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Cao Nguyen Restaurant
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
108 reviews for Cao Nguyen Restaurant
Review Highlights
"Canh Chua ca' Kho To (Cat Fish Soup & Claypot."
(in 22 reviews)
"had the standard com bo luc lac -- tender."
(in 7 reviews)
"it's good family style dinner, and i love it."
(in 5 reviews)
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108 reviews in English
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Review from Kelly S.
1/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Another winner! I finally came here after hearing so much chatter about how good it was. If you're looking for an authentic experience minus the embellishments, this is your spot. There's a variety of dishes to choose from including rice plates, salads, noodles and DIY spring rolls, which i totally love! We ordered the eggrolls, bo tai chanh (raw beef salad), fish simmered in onion broth + spring rolls and mi nam vang dry. I was especially excited about the raw beef salad. My dad use to make it all the time and OH, HAVE I MISSED IT SO!
Waiter's will help you if you're confused and really there's no going wrong. Another place where the more is really merrier. Next time your headed this direction, skip lee's and head on over here for some bona fide vietnamese food! -
Review from Huan T.
Milpitas, CA
1/26/2012
Pos:
+ Good selection of Viet cuisines.
+ Love the fish to make goi cuon banh trang...or fish spring rolls
+ Quite nice interior, they make an effort to decorate their Lunar New Year accordingly. There is the corner that any guests can take a picture with such.
Neg:
- Slow to service. Staff seem to be trained well enough to cater large group.
- Some cuisines are not as tasty probably I have not tried their specialty yet ?
Overall, I would come back here since I start to eat more healthier food such as spring rolls with fish. -
Review from Michael N.
San Francisco, CA
1/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is one of my grandma's favorite spots. That doesn't really mean that it's good, but it means I get to go often. Then again, the food is pretty good.
I usually enjoy the pho ap chao mem (fried pho stir fry) and the mi cao nguyen nuoc (special egg noodle soup). They have a lot of good solid Vietnamese dishes to choose from.
Good sinh to (fruit shakes) to choose from as well.
The decor is a bit kitschy, but cleaner than a lot of Vietnamese places. A lot of plants and fake plants. There is a small aquarium in the front of the door (seemingly for feng shui reasons).
The service is standard Vietnamese service. Order your food and they bring it to you. Pay your bill at the counter. -
Review from Lily G.
Bay Area
11/29/2011
Wow, I was really surprised by how good this place was! I had mediocre expectations since it is pretty nice inside and totally hidden in the way back of the plaza.
The first amazing thing I ate was the goi Thailand, that steak salad with basil, OMG it is soooo nomnomnom... Also the fish dishes are all great, my boyfriend ordered teh catfish in caramel suahce, ca kho to, and he also likes the Canh Chua Ca, the sweet and sour catfish soup. We came with friends once and got the simmering ginger and scallion fish, which was my favorite since I really like chinese style steamed fish.
The chicken wings are good too, and the service is fairly attentive and friendly, with a large dining area so you aren't smushed in with other tables. I can see how some may find some of the claypot and fried dishes overly seasoned, but they keep the steamed dishes and salads perfect and serve them with the necessary accoutrements, ie: jalapeno, lime/salt/pepper, fish sauce. It is a good place for a big family style dinner. -
Review from Quang T.
San Jose, CA
11/30/2011
This is one of the few good Vietnamese restaurants that my family and I go to every so often when we want to have a delicious authentic Vietnamese dinner.
Bo Tai Chanh (Beef Carpaccio Lemon Salad) is always a must, the best in San Jose! 5 Stars
Canh Chua Ca Bong Lau (Vietnamese Sour Catfish Soup) is really yummy! Too bad they don't use okra in it like my mom does, she makes it much better. 4 Stars
Dau Hu Chien Gion (Crispy Fried Tofu) is simple and delicious. Crispy, but not oily like other restaurants. 4 Stars
Bo Luc Lac (Vietnamese Shaken Beef) is pretty good too, but not as good as Vung Tau Restaurant. 4 Stars
Ca Kho To (Caramel Fish In Clay Pot) is sweet and salty and I like to drizzle the sauce over white rice! 4 Stars
Well, that's basically the few dishes that I usually always get.
