Green Leaf Vietnamese Restaurant
Category: Vietnamese [Edit]
Neighborhood: International District418 8th Avenue S
Seattle, WA 98104 (206) 340-1388
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner, Lunch
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
79 Reviews for Green Leaf Vietnamese Restaurant
I'm a foodie and I love to try every little restaurant known to man...When my friend first introduced me to Green Leaf three years ago...I was hooked!! This has got to be one of the best vietnamese restaurants in Seattle - I''m vietnamese, so I'd like to think that I have a good palette when it comes judging the food. In any case, the food here is superb! Don't forget to ask for the fried onions on everything you order! SOOOO GOOD!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Green Leaf is my favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Seattle. They have great food at good prices. The restaurant is very clean and the staff is friendly. I came here for lunch recently with my husband. We started off with my two favorite appetizers: Banh Xeo and Escargot and Pork meatballs. Both were excellent as usual. This time around I ordered the Fried Duck Noodle Soup while my husband had the Combination Rice dish with grilled chicken, pork and shrimp with an egg on top. My soup was great! It was hot and filling. My husband enjoyed his dish as well.
I'm glad they finally expanded the restaurant to add a second floor. The tables downstairs are still a bit too close together but at least they can fit more customers in the restaurant. =)
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Sketchy. That was my first thought when I saw the entrance for Green Leaf.
Then I saw the "yelp loves us" and other stickers on the window, I was comforted. After all Michael E. and I were here because Yelp told us to go....and I don't know about you but I always listen to yelp.
You basically walk directly in and find yourself amidst people eating at tables on either side of you. No "official" waiting area you just stand and wait for someone to grab you.
I must say I was pleasantly surprised to find the inside of the restaurant remarkably clean, clean enough that I'll be bringing Gamze here (honestly that means a lot).
In the end though its all about the food and IT....WAS....DELICIOUS. Best Vietnamese food I've ever had. Hands down. Green Leaf I'll see you again...soon.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
Just. Eat. Here.
Everything on the menu is great.
Just get here before it gets too popular!!!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
Looks shady from the outside, but let's be honest, it's amazing. This is one of your standard Yelp gems. We yelpers live for these spots. And they know how to keep us happy. They were more than happy to make all the menu items splittable so Quinn R and I could enjoy the full spectrum of the menu. Eat it all, go back, and repeat.
Apparently there is upstairs dinning as well, newly opened.
I just keep going back! I'm a sucker for being treated like family. We counted 5 different servers who came to our table during the meal. Each one warmer than the last.
Last night, we ate upstairs for the first time. Its definitely a bit spacier than the downstairs dining room, if you are a bit claustrophobic. One of the owners came over to ask if we wanted some wine and he was soon joined by his 4 year old daughter who attempted to put a pink "jeweled " tiara on her dad's head. He mentioned that he had an even better Cabernet than the one on the menu and offered to let us sample it first. I was surprised to find my favorite Malbec (Septima) offered. Definitely not the kind of service one expects in a little restaurant like this. His brother came by a little later to see how we liked the "Anchervy" soup, since it was his favorite. Actually, I preferred the Udon with shrimp & crab (real!) we had the other night. Fabulous.
Some other taste treats worth mentioning are the mushroom and the egg plant appetizers, as well as those beautiful leafy spring rolls with the fried won ton skins in the center.
I LOVE Tamarind Tree, but there's something about Green Leaf that inspires me to return frequently to try something new. Next up will be the 7 styles beef dinner that is $22.95 for 2!
This place is a gem, not to be missed.
A beautiful glass art work with an Asian woman welcomes you as you enter Green Leaf Vietnamese Restaurant. The interior is wainscot with bamboo paneling, tinted with green tea coloring and contemporary art deco style lighting. This restaurant is itty bitty in size with an added second floor seating. Wahoo! An order of lemon grass chicken and onion rice plate was SPICY HOT! Vermicelli with grilled chicken was light and tasty. Service is warm and friendly. The regulars are welcomed with affectionate greetings.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
I love this place! The fried crepe was sooo yummy! Everything I've tried here is so good. I don't know if you can go wrong with anything that's served up here! The grilled beef with lemongrass was great!
