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Dragonfly Restaurant - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants Vietnamese Vietnamese [Edit]
420 Judah St(between 10th Ave & 9th Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94122
Neighborhood: Inner Sunset
(415) 661-7755
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
300 reviews for Dragonfly Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"The shaking beef is soo good here." In 65 reviews -
"The Garlic Noodles are absolutely delicious." In 62 reviews -
"It is in my opinion, THE BEST FRIED ICE CREAM EVERRRR." In 17 reviews
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300 reviews in English
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Review from kate r.
San Francisco, CA
12/24/2011
This is one of my favorite restaurants in SF. I was absolutely gutted when i found out that they closed. I NEED their veggie pho recipe because i crave it daily.
A: why did you close, your food was outstanding!
B: how can i get my hands on that veggie pho recipe?
C: Are you going to make a reappearance? You were definitely the best vietnamese food in town!
you are totally missed!!!! -
Review from Luis C.
11/18/2010
For a long time I thought they were remodeling this place, but now I find that they just CLOSED for good.
It's been awhile since my last visit, the only dishes I can remember are the table side flambee, and their succulent steamed seabass. The western style service was efficient. Not many people knew that u could park in the little lot with the wire fence, across the street.Listed in: CLOSED, out of business,…
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Review from Reese R.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 1/11/2011
What??!! Dragonfly closed!!
They had the best coconut rice and calamari!! Where am I gonna go now for that???
Booooooo!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/1/2007
I agree with everyone else about the food.... 100% delicious!! I got the crispy calamari -… Read more »
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Review from Horace A.
12/20/2010
The Treasure Rolls were so fantastic. On the days when the cook was on his game, the pho at Dragonfly was the best in the neighborhood -- and there is some pretty darned good pho in this neighborhood.
What will happen to the beautiful koi in their lovely little pool beneath the stairs?
Dragonfly, you will be missed. -
Review from Mona C.
San Francisco, CA
11/27/2009 12 photos
[M]ona: 5 Stars
[W]ayne: 5 Stars
Average: 5 Stars
+ Great Service
+ Nice Ambiance
+ Reasonable Prices
+ Yummy Pate and Bread
+ Refreshing Beef Carpaccio Salad http://static.px.yelp....
+ Flavorful Garlic Noodles http://static.px.yelp....
+ Creamy Seafood Curry http://static.px.yelp....
+ Fun to make Spring Rolls
+ Fun to Watch Flaming Beef http://static.px.yelp....
+ Cute Individual Rice Balls http://static.px.yelp....
+ Yummy Fried Ice Cream
+ Happy Hour Specials
[M] That's all you need to know : ) -
Review from Cassie J.
San Francisco, CA
4/7/2010 7 photos
Quite surprised...and pleasantly satisfied. I dined here at Dragonfly recently with my family for a little get together with cousins and Uncle for a nice little yip yap session.
I was a bit skeptical at first considering this place titles themselves as "Contemporary" Vietnamese food. I would hardly consider this place "Contemporary" and actually quite typical Vietnamese. But ignoring the Contemporary food mind set, the dishes we ordered were actually quite flavorful and plentiful for the money spent.
To start off, we shared an order of Garlic Noodles- Stir-fried egg noodles, prawn, egg & garlic. $7.00. Noodles were nice and chewy, and I liked how they provided a few prawns in the dish also. I've had garlic noodles at various other spots that don't offer much else on the noodles besides...well...noodles. But nice quality to have prawns and egg in the noodles too. A bit more crushes garlic would be nice.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
My Dad and Uncle ordered the same dish, as they're big carnivores and love their meat. They both ordered the Saigon Style Pork Chops - BBQ marinated pork, shredded pork & imperial rolls. Served w/ jamince rice.$7.00.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Great variety in this dish, and for their lunch portion offers the shredded pork and Imperial Roll for sides.
The sister and cousin orderes the Five Spice Chicken - Tender roast chicken seasoned w/ five-spice. Served w/ jasmine rice. *Yum* Juicy pieces of chicken with a thin layer of the fatty skin cooked perfectly.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
As for me, I opted for the Beef Look-Luck w/ Egg - Sauteed cubed beef w/ caramelized, pan-fried egg. Served on onion sizzling iron plate & jasmine rice. $11.00
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Also *Yummy* The beef cubes were so tender and juicy. The dish came with a side of Lemon Juice with Pepper which definitely wasn't needed at all, and was actually a big odd. The beef was already very saucey and flavorful and didn't need the lemon juice. As for the fried egg, it was a nice compliment to my beef cubes. I enjoyed this dish very much.
All dishes came with a side of Rice wrapped in a cute little banana leaf...which is I guess, part of their "Contemporary" flair. Nice presentation.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Overall, I had a very enjoyable lunch with my family, and we all seemed to enjoy our dishes as there was nothing left. Generous portions and flavor dishes!
Yes, I'd return. -
Review from Liz S.
11/7/2006
4.5 rounded up to 5 stars for the incredibly friendly service.
Dragonfly is one of those restaurants that the more you think about it, the more you realize just how good it is. It's the kind of place that was made to be Yelped. I went there after having read some great reviews about it (especially Euge's, who has it on his Sunset list which ultimately led me there), and it definitely went beyond my expectations.
The location and layout are a little odd - inner Sunset and split-level - but I think that just adds to its charm. Having a parking lot available across the street is a definite plus. The crowd is a mix of families, friends, couples - what you would typically find in a residential neighborhood. It's upscale enough for a celebration, but casual enough for dinner with your kids. Try not to sit next to a large party as the noise level can be an issue.
Food:
Miriam is right, skip the bread & pate. The rest of the menu is billed as "contemporary Vietnamese", so it is more upscale that the restaurants in Little Saigon, but it's straighforward cuisine and not a slave to trendiness.
Chao Tom/Sugarcane Shrimp - this is one of my favorite Vietnamese dishes! Shrimp wrapped around sugarcane which you cut up and make into your own wraps using rice paper (no soaking needed), lettuce, mint, veggies, and peanut sauce. I always eat the sugarcane, too. Refreshing and delicious.