Service? 5 Stars! -
Review from Runa T.
San Jose, CA
9/11/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Hands down the best fried rice joint in San Jose!
Com Chien Ga (chicken fried rice.. and also the only words I know in Vietnamese lol) is the BEST! I have yet to go anywhere else better than Cao Nguyen! And also the Thai Fried Rice is also AMAZING for those who like a little spicy kick and seafood.
Either of these topped with a side of Thai Iced Tea. Wooo!! AMAZING!
The service is super fast as well which is a definite plus. And they're food is consistently amazing. -
Review from Lien T.
San Jose, CA
I have upped the rating for Cao Nguyen, because their food is just too delicious. They are truly good at what they do and you can't go wrong, when everyone who I've recommended this place to, has either fallen in love with it or become addicted to it. Even my parents love coming here on their I-don't-feel-like-cooking days. The food is as authentic as it can get and the servers are personable and friendly. It isn't a fancy restaurant, but that doesn't matter, as long as they are clean and as long as they keep serving great food.
My all-time favorite dishes for family-style dining is now the suon rim man (caramelized pork spareribs), canh chua ca bong lau (Vietnamese sweet and sour catfish soup), and rau muong xao toi (sauteed water spinach with garlic). The rau muong xao toi is a seasonal dish, as the vegetable isn't always in season, so whenever it isn't in season, I'll opt for another sauteed veggie dish. They are all great. These are my all-time favorite dishes because they are so very well prepared. The spareribs (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) are very well seasoned and caramelized. It's delicious paired with rice and soup. The soup is also very flavorful and includes all of the ingredients that is supposed to be in it. Some places leave some vegetables out, which makes the soup incomplete.
I've also tried the porridge here and was impressed. Some places have their specialties, but Cao Nguyen is really good at making everything. It is hard to believe, but I've tried so many things here and it has all tasted good and that is what I love about them. There is a little bit of everything for everyone here, so what are you waiting for?! Go have some authentic Vietnamese food here--you won't regret it!Listed in: SluUurp, sluuUrp!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/17/2010
I'm a pretty tough critique when it comes to Vietnamese cuisine, granted that I am Vietnamese and… Read more »
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Review from Ellen N.
San Jose, CA
10/2/2011
I have been coming to this place since I was a child and it has the best fish dishes.
For fish you would have to get "ca kho to" its a catfish simmered in caramel sauce in a clay pot. or "tom kho to" this dish instead of having fish you have prawns simmered in caramel sauce in a clay pot.
Another fish dish you would have to try here is the "Laåu Caù Boâng Lau" which is a cat fish in a hot pot. you'll have that with a plate of greens and a plate of rice noodles on the side with sheets of wrapping. so you would wrap the greens, fish, rice noodles inside the wrapping and dip it in a peanut sauce. if you like spring rolls then you will definitely love this dish.
If you want to try something weird then go ahead and order "Ruoät Heo Chieân Doøn" which is fried pork intestines its extremely crispy and you dip it in a sweet sauce. I know it sounds bad but trust me it taste good. -
Review from Pearl V.
San Jose, CA
A-OK is just about right.
He had the Spicy Lemongrass Chicken over Rice. But he didn't like it. I sampled a bit of the chicken and agreed with his judgment that it had ZERO lemongrass flavor in there. At first we thought it was a mistake, that they had given us the wrong dish, so we asked the waitress and she confirmed that it was the correct dish, which was odd since it just tasted more like a mixture of fish sauce and maybe soy sauce and a sprinkling of red pepper. Very odd.