I went there for lunch today. They have more seatings upstairs.
I waited 1 hr for my food. And it wasn't crowded today. That's too bad that weren't able to extend the kitchen. Because of the long wait, the service wasn't good. The tables are small. I feel like sardines in a can. Not a place to have personal conversation with friends. Unless you want everyone to know about your problems.
Still, the food is good. My favorite is Goi Cuon (Shrimp rolls) and
Banh Xeo (Vietnamese crepes) When I see chef Peter Quang I always order his salad. Which is his specialty.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Serendipity at work thanks to Tamarind Tree being so busy. While we still had to wait for a table on a Saturday night, the delay was minimal and the service once we were seated was both polite and attentive.
But onto the food. Grilled short ribs: great bbq flavour, but I couldn't tell the difference between this Vietnamese rendition and Korean bbq; lemongrass chicken: very lemongrass-y (if that's your thing) and surprisingly spicy; vermicelli with grilled beef: decent, but remember to apply the fish sauce! Attention to matters of presentation was also a pleasant surprise.
Overall I had a very positive experience; I wasn't wowed by the food but I am certainly encouraged to come back to try more of the menu... Ultimately, I guess that's the important thing for a restaurant: getting repeat customers. And I'm looking forward to being one!
Is it possible that two awesome restaurants can be next to each other? Yes, Green Leaf is located next to the Sichuan Noodle House. What are the possibilities?! Yes, I found out that it is very possible and I am extremely lucky.
Green Leaf is the best Vietnamese restaurant I have been to in Seattle. I know... That's a big statement but you will have to live with it. Tamarind Tree was my best before I had been to Green Leaf but having been to both places more than once, the debate can finally end here.
I have had the Fried Duck Noodle Soup, Grill Short Ribs, Salad Rolls, Flour Cakes and Shrimp and Crab Udon Noodles. I know...I am a pig. But it's so good... I should have had more...
- Duck Noodles Soup was simple yet had a lot of depth. It was one of those therapeutic dishes. I felt rejuvenated and refreshed after finishing the soup. AND it had a half a duck in there.
- Flour Cakes with fried egg and green onions. They sprinkled crack on this one. I could've eaten like three dishes of this. Little fried cubes of flour cakes cooked with fried eggs and green onions. Crispy and chewy goodness.
- Shrimp and Crab Noodle Soup. fo' git about it... It had the consistency of hot sour soup. Delicate and flavorful seafood crab broth with Udon noodles. Even had real crab and shrimp in the soup!
This is going to be one of those restaurants I crave every month. I have too many of these now. Thanks to Yelp. Yelp, WHY MUST YOU FIND ME SO MANY GOOD PLACES?!? MY WALLET IS EMPTY! :)
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (10)
Funny (9)
Cool (8)
Genius
Whoever thought of putting crispy wonton in fresh spring roll is a genius. Five star for their fresh spring roll (and their peanut sauce)
two star for the rest of the food. I don't know what y'all are thinking, but i thought that the food was...bland. The duck soup tasted like "ham water"---insert arrested development reference-- and the noodles are always too mushy and it always has waaaaaaaaaaay tooo many noodles.
Also their pancake tastes like a sprout explosion. If i want that much sprouts, i would have rather had that instead of the noodles.
Green leaf, I am sorry, but three stars for you. you are quick and fast, but so are hookers... that does not win points from me.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Funny (3)
Cool (2)
On a Tuesday night after 8 pm this place was pretty crowded...always a good sign...and it was recommended by fellow Asian foodies...another good sign. I did enjoy the crispy tofu in the vegetarian spring roll, which was a tasty surprise, and the seafood broth and noodles in dish #29 was flavorful and filling. My companions were not so lucky...a forgetable, overcooked shrimp dish served with rice and a sickly sweet coconut juice/papaya salad/ rice noodle concoction were dishes I would not recommend. They also completely forgot to bring the second appetizer that we ordered. This is a decent Vietnamese place for the price but hey if Mario Batali loves it, it's got to be good, right?