Bo Nuong/Sesame Beef - pretty presentation and good dish. Grilled beef served in endive, with fish sauce for dipping. Nice amount of spice.
Shaking Beef - don't be put off by the $19.00 price for this dish. It is damned near perfect. Tender, seared cubes of filet mignon served with watercress. So simple, so divine.
Catfish in Hot Pot (a special) - Wonderfully moist, tender, fresh fish in a savory sauce (loved the bits of lemongrass). Large portion.
Asparagus Mushroom (also a special) - Sliced asparagus sauteed with mushrooms and garlic - good side dish.
Coconut Rice - so yummy, I wish I'd thought to order extra to take home for breakfast.
Hainan Rice - made with garlic and ginger, nice accompaniment to any dish. First time I'd tried it and will definitely order it again.
Che Ba Mau/Dragonfly Tapioca - wonderful, light dessert - a sweet coconut milk soup with cubes of coconut gelatin, jack fruit, lychee, and other delicate fruits. The colors of the ingredients are cool - it's like going on a treasure hunt with your spoon and being pleasantly surprised with what you find.
The service, as I mentioned, was lovely, from the manager to the waiter to the busboy. Everyone was interested in and genuinely concerned with our experience, and we felt very taken care of. Dishes came out in an efficient time frame, but we never felt rushed. My brother's drink took slightly longer than everything else, and they automatically comped it, which was so nice.
Prices are reasonable with most dishes in the $10-13 range, so it's like going to Bong Su but at about 1/2 the price. I can't wait to go back and try more dishes at this wonderful gem of a restaurant.Listed in: Everyday Luxe, Yelp Help
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Review from David D.
11/24/2009
Yes, Sunday afternoon is fine.
We dropped in for a bite around 2 pm, and the room was about half full. It was quiet, so conversation was easy. We sat in the window, and basked in the direct sunlight. Yes, direct sun, in San Francisco, in the Fall. I love this City!
OK, food. A glass of Oriental Beauty tea, where they drop in this tightly wrapped ball of tea, and as it steeps it slowly unfolds into a flower that fills the whole glass. Appropriately classified as Art Tea. Mine was oolong, not so artistic, but delicious nonetheless.
Spring rolls. Yummy prawn goodness in a rice paper wrapper, with a spicy dipping sauce.
Chicken pho, more than enough. My Lady took some home in a doggy bucket. I mean, it's soup, you can't carry it in a bag, can you?
Clay pot special. Basically everything you can think of, over rice. I mean prawns, ginger beef, roast chicken, vegetables, and soy sauce. More than enough here, too, but I ate it anyway. I wasn't going to stop as long as there was some left.
Big meal sleepy time, for $28 + tip. Two trips to the register for the waiter, who showed us he wasn't working just for tips by bringing back minimalist change on the first try. -
Review from Miriam W.
12/31/2005
I first read about Dragonfly on SFist's 'Gastronomique Top 10 of The Year' where they lauded the shaking beef and quoted the SFBG food critic as saying, 'Dragonfly serves, in my view, the best contemporary Vietnamese cooking in the city.'
With that kind of praise, I was on the next train to the Inner Sunset. (Well I would've been had it not been pouring rain. . .)
After eating at Dragonfly, I have to say that the adulation its received is well deserved. From the outside, it looks fancy, but the prices are anything but.
Don't come here for pho, they don't serve it. Come instead for the Cha Gio, Bo Luc Lac (Sauted cubed beef w/garlic & oyster sauce) and the Ca Salmon. Don't miss the Hainan rice. And to drink? The Thai ice tea as well as the lychee (with lots of big lychees) ice tea are both winners.
This is wonderful Vietnamese in a classy setting. It fills a void in the city that Slanted Door simply can't do alone.
Oh, and they have an automatic trashcan in the bathroom, which is kind of scary, but at the same time really super cool.
The only thing to avoid? The pate. They serve it with bread as you settle in. Avoid! It's on par with the "kimchee" at San Tung and other Chinese/Korean joints. (Which is utterly horrible and should not be allowed to be called kimchee.)
Run, don't walk, to Dragonfly. Doesn't seem that the word on this place is out yet judging from the empty tables in there the night we went.Listed in: Introduction to Vietnamese…, Best of 2 0 0 5
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Review from Alex T.
Daly City, CA
4/13/2006
I just came back from Dragonfly, and I have to get on Yelp to 5 star it immediately. The decor is nice, and the service is EXCELLENT with plenty of smiles and suggestions. (I can imagine it won't be hard to make suggestions in Dragonfly. Any item on the menu is good.)
I had the $19 Shaking Beef as recommended by many yelpers. And YES!! You gotta eat this dish. (Marinated fillet mignon is so tender and juicy. The portion is not big but just right.) The eggplant with minced pork/shrimp and some crispy garlic was yet another excellent dish -- tasty, little spicy and most importanly not OILY. Sea bass is $19 but excellent portion and fresh. These 3 are my favorites so far.
The coconut rice, hainan rice or ginger rice are all nicely served with banana leave wrapped. All dishes are elegantly displayed. A surprise was its fried coconut/pineapple ice-cream. I didn't expect to have the BEST EVER fried ice-cream in a Vietnamese Restaurant. The skin was sooo crispy and thin, but the ice-cream inside was still ice-cold without melting. Very skillfully prepared.
Food quality, value, service, ambience : 5 Stars!
Will I come back? In a week or two!!Listed in: Can't go wrong!!, My recent favorites
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Review from N B.
San Francisco, CA
11/9/2006
OK. I thought I had had really good Vietnamese food before. Not the greasy, take out variety like Tu-Lan. I mean the likes of Le Soleil or even The Slanted Door.
But I rarely have the sort of foodgasm (tm) I had at Dragonfly. The shaking beef was made with filet mignon, the prawns were REALLY prawns (not just your average shrimp *called* prawns), and everything tasted really fresh & high quality. No signs of flavor enhancers. To top it all off, the food was all beautifully presented--even your individual serving of rice is brought out in a little banana leaf box and is unfolded on your plate (oh, the DRAMA!). The sticky rice was my favorite dessert, but the tapioca was good too (ask for it to be made not too sweet).
