A friend of mine had asked me if I found Pho during the course of my Australia / New Zealand trip. It hadn't occurred to me that I was nearing the end of my stay in New Zealand in September 2018, when that idea popped into my head.
You see, I finished having Pho in each of the 50 United States of America earlier this year 2018 in Alaska. What was next? Countries! You betcha! And as such, I found a Vietnamese Cafe that also served Chinese cuisine near my hotel in Auckland, New Zealand. Sam Woo Vietnamese cuisine restaurant was country #3, as I know I've done Pho in Canada in 2015 as well. As you may have noticed, it's a cute goal of mine and I totally love Pho. I arrived here at Sam Woo's after checking the yelp app for possible locations nearby without having to take an Uber. With luck, I found Sam Woo'd about 750 meters away from the hotel. I thought it was a regular restaurant with intimate settings, but as it turns out, it was basically a medium large cafeteria style set up that reminds me of my childhood in school. It was a little weird and eerie, but what could I do. The service was spotty and they were almost like being in a Chinese restaurant, walking crazy trying to service every table that was occupied. It did feel like a busy Chinese restaurant, but the ambiance was as mentioned, like a high school cafeteria in the States. Didn't feel like a nice intimate restaurant, but that's just me. It works here and that's important.
The overall experience here at Sam Woo's Vietnamese cuisine restaurant was okay & good, yet decent at the same time. The atmosphere was almost like a fast food joint + high school cafeteria mixed into one. It was for sure when I came in around 8pm on a Sunday night. I was just in shock at the entire set up, but what can you do really. The main thing about this place is that there is a MINIMUM of $15 order amount before you can use your credit card. I didn't notice the sign at the cash register before when I was getting ready to pay. Be advised if you are not from Auckland and are deciding to eat here. I ended up ordering a take away order of chicken fried rice before I could pay for my order. In hindsight, it was a good thing, since I can have breakfast in hand while heading to the airport the next morning. I guess it was better than airport cuisine, that's for sure! But of course, be aware of the minimum credit card order amount of $15. The restaurant was clean enough and the service was good but decent. Like many Chinese restaurants, Service is quick the servers are seen rushing from table to table taking orders and rushing back to the kitchen. Same thing here at the Sam Woo's Vietnamese cuisine restaurant. Since I was on foot, walking from my hotel 750 meters away, I did not use the parking lot. Although there was adequate parking options here for anyone, it is limited. Best bet is to come here early to secure a spot. If nothing else, parking on nearby streets is usually available.
For my country quest for Pho - New Zealand, I ordered a bowl of combination Pho and had an order of fried spring rolls to complete the meal. The order came by within 15 minutes, with the Pho coming out first and the spring rolls coming within 3 minutes after the fact. The bowl itself was smaller than what i was used to and it did not include bean sprouts. Thought that was heresy, but different countries have their own thing, I guess. It was a good decent meal to quiet the stomach and have my Pho fix while in New Zealand. While it may not be the best best, it was within walking distance from my hotel and that was important for me. I wasn't impressed with the whole decor of the restaurant, but it is what it is. The prices here are a little pricey, even for New Zealand standards, but you just gotta roll with the punches, especially when you're a tourist in these parts. For the most part though, I can't say that I enjoyed my time here at Sam Woo's Vietnamese cafe, but it was alright, and cool at the same time. Thankful that they were here near my hotel, so I didn't have to take an Uber to get here. And so, if you are near the area and needing Pho or Chinese cuisine for dinner or lunch, consider checking out this places. May not be the best, but it's a good place for a quick lunch or dinner on the go. It's A-Okay really.
3.5 stars for the overall experience. 3.5 stars for the food and service. Felt like a Chinese restaurant serving Vietnamese cuisine, not the other way around. That's just me though. 3.0 stars for the ambiance and the prices.
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