I had the Com Tam Thit Nuong Tom [Grilled Pork and Prawns] and it was so miniscule that I wanted to sob. Okay, so it wasn't that small. But I definitely had way too much rice for such a small portion of meat, approximately 3 thin slices of grilled pork which was as thin as beef jerky. The plate came with two grilled prawns, and a simple salad. Not very impressed.
Maybe we ordered the wrong things, so I won't be too harsh on their rating for now. I'll give it another go if we happen to be in the area! -
Review from Danny N.
Emeryville, CA
8/25/2011
Food here is over-rated, overpriced, and overflavored.
We ordered Goi Sua & Lau Thai. Goi is OK. Lau Thai is horrible: overly sweet and salty.
The decor is better than most Vietnamese restaurants. It's clean and half-full with customers. Unfortunately, I like the restroom here better than the food. -
Review from Elaine T.
5/31/2011
A friend of my father's was in town for the evening and we had to quickly decide where to go for dinner. We were gearing towards a family-style dinner and quite frankly, there weren't many restaurants from which to choose. My mother suggested Cao Nguyen, as she thought it was at least decently decorated and clean.
The family-style dinner here didn't strike me in any way. It was decent at best. The fried soft tofu and green beans dish had gotten soggy by the time it came to our table. The fried salted shrimp lacked flavor.
Service was pleasant and quick.
Overall, this dinner experience was nothing noteworthy, plain and simple. If you're looking to have an affordable family-style dinner and don't care much for cleanliness/decor, then I'd suggest going to Boda Restaurant. Otherwise, something more modern (albeit a bit pricey) will be Vung Tau in Downtown SJ.
I don't plan on coming back anytime soon. -
Review from nancy l.
San Jose, CA
1/5/2011
This place is over rated. Well, at least the Mi Cao Nguyen is. Egg noodle soup with shrimp, pork and a fried shrimp cake. Since noodle soup is a big part of Vietnamese cuisine, I have high expectations when ordering it at a restaurant. The pork was dried and the broth was flat, bland and blah. Most restaurants would have spent hours boiling bones and meat to achieve the right depth and taste of the broth, but Cao Nguyen failed miserably in their endeavor. This may be because they offer such a variety at their restaurant that it's difficult to make every dish top-notch. Sometimes it's best to specialize and focus on only a few dishes. While browsing the other yelp reviews, I noticed there wasn't one dish that really stood out except for the canh chua-traditional Vietnamese sweet and sour fish soup. Other than that, people ordered random items off the menu.
The jelly fish salad we ordered was tasty but the jelly fish must have been laying in the fridge for too long because it lost the chewiness that I crave in my jelly fish. The salt and pepper shrimp was the only solid dish.
I'll be back again for the canh chua, and hopefully that will raise my rating by a star. -
Review from Anh D.
3/2/2011
I detest fusion food. I don't like Americanized food - be it Italian, Chinese, or my beloved Vietnamese. No fears here. The food here is delicious and just like the food you can get at my house, except my house tends to salt/fish sauce our food more assertively.
Moving on from my quick jaunt down nostalgia lane, this menu provides delectable options for the single, couples, or family-style diners. A lot of people come here for the rice plates or bowls of delicious noodles, but I really prefer and love the family style meals.
Their special bo nhung dam is delicious, but my favorite dishes are the canh chua and the ca kho to.
The prices are very reasonable, especially considering the deliciousness and quantity of food you are receiving. Service is pretty good for an Asian place.You don't get checked on as often, so if you need anything, be sure to speak up! -
Review from shel n.
I have been going here for many years and have always ordered the same thing; #112! Do it yourself spring rolls! Mmmmmmmmm.
Listed in: iheartvietnamesefood.
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Review from Jenny T.
San Jose, CA
1/14/2011
Not a fan of this place. After reading the reviews, I decided to take my mom here to eat since I haven't had the chance to take her out anywhere. I was expecting some delicious food, but I was left sorely disappointed.