The service was great! Timely and friendly. We weren't watching the time and ended up staying way past closing time--they could have asked that we take our conversation elsewhere, but they didn't. Such gracious hosts.
This is one of my new favorites. Destined to be one of yours too (and probably another Yelp superstar).
Oh yes: The bathroom is a sight to see simply for its pristineness. And I have never quite seen a trash can like the one they have.
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UPDATE 10/27/06: I went for the second time with a friend (non-yelper) and I happened to have read some of the other yelp reviews.
I happended to noitice this time that--though it was a full house--the server we had was moving extremely quickly and it *was* a little unsettling. I'm sure it is just out of a desire to give good service, but it comes across as a little nervous.
Everyone there is so nice. Maybe I'll offer to coach him on not forgetting to breathe the next time I'm there on a slower night. ;)
*Parking can be a challenge, but it is literally right at the N-Judah stop on Judah @ 9th, so if it's convenient for you, try to take that instead of driving.
And yes, there were a lot of big parties of young people there on a Friday night. I could hear the party sascha b. referred to all the way in the other room. Still great food.Listed in: Living Wheat-Free in a…
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Review from Vicky L.
12/6/2009
You know when you're debating between two items, order one of them, and then come onto Yelp and see that people rave about the other one?
We picked this place on a whim, so in my defense, I had no chance to check Yelp beforehand.
Thank you Mona C. for making me crave the Garlic Noodles now, though.
Pineapple fried rice was really yummy (though I was surprised to see it on the menu). The fried imperial rolls were the best part of our meal; they're better than any other one I've had so far, so A+ for that. We also tried the sticky black rice for dessert, and if you're not looking for a super sweet dish and happen to like coconut and sticky rice, this is probably a good pick. I liked it a lot, but nothing compares to my dream dessert of Osha's Mango Sticky Rice.
Prices are good, service was nice, and they didn't even try to rush us, even though we were the last ones there, past closing. Going back for more food later! -
Review from Suzanne B.
San Francisco, CA
4/5/2007
So I cannot carry a tune in a bucket, as my mother would say (she never did say that because she is my mother but she is fond of those semi-old fashioned yet still apropos sayings) but I am definitely not tone deaf. I can hear the wrong note in an otherwise lovely performance. Similarly, I am not in any way an expert on Vietnamese cuisine, but I can tell if food doesn't quite hit the mark.
So went my recent visit to Dragonfly. Several of us arrived for lunch after a morning of heavy duty museum-going, hungry and ready to be served fantastic food. Between the seven of us, we sampled six different entrees and at least four appetizers. The food was lovely, the presentation varied and fun, the service good. My claypot chicken, however, was gristly, oily and not that flavorful. It was definitely the sour note in the otherwise good lunch fare.
I would come back to try the garlic noodles and the delicious salads on my own, but I will leave any chicken dishes alone next time. -
Review from Nance W.
San Francisco, CA
10/28/2006
Umm, how do I put this...
WOW!!
The food, that is.
Let's get started, shall we?
- Bread: It was warm, it was soft. Where's the usual butter? They don't have that here. They have liver paste, similar to the ones they put in Vietnamese sandwiches. YUMMM.
- Lychee Ice Tea: I LOOOOOVE ITTTTT!
- Sugar Cane Shrimp: Served with ingredients to make rolls. Minced shrimp, rice paper, rice noodles, mint, cucumber, lettuce and peanut sauce. I was surprised that they prepared the the rice paper for us, usually at other placed they would have a bowl of water for us to dip them into. The rice noodles were already nicely portioned into little flat squares. Perfect texture.
- Ox Tail Soup: I love stews! This was really good, except for the fact that I noticed my dinner partner had two pieces of ox tail and I only got one! That is not fair! *pout* Just 'cause I'm a girl it doesn't mean I can't eat as much as a man!
- Coconut Curry Prawns: I love the presentation on this one. They use a coconut to make a bowl for the coconut curry, and the prawns (with shells on) all around on the rim, dipping into the curry. And it was damn good too.
- Steamed Sea bass: Cooked just right, love the seasonings, it was perfect.
- Shaking Beef: OH MY GOD this was soooo good! So tender, juicy and flavorful. Best cubed steak I've ever had... EVAR!!
- Jasmine Rice: They wrap the rice in banana leaves. That's pretty cool.
- Flan: It was so good. I loved it so much, I'd come back to order just this! Why can't they make it bigger???
- Blackstone Chardonnay: It is what it is.
FIVE STAR FOOD... But I wish their service was up to par. I mean come on, what server would put you on the spot and ask, "Oh you had this wine before? What was it like, dry or blah blah blah blah blah?" Euge complained about their selection on their wine list and the pinot WAS NOT SLIGHTLY CHILLED.
Another thing, They have tables in the front room with windows. Every 5-10 minutes, you'll see and hear a N Judah streetcar pass by. It can be quite distracting. They should do this for a solution - add some sheer window treatments (all they have right now are pull down shades for days that get sunny). They must know they don't have the best view in the world and I don't think it would hurt to cover it up. At least you won't see the streetcars because you can't do much with the noise.
I. Am. A. Genius.
I would love to come here again.
***EDIT***
I originally gave this place four stars but I change my mind. I can't complain, the way to a woman's heart is through her stomach. I absolutely love the food here. No complaints!
Feed me Dragonfly!!! -
Review from Ben P.
Los Angeles, CA
10/20/2006
Dragonflies buzz around at a top speed of about 38 miles per hour. To put that into perspective for you, that's *almost* as fast as the staff at Dragonfly Restaurant. These guys are insane. It's as if they're trying to make up for their inattentiveness by pure speed. Like, as in, back in the kitchen these guys are just quivering with pure energy, going, "BZZZ! AHA!Springrolls!Theyareready!!Imustdeliverthesetot ablenumbereightassoonashumanlypossible or [gasp for air...] mytipmightbediminished!!!Bzzzz!Charge!"