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Yeah, yeah, I'm jumping on the "Green Leaf rocks my world" bandwagon. So?? It's true! I had the clear udon with crab and shrimp for only $6.95. The broth was amazingly rich and deeply flavorful, with generous portions of seafood floating about. The tofu spring rolls had deep fried wonton skins inside, which gave it a nice, unexpected crunch. The skewered Chinese mushrooms were bursting with flavor--for a measly $3.95, I'm definitely ordering these next time!
If you get there right at 5pm, there probably won't be a wait. The one small gripe was that I was hungry--actually, STARVING--2.5 hours later. So yes, I had dinner #2 at 7:30. Not the world's most filling food, but damn tasty.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (7)
Funny (7)
Cool (7)
Holy Freaking Yum.
The heater outside to keep us warm as we waited for our table? Genius.
Fresh spring rolls with peanut sauce? Heaven.
We shared the vermicelli with grilled beef wrapped around pork, and a lemongrass and pork rice dish. Both were excellent.
I'm ready to go back now, please.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (2)
Cool (1)
Food hysteria = when you are so hungry for lunch that everything looks good on the menu, you can't hone in on satiating any specific cravings and then when you order, you get food envy and think that you should have ordered the udon noodles the woman at the table next to yours is slurping. And afterwards, you kind feel a little let down..
Anyhow, that's how I felt when I came in.. Yelpers have been raving about this place and I too will probably end up raving about it next time I go, but yesterday, I just had the food hysterics. The Pho was better than Than Brothers and the Bun was also better than What The Pho's.. (as I eat at those other two places waaay too much for my body to process out all the 'MSG')
2 steamin' hot teas
1 order of Pho (beef)
1 order of Bun combo (egg roll, pork, chicken, shrimp skewers + noodles)
Total bill = 15.99 Not bad for a lunch expenditure
I called to see if they were open during the great blizzard of Jan 28th and yes - in fact, there was hardly any snow in the ID. Thank god I went with someone whom I have no qualms about sharing my pho with (which is kinda wierd but when you have to, you have to).
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Awesome. I had Bun Chay which was vermechelli noodles with a bunch of vegetarian stuff and it was just great. Tea came when we sat instead of water and it was nice.
Seating at 11 or so was immediate. When we left after noon there were people outside waiting. Waitfolk were pretty immediate and prompt making it a fast lunch even with the quick ride down through the bus tunnel from downtown. Nice inside, cozy, not your typical stuff them and ship them Vietnamese restaurant design.
While talking to a coworker afterwards he said he loved the place but it got a good writeup and is now super busy.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (2)
Cool (2)
Great place to eat and good prices. It gets crazy packed during lunch so come early or a little later. They have a nice selection of Viet food and even Pho!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Good food and very reasonable prices. The ambiance is a little cramped but sometimes this is nice on a cold night. I had the vegetarian bun. I liked that I knew my dish was entirely veggie but I really didn't like the weird fake porky flavor of the "fake meat". Next time I'll just get plain tofu or nothing at all. The spring rolls were great!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
For Vietnamese food, look no further than Green Leaf. Countless restaurants in the ID are tasty, but it's rare to come across one that is also clean. They even have soap in the restrooms which is always optional in that part of town.
I've been here half a dozen times and enjoyed my meal every single time. You really can't go wrong at this place.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I'm not jumping on the bandwagon on this one.
The beef pho was fine, though the portion was small (and no sizes to choose from, important if you burn up a lot of calories at the gym!).
Ambiance quieter than at most International District restaurants. A good choice if you're looking for a place where you can actually talk to the other person without the din of the kitchen or staff (though other diners can sometimes be a problem).