I ordered the pan-fried lemongrass chicken over rice, and my mom ordered some kind of shrimp over rice. Server seemed very rushed as there were a few big parties, so I didn't get a good vibe even from the beginning. What made it worse was that we waited about 20-25 minutes for our food to arrive, and when I saw the food, I thought.. "It took them 25 minutes to make THIS?" We were given two plates with rice, some lettuce, cucumbers, and the pickled carrots. There were two bowls: one was my mom's order, and it only had TWO pieces of shrimp in it. Two? Seriously? They were like the size of my thumb. The other bowl was my order, and it had quite a bit of chicken in it. However, both were SUPER salty and I had to keep washing down my food with my drink. Nevertheless, my mom and I left unsatisfied and I don't think I'll be coming back here again. -
Review from Angela T.
San Jose, CA
4/17/2011
Yummy vietnamese food!! I love coming here for lunch with my co-workers. I always order the same thing every time! Their Banh Hoi Thit Nuong with banh trang is sooo good!
When my family hosts a party or get together, one of the popular dishes that we order from them is the Com Chien Thai Lan, which is superb! Their customer service is always outstanding. They are always nice and welcoming. Prices are reasonable too! Two thumbs up for Cao Nguyen! -
Review from Tom T.
San Jose, CA
12/4/2010
I ordered to go and the only thing I really wanted and was ultimately craving was thit kho. I was absolutely disappointed when I got home and they messed up on my order and did not have my thit kho and has some fried pork in there. Mental note: Order by numbers because Vietnamese people cannot understand my Vietnamese.
Salt and Pepper Shrimp: Good flavor and crunch
Fried Pork: Too bad it wasn't the thit kho that I wanted. Taste was OK, good drinking food.
Green Beans & Beef: Good flavor, taste of beef was questionable
Hu Tieu: I will be back for this, good flavor and not overly salty.
I'll be back for the Hu Tieu, I will never order to go from this place again. -
Review from Sabrina A.
San Jose, CA
7/19/2010
While I am not an expert on Vietnamese food I have to say I was pretty disappointed in our lunch here. While in the area picking up some tickets we thought with all the Vietnamese food around why not look to Yelp for a suggestion. So here we came in this dingy, shopping center on a Saturday afternoon for lunch.
The inside feels a bit outdated and definitely doesn't have ambiance but I will say it was clean and the tables seemed to be bussed pretty quickly. It's a mid sized restaurant packed with plenty of tables. Our waitress though was excellent. She was great with explaining different dishes, recommendations and very efficient. Overall the service was great.
But . . . . we started with the thai spicy beef salad which was probably the best dish we ordered. Plenty of beef, spicy/tangy sauce but a little too soggy with the dressing. Good but not great. He ordered the Hu Tieu it was pretty bland and the meat was just so so. I ordered the Bun with eggrolls and shrimp. It came on a huge plate with a salad bowl - what? The noodles were too sticky, the sauce was a bit bland, the meat chewy and the shrimp were rubbery. Overall bland, not so hot food.
The um milk tea with condensed milk was made fresh, that was pretty good . . . . and managed to have some flavor. -
Review from Huy P.
Updated - 11/28/2010 2 Check-ins Here
As stated in my previous review, I always order the Lau Do Bien Thai and Com Chien Thai, which is more than enough food for 2 people so I never tried any of their other family sized dishes.
Went there with a party of 6 and ordered a few other things:
Cua Rang Me (crab) - this is my first time having this dish, anywhere, and it's the BEST! Everyone has tried Cua Rang Muoi, but Me is completely different, a little sweet and tangy. I'd come back alone just to eat this dish by myself.
Tom Rang Muoi (fried shrimp) - they do this dish really good here, they fry it just right that makes the shell crispy and easily edible.
Caramelized Pork Spare Ribs (english) - the waiter recommended this, it's as good as it sounds! The sauce it comes I could eat alone with white rice.
As usual, this place never disappoints!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/1/2010
One of my favorite restaurants, always get some variation of their Lau and also com chien ca man or… Read more »
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Review from Vi Y.