And so on. No, I'm not complimenting the service; it's sort of hard to relax when there's a whirlwind of wait staff running around nonstop at full speed. Like a picnic in the center divider of the freeway.
The food was decent. The spring rolls were the blandest I've had, but the imperial rolls were delicious. Don't try to "family-style" the salmon, as it's only four square inches of fish. The pineapple fried rice, well, it came in a pineapple and everybody loves things that are served in tropical fruits so what more could I say about that? The coconut chicken in a clay pot needed a little more chicken and a little less clay pot. And the eggplant (vegetarians, don't get your hopes up: it's covered in crunchy pork) is pretty much the best pork-added vegetable dish I've had. -
Review from Jonas T.
San Francisco, CA
8/6/2006 9 photos
Great Vietnamese food here that doesn't just serve your usual bowl of pho. Everything is nicely presented, and they taste how they look - delicious. Service was great - even the busboys were friendly and helped out. I'm sure glad the old Shanghainese restaurant closed down to give way to this restaurant.
Top off your meal with some fried ice cream. JONASAPPROVED! -
Review from Sally T.
San Francisco, CA
11/6/2006
This place is now definitely a new sunset fav. Our table of 3 came in for a 2pm lunch. We asked if we could also order from the dinner menu since I didn't see some of the highly raved items that other yelpers mentioned. It was not a problem.
It was a late lunch, so we ordered a lot:
- appetizer: the carpaccio beef salad with shrimp chips $7.50
- appetizer: sugarcane shrimp with condiments for making spring rolls with $10.95
- catfish clay pot with ginger, chili peppers $14
- coconut chicken $7.50
- 1 Jasmine rice in banana leaf $1/bowl
- 3 Vietnamese ice coffees $3/each
The total came out to be $54.20 (after-tax/pre-tip).
Everything was fantastic (except for the sugarcane shrimp which was a bit dry). There were bold, Vietnamese flavors and beautiful presentations in both the food and the restaurant. This place is definitely not fine/classy dining, but the decor was definitely a notch up from other restaurants in the same price range.
The service was also very attentive. We had one of the sons of the family serving that day. You could tell he aimed to please.
They offer free parking in the lot directly across the street. Very nice since parking on this side of Irving is just as difficult as that other side!
The only minor suggestion for this place would be to play music in the dining room to drown out the subway rumblings. -
Review from Rinne R.
Union City, CA
7/16/2006 7 photos
4 and 3/4 for this jewel in the neighborhood...
Came here upon the recommendation of my sis & her bf...a small, cozy restaurant done up in contemporary digs, including a capiz shell wall decoration i was eyeing at West Elm. There's even a koi pond to one side and an altar with Buddha.
It had only a dollar sign next to its name when you google dragonfly--prices were cheap, but the food and experience were that of a classy restaurant. The entrees were displayed beautifully and expertly on slick, white plates. And the servers all matched in their black 'fits and aprons.
We were first served with some sweet bread accompanied by this pate-like spread---a food item i don't usually appreciate, but this time, it was soo good! Then, for drinks, we ordered the Lychee Iced Tea, but except for the big, delish, fruit included, the drink was just okay for me (something I coulda made at home).
My absolute favorite was the COCONUT RICE--the cute waiter brought them out wrapped in banana leaves (something that truly brought back memories of my 8-yr-old self eating rice on this leaf in my Grandma's countryside kitchen back in the Philippines). The rice was very flavorful yet not too overwhelming to be eaten in combo with the other food. Served on top of it were toasted coconut---small details like these were not overlooked; I say Hooray for the chef!!
Next came the SHAKING BEEF, a dish that was tender and good, but not as great as I thought from reading the other yelpers' reviews. It did hit the spot though.
My 2nd fave was the CALAMARI....which was served as an entree and not as an appetizer. Rightly so, because combined with the coconut rice, the sweetness of the two food in my mouth was just soo heavenly. This wasn't the type of fried dish that comes with tartar and cocktail sauce!
The GRILLED EGGPLANT was also wonderful--it was accompanied by ground pork and bits of shrimp. It was a tad bit oily, but tasted great with all of the different flavors.
For dessert, we shared the FRIED COCONUT ICE CREAM, which was fun to watch as the waiter lit the sugar cube on top on fire! I've had better but I give this place an A for the overall presentation!
Even the bathroom was finely decorated, with the automatic trashcan, black and white prints, an air deoderizer, and a lotion dispenser!! Kudos on whoever thought of that!
Lastly, I must commend this place on their service. The restaurant wasn't very crowded when my party came, however, even so, 2-3 different waiters were serving us hand and foot. I'm gonna have to come back soon before:
1. The owner realizes that their prices are too low for such amazing food. The food was more than enough for 3 people, but it only came to $58...now that's a bargain!!
2. Many people discover this hidden contemporary jewel, making it impossible to just walk in & get seated on a Saturday night!! -
Review from tina f.
San Francisco, CA
9/21/2010
This place was seriously dead during the Sunday lunch hour I came. My boyfriend and I were the only two people in the restaurant besides the waiter, cook, and some little boy running around mumbling random Cantonese. Being a Chinese owned Viet establishment (assumption from that cute but annoying kid), the food was damn good.
The bf ordered Pho Dac Biet and Treasure Rolls. The pho had good flavor. The total surprise was the tenderness of the beef! It's not the usual uncooked thinly sliced beef. This beef must have gotten a good whacking before landing on the plate because it had a sort of shredded look. The Treasure Rolls were also awesome. The crispy bits of fried stuff within the rolls added great texture and the bbq pork was flavorful.
I ordered the Power Lunch #1 which came with Hot & Sour Soup, Imperial Rolls, Lotus Root Salad, and Five Spice Chicken. All of the stuff was top notch except the Lotus Root Salad, but maybe it's just because I'm not a big fan of lotus root. The Hot & Sour Soup reminded me of this Chiu Chow soup I used to drink. I got a lil dose of nostalgia during my first sip ^.^
The prices were very reasonable even though this place is trying to be one of those modernized restaurants that typically overcharge. The total came out to be $20-something and there was enough left over for another whole meal. Oh yes! -
Review from Jen K.