Small narrow space. Nice to have a small celadon cup of green tea to sip with meal, refilled without having to ask.
Still prefer Tran Brothers, ambiance or no ambiance.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I would make love to
all of the delicious foods
and all the sisters.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Funny (3)
Overall: I was blown away. To describe it in less than 10 words: Quality, Authenticity, Freshness, Value, Excellent Service, Beautiful Presentation...
I'm from San Jose where I'm spoiled by authentic Vietnamese restaurants that are a dime a dozen and I found this place on Yelp. OMFG thank you yelpers. This place really made my trip to Seattle since it rained 90% of the time.
What was ordered:
Grilled Lemon Grass Mushroom on skewers: dang good, dang cheap
Banh Bot Chien- fried flour cake w/ eggs... crunchy and heavenly..
Banh Mi Hap- Steam bread topped with seasoned pork, jicama
wrapped with lettuce dipped in prepped fish sauce. .. authentic...
Bun Thit Cha Gio (Combo Vermicelli Salad) - Everything about it was fresh down to the steaming egg roll
Dessert: Sticky rice with Coconut Milk and bananas- done right, and an excellent finish.
Total Bill: $32 bucks... for 2 entrees, 2 appetizers, dessert, and a Vietnamese Coffee....
Only con is the fact that the place is very small and was packed for a Wednesday night. I can only imagine how long it would be for a wait on Fri/Sat nights....
I'll definitely be back....
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
It's cheap and it's really great. What more can you want? The menu is well balanced with enough variety but not too much that you get overwhelmed with choices. I love how they had items I haven't seen since my mom dragged me back to the motherland. The flavors, the quality, the love in every bowl of awesome goodness... You can't go wrong with anything on the menu and if you think you did, you don't deserve to eat. By the way, the wait sucks so go on the off hours.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
So far this is my favorite restaurant in Seattle. You go in here expecting a descent meal after you check out all the hype written on the walls...but you have no clue what you are in for...Peter, the husband of the chef is usually up front greeting you and making sure your meal goes smoothly....and in 6 visits it always has...The service is great the food calls my name like a drug and the dungeness crab is Heaven!!! You can't go wrong with the asian pancake, the short ribs or the eggplant. If it wasn't 3 am i would venture there right now cause I'm lookin for some green leaf right abouts now... Thanks Guys your food rocks!!!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Very good food! Holy cow, this place has very good food! Having been raised on fine Vietnamese cuisine (thanks, Mom), I think I can tell good Viet food from mediocre Viet food. And let me tell you this place has great Viet food!
I had the Hu Tieu Chay (veg) and the broth was perfectly seasoned with a good amount of tofu and veggie "ham" for protein. Instead of the usual water, you get hot tea! Just like that! You need to ask for water if you want it but the staff is quick and really nice.
The place is small bordering on tiny so expect a wait when it's busy. And because when the place is packed, it stays packed, the volume reaches from lively to boisterous to almost loud. But it's because people are coversing and obviously enjoying themselves and the delicious food. I definitely intend on eating here again and again.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (2)
small place, long line but well worth the wait. I came here last weekend after a fellow co-worker recommended it to me since I told her that I love bun xiao (Vietnamese Pancake).
We ordered, the papaya salad, bun xiao, duck noodles and pork chop rice. The food is more expensive than say Pho Hoa' or Seattle Deli but worth it in my opinion. I've had better bun xiao while in San Jose, Ca, but I would have to agree that this is probably the best you can get in Seattle. To avoid the lines, come during lunch hour.
I have to say....I really did wish I was the only one to know about this resturant. It usually is busy and that's a bummer because the space is oh so small but the quality of the food FAR out wieghs the small cramped quarters. Often, I find that I can't decide on what to have since everything I've tried has been excellent so I usually end up ordering 4-5 dishes just for me! I will say this has to be my favorite Vietnamese resturant in Seattle.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (2)
I've had some amazing Vietnamese food all over the country but there's nothing that quite beats this place. The only places that comes close would be PPQ in San Francisco and Quang's in Minneapolis.