8/18/2010
I really used to love this spot. It was the go-to spot for some good, family style Vietnamese food. But things have now changed.
We went here yesterday for a family birthday dinner. The restaurant is only 1/2 full most of the time. My aunt ordered the following:
1. Goi Thailand (Thai Salad) : Really good. We cater trays of this stuff for family events.
2. Muc Rang Muoi (Fried Calamari): Rubbery inside, with crumbly outside. No bueno.
3. Steamed fish ($40 each!) geez.
4. Pho Ap Chao : Mushy pho, dry meat. My grandpa wouldn't eat the meat because he said it had a weird smell to it.
5. Lau Thailand: This was OK. More on the sweet side.
6. Canh chua ca: I didn't go there.
7. Suon Heo Ram Manh: highlight of the meal. Not worth it though because it's so easy to make at home.
8. Some kind of spicy deep fried tofu and green beans. The tofu lost the crispy as soon as it got out on the table.
Wine was $7/glass.
I'm so disappointed. :( Where do we go now for good, family-style Vietnamese food?! :( sigh... -
Review from Cathy N.
San Jose, CA
4/30/2010
One of the best places to enjoy a Vietnamese style family dinner around the San Jose area. They have a great selection of authentic viet dishes with amazing flavors and spices. Every item on the menu will not disappoint! Especially their hot pot soups! yUMmm!
Oh and i loveeeeee their Hu Tieu Cao Nguyen Kho. It's unique in taste with its special spaghetti like sauce drizzled over noodles and other goodies in it. Has a good portion of different meats and veggies mixed in as well. One of my favorites to order here and it never fails to satisfy me.
But everytime I come here with my best friend, we ALWAYS order the delicious hot pot with side plates of meat, seafood, and veggies to make our own spring rolls. We call it Bo Yum Yum - our signature dish every time we decide to eat here. It sure is YUMMY! Even the friendly owners know to bring out this order once we arrive (meaning they remember our faces and know that if it's us two, we are definitely going to have bo yum yum). It's always a great feeling when they remember you as a regular and know what you want =P
I've gone here like a billion times and I've always enjoyed their food. A simple, yet very clean restaurant with great service! Two thumbs up for Cao Nguyen!Listed in: I love Vietnamese food!
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Review from Karen l.
Oakland, CA
6/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
If you're craving some good traditional Vietnamese that will take you back to your roots and you can't make it to your mom's, this is the place to be. Everything here is authentic and affordable. Nom nom.
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Review from Rob C.
3/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
3.5 good for families. extensive menu with reasonable prices. kept speaking to us in vietnamese here.
had the standard com bo luc lac -- tender
hu thieu -- clear light broth, light on the flavor
caramelized shrimp and pork -- meat too chewy, but sweet and tangy with tamarind flavor. stick to vung tau. -
Review from Lily R.
7/8/2007
I let my two Vietnamese guy friends pick their "Thank you for installing my car stereo" dinner. I said any place as long as its good. This is where they took me. I rarely and I mean RARELY make it out to the "non-west side" but this trip was very well worth it!!
The interior is great for large groups. In a matter of 30 mins, one side of the room had like 5 tables joined together for 20 and then I turn around and its split up and they have 5 new groups eating at separate tables!
I was the only Latin girl in there so I did feel a little out of place but I don't care! LOL I was there to eat me some good food!
I let them order. They warned me that it was going to be a big manly meal. We had the following:
Sour Cat Fish soup. (direct translation) It was amazing. They give you a plate of sliced fresh japapenos and you drench them in vinegar. Once you pour yourself a bowl of soup, you lay your cat fish directly over the peppers for a few minutes. When you grab for your fish, its flavored with just enough spice to balance the sour-ness of the soup. AMAZING.
Watercrest? Hollow Greens in an oily base that are DELICIOUS. I could eat a whole plate full. There is a chili/fish sauce that comes with the dish below that you dip these in for more flavor.