5/3/2008
The other day Dragonfly delivered with my mail a shiny new menu. I didn't feel like cooking, and the place was close and let you order online, so I thought I would give it a shot.
It was ready very fast, in 10 min. I ordered asparagus soup, which honestly was bland and woody (how can it be both? Trust me on this one). But the shrimp stuffed mushrooms and tofu was amazing. And I don't know what they do to their brown rice, but it's amazing too (must be crack). I only popped in to pick up my meal, but the decor looked cute and it looked very clean. I plan on eating in sometime soon and will most likely order out again from them in the future.
PS- They DO deliver for orders of $30 or more.Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Wes M.
San Francisco, CA
5/23/2007
I had hesitated to go here for quite a while because I was under the impression that it was much trendier & pricier than it actually is. In fact, the prices are hardly any higher than Tao Cafe, yet the food, service and ambience are definitely a step up.
Location on Judah is a bit isolated from the heart of the Sunset; you can do the usual GGH parking but note that Dragonfly customers can use the lot across the street for free. Ambience is about what you'd expect (it's divided into two intimate rooms, which is nice).
Foodwise, we tried the following:
Flaming Beef - Yep, they flambe it tableside, but they're thankfully discreet about it and not gimmicky. Plus you get these paper-thin, transparent rice "pancakes" to wrap the beef in. Amazingly, they do not fall apart on contact. Pretty interesting. One problem is that the beef, despite being cooked right in front of you, isn't as piping hot as it ought to be.
Vegetable Claypot - Best tofu I have ever had. Beautiful texture and absolutely bursting with flavor.
Seafood Curry - A lot of restaurants like this turn out pretty uninspired curries, but this one was perfect. You'll want to make sure and soak up every last bit of the sauce.
Which brings me to my next point: you will definitely need one order of coconut rice for everyone at the table. It's the perfect bed for all the saucy stuff you order.
I didn't bother with the wine list (still haven't figured out how to pair it properly with Asian food), but we did try a couple great desserts, the decadent fried banana ice cream and the more subtle and austere black sticky rice.
Based on the other reviews, I will definitely have to try the shaking beef next time. And I'm sure there will be a next time, as this place going on my short list for upscale asian dining.Listed in: Inner Sunset \ UCSF
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Review from Denise Q.
3/5/2009
I haven't given anyone a 5 star review in a long time. Maybe it's because of the economy and the fact that everyone is hurting or maybe it's because I was bummed out last night and this place was in the right place to make my bad day feel better, but it turned my day around.
It's nice Vietnamese. And by that I mean, table clothes, real plates, cloth napkins, bottled wine, and waiters that wait on you. Plus in the first dining room you have a lovely view. It's a view of the N Judah, but given the location, that really can't be avoided. The restaurant can't help where it is located, right?
The food is good and hit the spot: crispy imperial rolls, tasty perfect portions of yummy clay pot catfish with soft white rice wrapped in a lotus leaf, yummy garlic noodles with a little bit of beef all served with complimentary french bread and pate, and a complementary dessert of fried banana and ice cream drizzled with honey. Top it off with our bottle of white wine and we had the perfect meal.
I've driven by this place several times wanting to come in and now I'm glad I finally stopped in. -
Review from Jeffrey J.
San Francisco, CA
5/27/2010
You know when you're watching stand-up comedy and everyone around you is laughing at a particular bit or punchline except for you?
That's how I felt after giving this place a shot. After seeing such glowing reviews for this place, the high expectations I had were not met. It could be the fact that what I ordered wasn't one of their best dishes (the Catfish Clay Pot) or the value wasn't there (their $9.00 Garlic Noodles are so not worth it), but I just couldn't get the punchline that the majority of the Yelp community seemed to get about this place.
It wasn't terrible, but I just couldn't understand what everyone was raving about. Kind of reminds me of a Carlos Mencia performance. -
Review from CINDY K.
San Francisco, CA
4/15/2006
YAY - another awesome restaurant on the N-Judah line. (I'm trying to expand my repetoire of escape destinations in case something goes wrong on Muni). They had a special beef short ribs tonight that was delicious; perfectly tender, seasoned just right, the meat tearing from the bone easily. We also got the coconut chicken and grilled eggplant per others suggestion here and yep, it was all good.
The only flaw I found was that they were kinda rushing us - I think our waitress was hoping we didn't want dessert (GREAT fried ice cream. My friends' chocolate fondue was mediocre, though).
Most weeknights when I peek at Dragonfly from my train, it's half empty. I think this will be one of my do-not-bother-on-weekends kinda restaurant from now on.Listed in: N-Judah: The Tragedy
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Review from Evelyn K.
San Francisco, CA
4/25/2010
Just slightly off the beaten path...Dragonfly is easy enough to find. And parking was cinch too, or maybe it was just early in the evening...
My bf and I were the very first diners in the door on a Saturday evening. We asked to be seated in the back room so we wouldn't be blinded by the bright light streaming in the windows of the front room. We gingerly walked over the wooden bridge and caught a glimpse of the koi in the pond. :)
Oh yeah, the food...
* A crispy and very tasty Vietnamese crepe chock full of shrimp and chicken -- served with lettuce and mint, pickled carrots, lil' onions, and fish sauce
* Flaming beef, with shrimp, and onions -- cooked tableside, flames shooting up and all! Served with the same stuff as above and thin rice paper pancakes. Very messy, but totally fun!
* Catfish in a clay pot...definitely NOT spicy like the menu says. Unless you bite into the red peppers that look more like garnish. Honestly a little disappointing - portion and flavor-wise.
And the grand finale, for dessert....
* Dark chocolate fondue served in a pot that looks like a Hershey's kiss...get ready to dip! strawberries, apples, bananas, pound cake, fried ice cream.
By the time we left at 8 PM, the restaurant's front room definitely filled up...looks like Dragonfly is doing pretty well in this down economy. -
Review from Teri C.
7/14/2006
After seeing this restaurant change hands over the years, I was pleasantly surprised to see this upscale front appear one day. Dragonfly? Contemporary Vietnamese? Hmmm...I finally had the opportunity to see for myself what has become of this 9th and Judah establishment when a couple of childhood friends recommended the place.
