant by its spring rolls. He was not disappointed by Doi Moi. They were very good. Not the star of the show, but a necessary order nonetheless. Chicken Curry: The flavors in this chicken noodle dish just dominate your palate. The key (I think) is that they use bone-in chicken, which adds richness. I couldn't get enough of the curry. I used the rest of the sticky rice from the duck liver salad to make sure none of that curry went to waste! Sablefish: This is a delicate dish when compared to the curry, but it is by no means bland. It has a less in-your-face deliciousness about it. It ended up being out last dish, and it was a perfect ending to the savory side of our meal. To dessert. I'd read on Yelp about the fried bananas so we ordered them with the sticky rice ice cream. This is where I made the faces. The most delicious thing I've had in a really long time. You have to order the ice cream with the bananas, you just do. They wouldn't be as amazing without the coolness of the ice cream added. I was impressed by the size of the dishes. Four dishes were plenty. The service was good, not great. We did have to wait quite some time for our check, but the food was served promptly. It seems like they're making good progress on the kinks noted in earlier reviews. For two drinks, dinner and dessert, we got out of there for just over $100, including tip. Not too bad for a Friday night date night. Cannot wait to go back and try more. read more

Frankly, the food was good. The waitress was inexperienced yet competent. The prices were quite high but I can live with that. But what I can't live with, and why this review went from 3.5 to 1 star, is the douchiness, hipster attitude of the people that run this place. They WANT so desperately for this place to be the "hot" spot on 14th street that they (1) act like insufferable assholes, (2) manufacture wait times and scarcity, and (3) just plain suck at making you feel like a welcome guest despite your willingness to pay $18 for a small tapas dish. They don't take reservations. I hate this because not everybody wants to spend 30 minutes waiting for their table and it's just a ploy to drive up bar tabs while people wait. Fine, but I called ahead and was told there shouldn't be a long wait, maybe 15 minutes. I arrive a few minutes after that and I am quoted 45 (!) minutes for a table for 2. I also happen to notice that a place that allegedly doesn't take reservations after 6 PM has a long list of "reservations" for 7 and 8 PM on their computer (standard Open Table issue). How is that possible? It turns out that VIPs CAN get reservations, but little peons that live in the neighborhood and want to go to dinner can't. So then after forcing the question about how long our wait would *actually* be, our 45 minute wait became... 0 minutes. There was a table magically available. And wouldn't you know it, when I went to the bathroom 10 minutes later, I saw quite a few empty tables! I wonder if people if were still being quoted 45 minute waits? Anyway, it soured the whole experience for me. The food was good, but most dishes were no better than good Thai places around town (Mai Thai, Thai Regent). A few dishes did stand out (Lemongrass Beef in Vermicilli). But I did not find this place to be on the level of Little Serow or Thai X-ing at all. And yes, I realize all restaurants have VIPs but you could at least be a little smarter about it than this place. The whole experience was very offputting. read more