Fried Sea Bass- A little too over fried/dry but all in all it was very good. Can you tell I like fish? You also dip this fried fish in the sauce mentioned above.
Spare Ribs- they were good. More of a manly pick because you have to wrestle these bite sized buggers in your mouth and suck all the meat off the bone. Then you spit out the bone with fatty bits left over and I don't think I have the technique for this!
Will I come back? YES. I will be back for more cat fish soup and greens! -
Review from Betty N.
8/7/2008
Food here is pretty solid. Meaning not super awesome, but not exactly like Mr. Chau's either.
Met some friends here for a family-style dinner and we did just that. Ordered the canh chua, claypot catfish (ca to kho), fried rice, fried tofu, and tom rau muoi.
I did not like their che, but overall the dishes tasted decent. It wasn't too salty, everything was cooked all right.
If I can cook these Vietnamese dishes at home like this, maybe I would end up with a Vietnamese guy instead of a white man.Listed in: BEST VIETNAMESE EATS: SAN…
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Review from Wendy T.
1/20/2008 1 Check-in Here
I love this place, I come here with my friends just about every weekend so when we come in the waiter already knows what we want Number 29 with the yellow noodles dry with extra sauce on the side!
Took my Best friend here and she likes to order the canh chua soup with the catfish...I think thats how you spell it hahah but its hella good also. The Thai beef salad is also very delicious. I usually start that off as an appetizer and share it with a friend so that I don't get too full. Its a good place to bring your family...I highly recommend it to anyone!!Listed in: I heart Pho and Dry Noodles
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Review from Uyen L.
San Jose, CA
Updated - 3/11/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I went out of my comfort zone and ordered the Cua Rang Me (Tamarind Crab). Man oh man! I'm so glad I did because the flavors are right on point. I love the sweet and sour tamarind flavors. Don't miss out on this awesome dish.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/13/2010
If you want authentic vietnamese food, you are at the right place! I always order the same thing… Read more »
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Review from Lena L.
San Jose, CA
7/9/2011
This place is amazing. Every dish we have tried we have been impressed! Their spicy thai salad, their caramelized spare ribs, their beef with onions and ginger.. truly spectacular. This place has never let us down and its truly our favorite when it comes to eating out. Their food is fresh. Their waiters suggest ideas when we are undecided and have never steered us wrong. Its a must try place. The food quality speaks for itself.
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Review from Valeri N.
Hayward, CA
9/17/2008
Yum... I love Cao Nguyen for their authentic Vietnamese dishes. When I'm missing Mama's cooking, I like to come here for a little taste of home.
The prices are ok, but it's a price you have to pay for great food so I don't mind at all. This is the perfect place to take the family and friends out for a quiet and delicious dinner. -
Review from Natalya E.
San Francisco, CA
7/20/2006
This place was quite yummy. Although I've never been to Vietnam, I got the impression it is very authentic. This is evidenced by the fact that:
the waiters don't speak English
my friend and I are the only Caucasians in a crowded restaurant
the English portions of the menu have hilarious spelling and grammar errors
Don't expect much in terms of ambiance, the strip mall location and kitschy decor are unpleasant, to say the least. However, the food makes up for it. Once we got past the challenge of choosing from their lengthy selection of dishes, we ended up with a complex contraption that involved boiling thin slices of beef in vinegar and rolling them into something resembling a Vietnamese spring roll. It was very hands-on and delicious. In the end, when we requested to take some leftover rolls to go, they brought out a take-out container with a little disposable cup of our sauce. That was a thoughtful touch. -
Review from Dung N.
3/9/2009 1 Check-in Here
I've been going here ever since I was a little girl. My dad and I occasionally meet up for dinner, and he would bring me to Cao Nguyen. It's been one of my favorite places since then. They have a wide selection from which you can choose depending on what you feel like eating from hot pot, seafood, rice plates and so much more. The things I order change as I got older, and it just gets better and better. None of the items I've randomly selected to try has ever let me down. My current favorite at this restaurant is their Bo Nhung Dam (Dac Biet with squid and shrimp). Their sauce hits home because it's very similiar to my mom's sauce that she makes. This is the place to get my fix when my mom doesn't feel like cooking. I absolutely love it!