I started out with the Lychee Iced Tea, based on fellow Yelp reviewers. In all fairness, it's whole lychee fruits with the syrup from the can and a tad of iced tea for coloring more so than taste. It was yummy though.
Bread and pate were served and we ordered Spring Rolls to start. One order had eight small pieces, just enough for our party of four. We then ordered two bowls of the Sweet and Sour soup, one with fish and the other with shrimp. Each bowl provides just enough for two small servings. Light broth with hints of spiciness and veggies.
Next came our orders of coconut rice wrapped beautifully in banana leaves and carried with it a lovely scent of toasted coconut. We had the catfish which was light, flavorful and quite delicate. Not overdone at all. The highlight was the calamari - full of flavor and not overly fried, more pan fried than deep fried. A nice surprise in my first bite and definitely would be a repeat order the next time I visit. And we also ordered a pork dish made with fish sauce and coconut. We all agreed it was a bit salty, and that was the only thing that was leftover on our table.
To close our meal, fried ice cream - coconut pineapple ice cream. Nice presentation with the sugar cube lit on fire, but disappointing taste. The batter was a bit off, and not the most complementary choice for a fried ice cream. We also felt that our ice cream lacked flavor, it was more of a vanilla than a coconut pineapple flavor. We also tried the tapioca with tropical fruits. Jack fruit and lychees in coconut milk with green jelly, and a surprise crunch of water chestnut within the green jelly provided an interesting taste of flavors. The water chestnut left a slight nutty aftertaste and we had yet to decide if we enjoyed the water chestnut in this dessert or not. (We were all used to water chestnuts used in savory dishes more so.)
Service was great, as reviewed by others. Efficient and pleasant. Due to the largeness of the plates for presentational purposes, it can get a bit crowded on a full table and we found ourselves having to move the candle, the vase, our water glasses and plates often to make room.
Overall, a good experience and worth returning. The calamari alone was definitely worth a return show for.Listed in: My Hood, Southeast Asian foods...until…
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Review from Kathleen M.
San Jose, CA
11/9/2006
Thank goodness for the fried prawn amuse bouche. It was yummy and the boyfriend would never have ordered prawns on his own. (Something about growing up kocher, no... koshur, no... Jewy.)
The restaurant is small and decked out in Asian contemporary decor. There was a small river and a bridge next to where we were seated. The menu has two shaking beef dishes - we got the cheaper $9 one which was quite good. I wonder how the $19 one differs. The 5-spice chicken was also well seasoned though we would have been happier with less fatty meat.Listed in: Nothing Makes Me Think of Food…
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Review from Wei H.
San Mateo, CA
4/2/2008
It's hard to give Dragonfly an accurate rating, because their service is heavenly, and they do perform well on certain dish and disappoint on some.
I came in here because my date wanted to show me a good time on a new restaurant she's found that I''ve yet to try, so I was really excited.
We ordered the appetizer platter combo, which was phenomenal! It was really cooked to the detail and they wrapped everything for you in great bite size portion! The steam clam was good too but a little too plain for my taste, i'd expect they had marinated the clam a little before steaming it. We also ordered the coconut juices as they were in real coconuts. They tasted fresh and really killed any canned juice out there!
Now on to the Entrees. Since this is a Contemporary Viet cuisine, you don't order an entree per person, but more like couple entrees as variety to share.
1. Beef Look lok? (spell check?) it's the 2nd beef entree down from Flaming Beef, and this is the best Beef dish I've had for a while in any of the Viet restaurant. The beef is cooked to perfection, very soft inside yet chewy enough to retain the flavor. Topped with the lemon souse this is truly something I would come back for more.
2. Seafood Hot platter, now this is disappointing, way too sweet and no hot flavor whatsoever. The seafood tastes fine but the sauce really kills it. Stay away from it.
To sum up for this restaurant, i think overall we had 1 bad dish in the other excellent appetizers/entrees, so I'll reserve a star til next time I am here to try more variety. -
Review from Berna T.
10/28/2006
Grace M. invited me to dinner at one of her favorite restaurants. Contemporary Vietnamese cuisine at its finest...but without the hefty pricetag. This little restaurant located in the inner Sunset is a true gem. My favorite decorative features are the $10,000 Thomas Pheasant Sunburst Mirror in the front room, vibrant paintings and a koi pond in the back area - very romantic.
We started with the Golden Shrimp, which were crisp and garlicky. I had a delicious spicy soup called Canh Chua Ca - sweet and sour broth with pineapple, bean sprouts, and prawns. Then we ordered the Flaming Beef (Tom Bo Lua Hong) - shrimp and marinated beef flambeed at your table, served with fresh vegetables and rice paper (you roll it yourself). Grace ordered the garlic noodles with beef - very delicious - and our other friends ordered the Shaking Beef - filet mignon seared with garlic & onions....very tender and cooked perfectly medium rare. Our dessert was the Black Sticky Rice (Xoi Nep Than) - the perfect ending to a spectacular dinner.
They had some very interesting items on the menu, such as the Dragonfly Rice (which had frog in it). I'm not sure I would try it, but for the more adventuresome eater, it seems like a good choice (the family at the next table was eating it, and they seemed to like it a lot!).
Service is pretty good, most likely because everyone in the place knew Grace by name (she's eaten there 10 times in 12 days, seriously). I would definitely go back here again, but I recommend you go with several people so you can order a lot of different dishes to share. On a side note, the evening we went, it was swarming with Yelpers. Pretty cool. -
Review from Sam T.
4/14/2008
**EDITED 6/2/08**
Second visit to Dragonfly was even better than the first. This time we went en fuego! As in we ordered 3 dishes that were lit on fire. This was what we ordered.
Honey Roasted Quail
Asparagus Soup
Flaming Beef
Seafood Hot Plate
Grilled Eggplant w/pork
Stuff Mushrooms
Deep Fried Ice Cream
I'm not big on Dragonfly's soups. Both the Asparagus and Sweet and Sour soups were just okay. The stuff mushrooms was also pretty standard. It was served with mini cubes of tofu. The filling for the mushrooms were minced shrimp very similar to dim sum shrimp balls and stuffed crab claws.