The crepe appetizer might be my favorite. The Pho is good but if you're coming to Green leaf for the first time do yourself a favor and try something else. I think the recommendations others have posted on here are all very good.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (2)
I saw this place on city search..so I thought I check it out..that was the end !!..I have been a regular ever since.The decor was cozy and clean..Nothing special..Food..was super delicious..They turned me into Vietnamese foodie..I was never that big on it or tried it as much..Now I cravee green leaf..I can eat it anyday or night..
In 06 ,I first ventured in there.. their prices were super good..so was the food..Best part was me bumping into the IRON CHEF!!!! I was there just before the holidays in 06...and there come Mario Batalli!!!!! OMGGGGGGGG!!! Imagine my shock and happiness!!!!! It was lunch time..nothing crazy..just regular full house at green leaf..came Mario with 2 other ppl...Boy he sure loveddd their foooddd...
Not that you need to go there just for that..Their phos are really good..and the vermicelli salads are soo delicious ..fresh and tasty..their Udon soup with shrimp and crab meat is a Must try!..Chunks of huge crab meat..delicious shrimp meat..and clear udon noodles in tomato broth..ooh yumminess!!.. They also have great rice dishes..my fav is the grilled lemon grass chicken..Also the seafood noodle ( chowmein ) is not to be miss... Oh and dont forget to try the fresh spring rolls with shrimp..and Grilled Tofu for app..You will die in flavor :)..
If you have room after eating all that , try their 3 bean dessert..comes in beautiful martini glass..the yummy goodness!
For the price, Green Leaf is amazing. There is a 'pancake' on the appetizer list that's really good, and huge. If you get there early, you can certainly get in-- but it's a tiny hole-in-the-wall space, so be prepared to be friends with your neighbors. The tamarind soda is really good, too. Definitely a great place to go before downtown activities.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Tamarind Tree vs Green Leaf Shootout!
Tamarind Tree and Green Leaf are two of the most raved-about Vietnamese restaurants in Seattle. Recently, I ate at these places (on consecutive nights). In the great American tradition of pseudo-statistics and xcientific rankings, I present, for your consideration, the Tamarind Tree vs Green Leaf Shootout!
Ambiance:
Green Tree is nice; the interior is comfortable, simple and functional. The marble-top tables are a nice touch. But Tamarind Tree wins this category with a well-executed concept. Can you say "silk fixtures", "fire pit", "water feature" and "cast-concrete washbasins"?
GL: ***, TT: *****.
Service:
Both restaurants provide prompt, attentive, knowledgeable service. Your orders show up in good time, and empty dishes are cleared promptly. Glasses and cups are seldom left empty. Both establishments get bonus points for owners who consistently cruise tables, schmoozing with customers. Overall, a dead heat.
GL: ****, TT: ****.
Menu:
Green Leaf concentrates on the more traditional dishes - rolls and skewered appetisers, rice plates and vermicelli bowls. Tamarind Tree has these, but also more. The menu is deeper and more diverse. In addition, they have a full bar, while GL makes do with beer and wine.
GL: ****, TT *****.
Food:
Greef Leaf really is as good as they say! Rolls are soft and fresh, salads are freshly prepared and adequately tangy, grilled items are well marinated and cooked just right. The noodle bowls and rice plates are nicely plated and the combo dishes are a good way to try a bit of everything. In contrast, Tamarind Tree seems to have lost a step. It used to be that their dishes could be counted upon to knock your socks off. EVerything's still good but it just seems like things are more hastily prepared, cooked or assembled. For instance, the grilled pork/escargot appetiser arrived pale and oozing juice when it should have been well seared with a firm, moist interior.