Over the years, I've brought my friends here and they've grown to love it just as much as I have. The place went through some remodeling a few years back and I think it looks great. Not overly fancy yet very casual for their location. The prices are affordable for every wallet size. I ate family style here on several occasions and their service is excellent. They have a round table so you can easily talk to anyone at your table, or if there's a certain person you kind of want to avoid, you can ask them to just connect tables in a row for you. They're very accommodating! -
Review from Truc N.
San Jose, CA
8/26/2010
I love this place! So authentic, so good, such quick and friendly service! I'm in love with the suon rim mang here! Super delish! I've been here twice in a week now and might have to come back again soon! We also ordered:
Canh Chua Ca Bong Lau - good! My aunt cooks this just like it so i know where to go when she's not around to make it!
Fried Tofu with green bean - good! the tofu is nice and crispy on the outside and very soft on the inside. Mmmm
Rau muon xau toi - good, but you whip this up at home, so i wouldn't order it again.
Beef salad - goood!
Lemon grass chicken - ok. Very normal, nothing too special.
Hope you guys will enjoy this place and its food as much as i do/did!!! -
Review from K N.
San Jose, CA
5/12/2008
Decent home style Vietnamese food when you're missing the Canh Chua your Mom used to make. :)
Try their butter fried chicken wings, yes butterrrrrrrrrrrr -
Review from Connie V.
Santa Clara, CA
6/17/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I remember going here a lot with my family when I was younger. Even to this day, I still believe this restaurant is one of the best vietnamese restaurants in San Jose. When I was younger, I'd always come here with my family for big family get together dinners and we'd eat family style. Although I was maybe too young to remember everything that I ate, I always remembered that their Ca Kho To was delicious here! Its a braised fish in a clay pot. The sauce is made out of caramel with a couple other ingredients. I think its hard to explain, but if you've had it before, you know what i'm talking about!
Now, I come here for lunch with my co-workers and it is still good as I remembered. Their service is fast and they're friendly. They also accept credit card - which is a plus because most vietnamese places are usually cash only. We come here pretty often and we never get sick of it. I usually get Banh Hoi Thit Nuong with banh trang and it is always good! Rolling the banh hoi with banh trang is even better! I would recommend this dish. It's a pretty big portion and you are definitely stuffed after.
Another plus, their dishes are fairly priced considering being a nicer vietnamese restaurant. -
Review from Linh T.
Sunnyvale, CA
3/19/2010
I've been looking for a good Mi place since all the other good ones went down the shit hole selling old food makes me mad ( China Chen)=(.
So my mom told me about this place the other day and I decided to give it a try. The food was pretty good the broth was flavorful and the service was good for a chinese/vietnamese place.
The thing I enjoyed here was the shrimp wontons in my Mi($6), but besides that the toppings in the Mi was limited barely had any meat in it and the roasted duck on the side was over cooked and dry.
Over all I enjoyed my food and if your looking for a cheap place to eat then this is your place, but if your looking for the best Mi you've ever tasted you will be dissapointed! I'm still searching for a Mi place so if anyone knows a good one PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!! -
Review from Jenn N.
2/21/2011 4 Check-ins Here
It's funny how I'm considered a "regular" here, but I still have not written a review for this place! It really is one of my favorite Vietnamese restaurants in San Jose. I always get the hu tieu nam vang (dry), fried rice, or com bo luc lac! Beside from just individual plates, this place is really good for family style too. Their thit kho, fried calamari, fish, canh chua or their bo nuong dam are all BOOOMB... I haven't tried everything on the menu, but I'm pretty sure you can't go wrong. And what I love is that their food always tastes fresh and I always feel like I'm in for a "home-cooked meal". The people here are also super friendly and faaast! I definitely recommend this place to anyone who's never tried it or someone who's just looking for some yummy Viet place to dine at :)
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Review from Kathy D.