I love Doi Moi. I've been a couple times now since Chef Deth became the Chef de Cuisine and the food has been consistently good. Service: attentive, friendly and good at explaining the menu. Portions: The share plates are large portions, everything else is moderately sized. I would get a couple appetizers and an entree each for 2 people. Seating: They have seats outdoors, indoors, and by both the cocktail bar and in front of the kitchen. I would recommend sitting in front of the kitchen. You'll smell like food but it's fascinating to watch everyone run around. The kitchen staff and all friendly and will talk to you and give you food recommendations. There is nothing better than watching a chef smiling when describing their own food. Food: Here's a list of everything I can remember having and my quick takes on them. -Phla Hi Chell Sliced Raw Scallops - like a scallop ceviche, this was spicy and tangy. The scallops were fresh and the flavors were perfect. -Pak Boong Tod Crispy Morning Glory - I really like stir fried morning glory so I thought frying them took away from the natural flavor but the fry was done well and the accompanying tamarind sauce is great. -Kanom Pak Gadd Crispy Radish Cakes - Good, not great. Reminded me of the turnip cakes at dim sum. -Por Pia Tod Crispy Pork & Shrimp Spring Rolls - these were wonderful; very meaty and with good texture from all the ingredients. Almost like how my dad makes them.The jicama makes a big difference. -Gai Tod Fried Lemongrass-Coconut Chicken Wings - I always get these when I come. The flavor of the batter is subtle, not too overwhelming. The batter is not too heavy, chicken is moist and the accompanying sauce is delicious. I want to pour it on everything. -Mc Rang Mui Fried Salt & Pepper Squid - Very much like salt/pepper squid dishes at Chinese places. You get a lot of squid (probably at least 2 squids) on one plate. -Laab Ped Ground Duck & Duck Liver Salad - really good and really spicy. The laab with duck liver is great, it's like pate with wonderful spices and tanginess wrapped in lettuce. -Gà Roti Lemongrass & Spice Roasted Half Chicken - Ga Roti is one of my favorite Vietnamese dishes. Doi Moi's sauce is less sweet but the way they bake it, how the skin crisps up - it's really excellent. It takes 30 mins to cook this one though. -Cá Chiên Crispy Whole Fish - Sometimes crispy fish get fried too much and the meat gets dried out but that's not the case here. Well fried and excellent ginger sauce to accompany it. -Khao Phat Puu Blue Crab Fried Rice - Much like crab fried rice at Thai places, but Doi Moi is generous with their crab, you easily have 2 chunks of crab in every bite. Worth the money since blue crab meat is so labor intensive. -Plai Manoah Cha Cambodian Style Stir Fried Pineapple with Ginger - Got this on a whim while waiting for the Ga Roti. The sauce they stir fry the pineapple with is savory and pairs well with the sweetness of the pineapple. -Shaved corn with lime - very simple side dish, but I'm a sucker for grilled corn. I order it anytime I see it on a menu. The spices and lime are perfect. -Sakhoo Yat Sai Stuffed Tapioca Balls - I was skeptical because these didn't have meat in them but they are really really really good. The tapioca is the perfect chewiness and the savory seasoning of the crunchy filling is a great combination. -Beef in betel nut leaves - Don't have the official name for this one. Reminds me of dolmades but the beef seasoning was sweeter and the betel nuts are more bitter/fragrant than grape leaves. Unexpectedly good. -Taro custard - the custard is more like a taro cake with big chunks of taro in it, topped with crispy sweet rice and salted caramel - this was a great dessert, not too sweet but still very rich. -Cassava cake - I love cassava cake and Doi Moi's is really well done. Sticky, chewy and slightly sweet with bits of coconut. -Soft serve of the week - Another thing I get every time. They switch up the flavors and so far I've had watermelon, cucumber, and strawberry. The watermelon and cucumber were really refreshing. Love it. They change their menu every now and then so there's always a reason to come back. read more

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Noisy, very overpriced, over-rated and average food. Server tried hard but rushed us too much.... I guess they're trying to turn the tables over or something to generate more business. Also, we were placed at a table so close to another table that their waiter would stand with his backside 6 inches from my head. Not one good thing to say about this place. STAY AWAY. read more

My group was disappointed with the food. Many dishes were way too spicy. My mouth was burning from the first bite so I couldn't really taste anything after that. They should really try to tone that down a bit. My scallop curry dish was super bland. The location is excellent and the interior is super cute! Hopefully, they can review and improve some of the dishes. read more