The three other new entrees that I got to try were excellent. The flaming beef dish was flambeed in front of our table for about 10 minutes. We were getting hungry sitting there, but it was worth the wait. The dish came with rice paper wraps, lettuce, garlic cloves, mint leaves and a dipping sauce. The marinated beef and shrimp was tasty.
The seafood hot plate was also very good. I really loved the mixed seafood sizzling on top of the sweet garlic sauce, which was caramelized on a hot plate.
And the grilled eggplant was cooked very nice. I liked the ground pork bits that accompanied the dish.
**Old review**
Dragonfly scores on presentation, but stumbles a bit on flavor.
I really enjoyed the ambience and plate presentations at Dragonfly. For the pyromaniacs out there, Dragonfly loves to light it up. I saw at least 3 different dishes lit on fire, during my meal. Although, Dragonfly dazzled with its plating, I felt the food was sort of hit or miss.
I was encouraged when they offered us bread and duck pate to start off the meal. Ohh fancy! Too bad the pate was a little bland and it needed some fat.
We ordered the Honey Roasted Quail which was flambeed at our table. Ohh fancy! The quail was pretty good but lacked a little in spice and the sweetness of the honey.
Next came the Hot and Sour Soup with Catfish. This one was a miss. Too much pineapple flavor and not enough hot or sour.
The Seafood Curry was ok. The dish had a lot of tasty seafood (hit!) but the curry was very light (miss!) and could of been richer.
The Tamarind Prawns was the real winner. The jumbo sized shrimp served on deep fried vermicelli was very tasty. Sweet and a little spicy.
Overall, I enjoyed my meal at Dragonfly. I can't give this a solid four star rating. But it's deserves more than a 3. -
Review from Ted R.
7/31/2007
Argh. One of the last places I went with the ex in her hood...and I have to admit I'm going to hate to have to give up this excellent establishment. Dragonfly rocks. Uncut funk. And now, I've got to give it up.
More than enough original style in the interior to make this converted residence work. Cool color themes, funky chairs and nice, normal hipsters (not the harsh, uptight kind) all hangin' in the brighter front room, or chillin' in the cozy back. Stylin' in the Sunset, not exactly the party anthem I'm used to singing. But it's for real. Imagine Curtis Mayfield singing, Dragonfly, with some do-wah pedal in the background:
Darkest of night
With the moon shining bright
There's a set goin' strong
Lotta things goin' on
The man of the hour
Has an air of great power
The dudes have envied him for so long
(Chorus)
Oooh, Dragonfly
Which is to say Dragonfly is a badass little restaurant. Three faves on the menu:
Spring Roll - 4 stars
Shaking Beef - 5 stars
Sauteed Asparagus - 5 stars
And the service is almost neurotically fast, which is disconcerting for about a moment or two. Until you chill, kick back and realize that these super nice people are going to hook you up.
Parphrazing Astrud Gilberto:
Good Vietnamese is the saddest thing when it goes away.
Bye Dragonfly, the Yelpers will take care of you until Teddy can come back. -
Review from Willa L.
San Francisco, CA
9/24/2010 1 Check-in Here
I actually ate here before few years back, but I decided to have my birthday lunch here with my coworkers+boss. Glad I picked this restaurant.
I wanted to order the dragonfly tapicoa, but they didn't have it that day. SO, I settled for lychee iced tea, which is pretty yummy. Wish I can get more lychees and a refill though.
For starters, we decided to all share the sugarcane shrimp - very yummy. We had to wrap it up in the rice paper, and I definitely did the worse job on the whole table. Mine was falling apart!
We also shared the shaken beef - which was sooo tender and juicy. I love the sauce that comes with it!
Entree, I decided on the coconut pork - extremely flavorful and taste so good with the rice! I enjoyed how theres a lot of sauce that comes with it, so I can put it on my rice. My dish was made in the clay pot, so that made it even yummier.
Will definitely be coming here more often! -
Review from Nanette L.
San Francisco, CA
9/15/2007
After reading all the great reviews about this place, I've been wanting to try Dragonfly for months. This is not your usual Vietnamese noodle type of restaurant. The establishment appears clean, contemporary, and was full of ambiance.
We drove around the block numbers of time in search of a parking space. Too bad we didn't see the sign with suggested parking across the street.
For starters, we got a basket of thinly sliced French bread and a helping of what taste like shrimp paste pate.
We ordered:
- Imperial rolls served with rice noodles, lettuce, basil, pickled radish and carrots. The rolls were "perfecto" and not greasy.
- Deep fried calamari. Deliciously crispy with a hint of sweetness.
- Vegetarian Clay pot. Sliced mushrooms, fried tofu, soy based vegetarian gluten pieces. Not sure what it was but I didn't care for the soy based items.
- Garlic Noodles with Prawn. Very tasty and garlicky.
- Fried bananas with pineapple, coconut ice cream. Awesome!
Waiters were attentive and service was just mpeccable.
I would come back to try their oxtail soup, beef, and fish dishes.
I'd rate this 4.5 with a round up to 5 stars.Listed in: Worldly Eats
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Review from Ange T.
San Antonio, TX
4/20/2007
A terrific little Vietnamese/French fusion spot that is family owned! I'm amazed that this place stayed alive for as long as it did since I think EVERY single restaurant at that very same location has always failed miserably. So of course, since it was still in business after a year, I HAD to try it!
First off, the owner is the sweetest man. We could not find parking and he personally came out of the restaurant to help direct us to some spots! Who does that??? That's awesome! Ok, ok that ain't to say he'll do it for EVERYONE, but I guess we just got lucky! And in general, the staff is terrific - attentive and nice!
The decor is just lovely, there's some sort of calming sense of the place is set up. And then there is the food. The food is great for the price! And its consistent as I've been back there like 5 times. Get the app sampler, everything on it is pretty good, and you MUST get the sea bass!!! Definitely a place worth checking out.Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Nancy R.