9/26/2008 3 Check-ins Here
for decent price vietnamese foood. I LOVE IT HERE!!!
i like their yummy bo something yum. hahaha the fried fish here is good tooo.. their soup is goood. their noodle plates are goood. canh chua, ca kho, canh ga chien...
this place is perfect for family sized meals.. it can accomodate alot of people. my family and everyone else's family that I know have been here one time or the other.
THUMBS UP :D -
Review from Ngoc L.
4/7/2011
I loveee this restaurant. This was one of the restaurant I would go with my parents before. My favorite dish here is their beef salad and the deep fried flounder fish they have.
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Review from Anna S.
1/3/2011
cheap and delicious. dinner for two with drinks and an appetizer was only 35$
came here on xmas, they had lights and a tree and everything. the entryway has a large fish tank with some giant catfishy creatures, among others. the back entrance to the kitchen has a grass hut kinda set up to it.
the waiter was very helpful and friendly.
the only downside was the teens from an evangelical church who came in to sing toneless christmas carols with a tambourine and try to solicit money. everyone ignored them and they quietly left after a few songs.
bf got tempura shrimp, the batter was heavy, the meat tender. came with a pile of pickled carrots and daikon, crinkle cut.
i got the dry thin egg noodles. 6.50 for small, 7.25 for large. it's 25 cents extra to get it dry, which means the broth is separate. it's a hearty tasting, nearly clear chicken broth. heavily msg'd i'm sure.
the item i got was shrimp and crab topped, but i knew from previous negative experiences at viet spots that pork is usually included in such innocuous sounding dishes, and i'm not a pig fan. they were gracious, and substituted a crab claw and a few whole prawns, instead of the usual crab/pork meatballs that would accompany it. the sauce was a little unusual, almost marinara like, very thick and dry with lots of spices. came with a plate of your typical pho toppings, some mint-like leaves, bean sprouts and jalapeno slices.
bf got the cube ny wok steak which was huge and tender, seemingly grilled, as i doubt it would fit easily in a wok. the marinade was tasty and there was no gristle or chewiness that sometimes comes with cube steak. i actually expected it to be cubed, the way it was written on the menu. it was a steal at 9$. they didn't ask a preference for doneness, but it came out at a perfect medium. came with the same clear broth on the side, red rice cooked with tomato, some veggies.
bf got young coconut juice with tender slices in it. only $1.50 i believe. i got the che, dessert drink with "4 flavors". it's ok for $2.50, but i've had better. they didn't have the first one i asked for. it was weird, there was no liquid other than the coconut milk in it, so i waited for the ice cubes to melt to get the usual liquidity. it had kidney beans, sweet yellow bean paste, grass jelly, and a tiny bit of green tapioca strips.
we left satisfied. i would come again. frog legs next time maybe?Listed in: East side SJ, My hood, Vietnamese Food
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Review from ant m.
Sunnyvale, CA
12/28/2009
If you wanted to hide a restaurant where nobody can find it, you'd tuck it away in the back of the deepest shopping strip you can find. That's exactly where you'll find Cao Nguyen. This place is so well hidden, I sometimes forget it's there. For the longest time, I didn't know the name. In my mind's eye it was the restaurant buried waaaay deep over there....
The cool thing about this restaurant is the food is really good, the prices aren't cheap but they're about average to slightly above average for a Vietnamese restaurant. They seem to make every vietnamese dish ever invented, and surprisingly they did the one's I tried pretty darn well. The place is clean, spacious, and most of the time there is no wait.
I see the same waiters and cashiers there for years and years. I even see them eating their own food. That's actually very comforting.
If you can find it, it's definitely worth a try. If you can't find it, don't be surprised if one day you make a wrong turn down some long alley and bump into it.