GL: *****, TT ***
Price/Value:
On average, Tamarind Tree prices are a buck or two more for main courses (appetizer prices are about equal). For a nice dinner for two, expect to spend 20 to 35$ at Green Leaf (drinks excluded). The same at Tamarind Tree will set you back 25 to 45$. Cocktails at TT cost about $7, give or take a buck. Overall, the pricing disparity is perfectly reasonable, given the differences in ambiance, selection, etc.
GL: ****, TT ****
Other/Intangibles:
Both restaurants are incredibly popular and thus, expect to wait for a table (TT takes reservations, but it's something silly like "before 5 p.m. only"). For both places, it used to be that death-knell Monday nights was a good time to visit, but this has changed. So if you find this review useful, I implore you to stay home on Monday nights. (Besides, don't you need to recover from the weekend?)
GL: **, TT **
The Final Analysis:
Oh come on! You weren't really expecting a clear winner, were you? Tamarind Tree is great for more fancy, more formal meals. Business meals, out-of-town guests and birthday dinners belong here. Green Leaf is comfortable, and gets the job done each and every time. Eat here for an excellent altenative to cooking or for casual meals with good friends.
The bottom line - you can't go too far wrong with either!
**This public service analysis was brought to you by the I. E. Toutalot Foundation. No $$, goods or services have changed (or will change) hands as a result of this review.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (24)
Funny (9)
Cool (8)
I had the beef with noodles and I was kind of astonished at the fact the dish literally had NO FLAVOR.
At all. Even the beef was bland.
It was as if all the flavor had been romoved surgically.
My girlfriend suggested I dump some of the various dipping sauces we had around on it, along with some sri racha. I eventually did, and then it tasted like sri racha and dipping sauce.
I mean, noodles with beef on them should at least by proxy taste a little LIKE THE BEEF....damn chef, at least give me a reach round and dollop a ladle of broth on the thing for some kind of taste.
Will probably try again, for another dish. The service was prompt and nice, and i think overall it has the potiential to shine, but my first impressions were less than positive.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Yes, it's small and cramped, but for 1-4 people with good timing, it's worth a visit for some great food at a great price. Two entrees and an appetizer with hot tea for under $20 at dinner! The deep fried shallots topping most dishes are quite tasty and addictive. I recommend the grilled lemongrass eggplant, the fresh rolls (either vegetarian or pork and shrimp), and the vermicelli with grilled beef wrapped in thin sliced pork.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
they make the great wonton spring rolls that always goes down oh so well.
awesome. super star for that alone.
great peanut sauce and a relaly great duck soup noodles dish. it was flavorful enough for me.
thei pancakes were crispy and really good to eat. i savored each bite.
loved the food...
all in all a good place to hit up in the id!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
I have nothing but good things to say about this restaurant. It is a great lunch place, it is a great place to go with friends and family for dinner. There are already a ton of reviews talking about how delicious the food is and how its a tiny little place so I won't bore you with that. To summarize: the Vietnamese food is splendid (maybe not even the best in all categories like Pho) and if you're going for dinner you'll probably have to wait on any weekend night.
The one thing you should know about Green Leaf is that every single time I've been there the waitstaff and owner have always provided impeccable service. Not the robotic kind many American restaurants have extensively trained/programmed their waitstaff for, but the kind where you can tell everyone is pulling together and are happy to be working as a team to make the restaurant a success.
Romantic notions aside, I've seen waitstaff tell patrons to stop hitting on other workers, and I've seen old white ladies make weird faces at the menu. There's something about a place where everyone wants to go that always attracts great people-watching. I guess all shapes and sizes come to a place in the ID when so much of the mainstream has raved about it. Thankfully it's not so accessible the Ugly American of lowest common-denominator convenience reigns supreme.
Green Leaf is the kind of restaurant that makes you want to leave substantial tips in hopes you can come back and do it all over again.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (2)
Cool (2)
Props to you, Michelle B. for sending us this way last night after out Seattle Center venture, props to you!