San Francisco, CA
11/15/2006
Viet-tastic! I love this place. Slanted Door without the prices and wait.
First visit, I had to schedule a last-minute birthday dinner on a Saturday night for a group of 7, budget-conscious folk. Where to go? So over the tapas scene at Picaro or Cha-cha-cha. Get sloshed on sangria while waiting 90 minutes for a table, only to inhale greasy fried potatoes. Just skip it and go to Denny's.
So reading over the Yelp reviews, Dragonfly sounded perfect. Plus they could accommodate a large party at the last minute on a Saturday night.
The atmosphere is a bit iffy, but soothing and unassuming. The wait staff are so friendly and willing to please. As soon as you are seated, baguette slices and this amazing pate are placed in front of you. I could have made a meal in itself with that. But no; a quick look at the menu, and we couldn't pass up the offerings. It's great to do family style because you get a sample of all the tasty morsels: coconut shrimp and rice, grilled eggplant, crab noodles. For starters, we opted for the Dragonfly Taste : Golden Shrimp, Spring Rolls, Sesame Beef & Lotus Roots Salad. The button mushroom stuffed w/minced shrimp & tofu were so divine the heavens opened up and angels sang!
Have returned only once (sadly), but intend to many more. Love this place! -
Review from Lorrie N.
Fort Irwin, CA
3/25/2008 4 photos
It's almost hard to say the food isn't something to go back for, especially when the service is so good.
I was treated to lunch here by my good friends, SeanEs (http://www.yelp.com/us...). Even though I got a free lunch, it doesn't mean this place is going to get a better rating.
The spring rolls were pretty good, crunchy and surprisingly fresh. Coconut chicken is something I would order again (if I went back - unsure about that). I think they should give offer you free refills on the rice, since certain plates you get come with a tangerine size serving. That is probably their way of making sure you don't get too full on rice and order more food. The spare ribs were bland and rubbery. We also ordered garlic noodles, it was just noodle filling to me. I was disappointed with those. Vietnamese iced coffee is yummy and they give you a lot of condensed milk. They also give you a mini thermos of hot water if you ask for extra hot water.
I love the service here. They clean your table and take empty dishes away, throughout the whole meal. We went around 12:30 PM on a Thursday for lunch, without reservations. Seating immediately, in the front by the window. It was a nice day for window seating so we were glad not to be put in the back.
It didn't get loud during lunch, which was really nice.
They need better decoration, the interior is really plain and bland. -
Review from Lulu C.
San Francisco, CA
10/20/2009
Its been a while since i've reviewed so here we go.... :D
Dragonfly restaurant is on Judah, but almost "hidden" it's not very catchy but if you happen to stumble upon this place like we did, you're in for a very pleasant dining experience.
The decor inside is super cute, the dining room in the front is decorated in a funky way reminding me of Alice in Wonderland, the nice comfy seats to the starburst mirror on the wall..the back dining room was cozier and had a more japanese teagarden feel. Strange combo, but whatever.
On to the food...we ordered to start: Spring Rolls - Goi Cuon
Shrimp, pork, lettuce, mint, Chinese chives & deep-fried crackers wrapped in rice paper. Served w/ fish sauce $7.50 - very refreshing, although i thought it was peanut sauce that we got.
Coconut Chicken - Ga Kho Slow-braised chicken in clay pot, w/ coconut juice & fish sauce (Spicy) $11.00 which was great, came in a sizzling hotpot, but unfortunately, neither of us really tasted much of coconut..though the chicken was tender & delicious. Keep in mind though, this dish didn't have a large portion.
Beef Sauteed Green Beans - Bo Xao Dau Sauteed strips of beef tenderloin w/ green beans. $11.00 - the beef was very tender & tasty, the dish was very plentiful & went great with the jasmine rice.
The service was super, our busser/server was very on top of things, very attentive but not too overbearing. All together, we had a fabulous dinner & will most definitely patronize this establishment again. -
Review from Laura D.
San Francisco, CA
1/29/2010
Yum. I find that every time I go to a Vietnamese restaurant, I find myself loving the food more and more. And craving it more and more. Well, this sure didn't stop that pattern.
I came here on a date. At first the restaurant's front room was a bit quiet and I thought, uh oh, this could be a very long night. But it filled up! The decor is simple and it's a rather quiet restaurant, which allows for conversation at a decent level.
Onto the food.
Papaya Salad- simple, sweeter than I would have liked, topped with sweet tender beef. No spice to it.
Ban Xeo- mmm. My favorite dish. The crepe was thick and crispy, filled with delicious pork and shrimp. I LOVE IT! Plenty of sweet dipping sauce, carrots, cucumbers and lettuce for wrapping too.
Shaken Beef- Stand out dish! The beef was SO tender and served atop fresh greens. The beef was flavorful and good on it's own, it didn't even need the lemon pepper sauce.
Clay Pot Chicken- it was tasty, but didn't have any spiciness, as promised.
Coconut Sticky Rice- a touch sweet, as it should be. It complimented the other dishes nicely.
The service was good. Although we ordered 1 bottle of wine and we were told they were out, we had to fall back on a bottle of Pinot that wasn't very good. Other than that, I will go back, as the food was very tasty. -
Review from kim w.
San Francisco, CA
5/17/2009
I DIDNT WRITE ABOUT THIS PLACE??
its expensive vietnamese food. Period. -
Review from Albert C.
San Francisco, CA
3/23/2006
Wow. Step back everyone. My FIRST five star rating, and this is why:
Ambiance: PERFECT for a contemporary vietnamese restaurant. Not too fancy that you feel like you have to dress up to go eat here, but the quality of the food definately makes you think twice!
Food: What can I say? I'll go ahead and agree with everyone that this place simply rocks for vietnamese food. The food is always prepared and plated in a special way and the taste is just so amazing.
Service: This is where most of my gripe comes from in other reviews, but this place definately pulls through. Our waiter actually cared if we liked the food or not and always kept my water glass full (definately not tap water like all other vietnamease restaurants).
What to get: I'm a really big fan of Pho, so i'll go ahead and recommend that. You should also try the shaking beef, a must if it's your first time.