It's not often that I go out to a new restaurant and can say it was a nearly perfect meal. This almost never happens. There's always hype about the chef and owner (Mark Kuller and Haidar Karoum), the restaurant groups previous or current shining star (Estadio and Proof), and it's location in the new 'it' part of town (14th Street) that leaves you with an overhyped disappointing experience. Doi Moi had all of this working against it but still delivered a memorable dining experience I can't wait to repeat. From the moment you walk in you're encased in comforting muted tones of white, silver, and tan with textures of glass, steel and light wood. There's lots of natural light from the floor to ceiling glass windows that wrap the entire main floor that accent its minimalist design and well-appointed pockets of color and texture. We were greeted by friendly hosts who promptly sat us after requesting seats at the bar placing us at Doi's upper level bar with views of the entire floor and open kitchen. The lower level bar wraps around the kitchen so you can eat and watch all the action while a third bar titled '2 Birds 1 Stone' sits in the basement. We were promptly greeted by a friendly bar staff that introduced themselves by name, shook our hands, and asked how they could help. There are few specialty hand-crafted drinks so we decided on starting with a cocktail before moving on to wine, and each had a house cocktail and were happy that both were different yet delicious. My drink was nutty with strong peanuts off the top but then it muddles into the fruity nutty flavor of tamarind complemented by the depth of the rum coming together nicely like an unlikely couple that just happens to work. My dates drink while strong in citrus finished overly salty for my taste, but he thoroughly enjoyed it so to each their own. Because of the spicy Vietnam inspired menu we chose a bottle of Riesling from Organ, which Max gave two thumbs up to, and we were not disappointed as it paired perfectly (not too sweet, dry, without an overly powerful fruitiness) with our meal. Our first round of bites consisted of the papaya salad, fried peppered squid, and beef jerky. The salad was fresh, crisp with the right balance of crunch, citrus, heat and acid. The beef jerky dish is a nicely marinated and perfectly sautéed succulent beef dish flavored with a perfect balance of soy, ginger and some heat. No fillers here, all beef on a banana leaf. Have a bite dipped in the Vietnam version of sriracha (balance of sweet and heat) and you'll moan with ecstasy as the salty tender beef melts in your mouth accented by the spicy sweet sriracha. Add some of the papaya salad and prepare yourself. The fried squid was what you'd expect, fried squid, but cooked perfectly with hot peppers and were tender and more importantly void of grease. For our entrées we chose their signature chicken curry dish, beef with vermicelli noodles, and crab fried rice. The curry by far was the star of the evening. I've never had a perfect curry before, and this now number one on my list. It's shockingly complex yet flawlessly restrained in heat and spice until you're left with this intoxicating combination of flavors that leaves you speechless and wanting more and more. When I took a look around I wasn't the only one scraping the bowl with my spoon to get the last morsels of it into my mouth. No shame. I also loved that the chicken was dark meat cooked on the bone (not chicken breast) a true sign of respect for the restaurants ode to Vietnam street food where cheap cuts of meat are turned into delicacies. The beef vermicelli was a great middle divide to the hot spicy curry consisting of perfectly cooked beef on top of chill noodles with lots of fresh vegetables, crush peanuts, and herbs. We polished off both and continued to dent our bottle of wine when we almost forgot about the crab fried rice when it arrived fashionably late. Utter perfection. Light, perfectly balanced in seasoning, and the dish shines because it's not overthought or overworked. How does that saying go? Floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee? That's the crab fried rice. Order it. Period. This is the single most important and rewarding part of the entire meal at Doi Moi. Each dish was perfectly seasoned, allowed its simple ingredients to shine, and forced me not to lick each plate clean. As someone who lives in the neighborhood and has seen and tasted the rapid and enjoyable expansion of 14th Street NW as the new Washington DC it zone for food, I welcome Doi Moi with open arms. There wasn't a single unenjoyable moment throughout my first meal here and they've left me searching my calendar for the next free evening I can book my next reservation (if I can get in by then). So here's hoping even without a reservation they'll always have at least one barstool at the bar open whenever I crave some amazing food, because that's what neighbors do, pop over uninvited and eat all your food. read more

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Went here for a friend's birthday dinner party. I would have to say, as a Vietnamese person and food lover, this place was very disappointing in representing the depth of flavors our cuisine and culture have to offer. I ordered the whole fried fish with "ginger dipping sauce". The ginger dipping sauce is actually a misnomer, it's a Vietnamese fish sauce that typically has no ginger, but has garlic, lime and chili pepper. It would've been great to pair it with some sauteed bok choy or vegetables since the fish was dry. PROS - good ambiance and great decor - great outdoor seating CONS - Overpriced and flavors lack depth -Entree portions were small so we were still hungry afterwards - Many of the dishes did not come with jasmine rice and must be ordered as an additional side. Savory dishes like curries or seasoned meats and vegetables are typically served with rice. How else would you eat it? My dining experience here made me realize how restaurants too easily co-opt other cultures' cuisine without regard to history, tradition or how those dishes are to be served. I'm all about sharing of culture, but if you are a chef who makes Vietnamese and Thai food, you have an important role as a cultural agent. It is a responsibility you've taken on to represent those cultures respectfully through the cuisine you serve. As a conscious consumer, I think about the product or in this case food, that I choose to support and I cannot support what this restaurant represents. Also, the menu used the labels of Phet - spicy and Phet Mak - really spicy which are Thai words to categorize all of their dishes. Although the Viietnamese dishes were listed with their Vietnamese dish names, they were categorized under Phet and Phet Mak. To be consistent with languages used, it would make sense to label their spice level in Vietnamese terms, too. You wouldn't label a menu of American dishes as picante or muy picante. There are two different cultures and languages being conflated here. read more