I'm so happy that this place is nearby my house, I'll be able to walk to inexpensive, delicious, Vietnamese food almost any time I have a hankering! It's a tiny place and was pretty busy, but we got a table after waiting for only about five minutes. The waitrons are more than pleasant and very willing to accomodate you.
I ordered a combination (pork, shrimp, and chicken) bun and my date had a chicken bun with lemongrass. Both were very, very tasty...even without the fish sauce. I'm not a huge fan of pork, but it was delicious!!! The veggies were prepared perfectly and the egg roll that came with it topped it off perfectly. All of this fabulous food came out to a mere $20 (which includes a hearty tip!)
I'll be back...often.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Cool (2)
Oh. Yes. This is what I'm talking about: Green Leaf.
Totally yum.
They may only have one vegetarian entree on the menu, but they do it up right and that's all this little tomato needs. I had the vegetarian vermicelli, without the fake ham (sounded sketchy. I do not miss meat, so I never feel the need to nosh on imitations of flesh.). This little number appeals to all of the taste buds with its snappy sprouts, fragrant cilantro and mint, caramel-crisp onions, grilled tofu, fresh tofu, nummy sweet-spice-sour sauce and firm-yet-comforting noodles.
I just came from there, and am already planning my next trip.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (3)
Cool (3)
Get the Beloved Celebrity Treatment
Even waiting 20 minutes to be seated outside the restaurant was pleasant, with an outdoor heater set-up and a complimentary appetizer brought around by the head server. I thought WOW! how great. With Smiles and a million "thank you's" we were seated in the tiny little restaurant. The food was magnificent, the fresh spring rolls were great, the selection of beer wide and the entrees delicious, I recommend the Beef short ribs on the chef Special menu, yum. We ordered the full meal deal Beers, appetizers, 2 entrees, coffee, tea, and dessert. The bill was well under $25 each. The service was so NICE, very nice. I really felt like a beloved celebrity. They had a motto I spied in the back "Love yourself, Love everyone", It rang true thru and thru in every detail at Green Leaf.
Just a note: If you have social anxiety or clausterphobia this place may not be for you. The place is small and tables are very close to other diners
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
For good Pho or Vietnamese food at reasonable prices, no matter where in the world, you are often willing to survive greasy dirty spoons, poor inattentive service, and dicey neighborhoods just to get it. The Green Leaf solves most of these issues by providing a pleasant experiene with excellent food. They are actually a Vietnamese restaurant that has excellent Vietnamese food but is more like a Japanese Restaurant in presentation.
Green Leaf has a variety of common and relatively inexpensive Vietnamese dishes. However, their signature dish is actually on the Khai Vi list (appetizers), and that is the Banh Xeo. Banh (cake) Xeo (sizzle) is a thin flour crepe like omelet fried to a nice crispiness and stuffed with shrimp, pork and bean sprouts. Sort of like a Indian Dosa or Chinese Egg Foo Young (but crispier). Great appetizer! Get a single Banh Xeo for $5.95 or two for $8.95.
We tried the Pho Tai and Pho Ga. Unlike many lesser Pho places, Green Leaf's broth has a clean, fresh taste, not muddied by cheap attempts to make it taste better. It was tasty and good, and didn't leave you feeling overly thirsty or heavy afterward.
An Ngon Qua!
The Japanese sensibility I mentioned comes out in the clean decor and the dishes. Japanese style ceramic Udon bowls are used instead of the white plastic chinese style. The sprouts/mint is presented individually for each diner on Japanese style flat half dishes, something you might get in a sushi restaurant, instead of the single oval white chinese plastic plate more typical of cheap Pho.
The decor is clean and in a bamboo theme, in light fixtures and waynescoatting, with a clean, non-greasy tiled floor and comfortable and thematic wicker chairs. The service is polite and attentive, with many smiles. The restaurant is small, though, so come at off times, although we came Saturday about 4pm and they were 2/3 empty.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
| Page: |