This place is all hype because of the location. Decor is sterile and cold, everything we ate was overcooked and beyond salty. What we ate: 1) Nua Kem- Thai Wok Tossed Marinated Beef: This was the best thing we ate. Beef was very tender and nicely cooked, but the seasoning was WAY too salty. 2) Yam Muu Krop- Crispy Pork Belly Salad: This dish tried hard, but pork was too salty and overcooked. 3) Pla Pad Cha- Wild Halibut in Jungle Curry: Again, WAY too salty. No idea what the flavor was, all I tasted was salt. Fish was overcooked. 4) Bò Nng Xã - Lemongrass & Garlic Marinated Hanger Steak: Was cooked nicely and tender, but WAY too salty. 5) Gui Chai- Pan Fried Garlic Chive & Mushroom Dumplings: There was no difference between these dumplings and those I get from the frozen aisle at Whole Foods. Also, we ordered a bottle of wine from the list and they were out of it. Server made no effort to recommend something else. Glad I tried it, but don't need to ever go back. read more

So, we had pals in from the UK and few locals fr World Bank to entertain...we go, not for the food; but, for its historic name...DOI MOI. Doi Moi was a social/econ program that transformed Vietnam in positive ways. At first blush, we thought the owner understood the meaning of Doi Moi; but, after our wives passed through the bathrooms and howled with laughter..we realized that the name was taken for its slang version. We soon left the restaurant. If you take anyone one to the place that is learned/traveled, be aware...you will get a foul crit. As my buddy Dan's wife said, "the designer of this place never was la*d as a young man." Personally, I don't need to view 70's nude pinups while I use the men's room. As for the rest...the food is ok at best for those that have never been to Vietnam or Thailand but it is over spiced. The table service is ok, but one can't help but feel that they are making up for the host staff. read more

Yummy! I avoided Doi Moi for the longest time because lots of people told me that they over-spiced their food and it wasn't very good. Boy were they wrong! I went tonight for the first time and loved everything we had (Grilled Chicken Thigh Skewers, Pork Steamed Buns, Kee Mao Stir-Fried Rice Noodles, Crispy Rice Salad, and Brussels Sprouts). The menu is tapas style with a few entrees but the portion sizes are good. Definitely a fun place to pop into for a nice flavorful meal. read more

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Lovely space in a convenient location, but the food just wasn't good. Unfortunately, on our visit Doi Moi turned out to be another showy DC restaurant with, at best, mediocre food. The menu merely lists ingredients and gives few clues as to preparation methods. (Oh so chic, these grocery-list menus.) Dishes are generally meant to be shared, and some are big enough to be entrees. We ordered three small dishes and an entree. The sauce for the turnip cake tasted like a bouillon cube, the eggplant salad was gooey, and it tasted like I was eating a spicy, oily carnation. The chicken soup smelled good, but it turned out to be bland, with overdone noodles. And the fried fish . . . . Well, the $18 fried fish came with a "ginger" sauce that tasted like bile, and the fish was fried almost until it was dust, just so it would stand up on the plate. (A dramatic insult to the fish.) And the rice that came with the fish was inedible; overcooked and bland. Adding insult to injury, I ordered sparking wine and was given what seemed to be a tasting portion in a tiny cup. read more

It's not authentic Asian food, but it's great fusion with some tasty cocktails! Oscar was super attentive to our needs--would recommend as a cute date spot. read more

So much fun for brunch! Great food, cocktails, and a killer DJ. Definitely recommend.