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Category: Vietnamese [Edit]
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights"Tao Cafe is an amazing place in every respect. The location is nice, the restaurant is very cozy and nice, the food is breathtaking and the…" read more »
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Perfect brunch for a chilly morning in the city.
My friends and I arrived at 9AM this past Sunday and we're immediately seated. We started our order with the French press coffee and beignets and Vietnamese coffee, as well as the coconut pull bread. The beignets and coconut pull bread were soft and very tasty and went well with the coffee. I easily could have eaten multiple pieces of the coconut bread.
For our main meals, two of us had the chicken porridge, one had the chicken pho, and the other had the poached eggs with crispy potatoes. All meals were unique in taste and will continue to bring us back to Out the Door whether it is for brunch, lunch, or dinner.
I know someone who knows the owner who took me here when I was in the area. Nice trendy setting which screams "Gotta have a glass of wine with your meal" so I did. We had the following for dinner:
~Green papaya salad - very good! More used to this type of starter at a Thai place than a Vietnamese place but it's all good!
~Spring rolls - good
~Dungeoness crab with cellophane noodles - gotta say this was my fav! Very tasty and different! Can't remember having anything like it in other V-rests.
~Lamb - tender and good; again, not a common V-dish to my knowledge
~Baby bok choy - fresh, tasty and crispy
Yes, some consider it pricey V-food but it does set itself apart from typical V-food by adding creative taste combinations. Wish they had a rest. in SoCal! Guess I'll just have to make it a point to stop in each time I'm in SF.
This review is for breakfast - yes, that's right BREAKFAST. On a weekday. I don't know of many restaurants short of diners that serve this meal, but I am sure glad that Out the Door has given us an alternative to a bagel and cream cheese from Noah's.
IMO, morning is the best time of the day to enjoy this space - it's so light and bright, and when not packed with people, very zen and delightful. If your schedule allows you to have your first meal of the day in Pacific Heights with the sun shining brightly through the pristine windows - by all means, do it.
My friend and I shared several things for our breakfast meal, including the steamed buns (1 pork, 1 chicken), the Chicken Pho, and the Scrambled Eggs. All were good, but the standout dish was the eggs - they are finished with something salty like soy sauce, and are absolutely silky and delectable.
Washed down with a strong pot of Yunnan Black, it was the perfect start to our day.
This review is primarily for the Spring Rolls.
Stopped in mid to late afternoon strictly for those darn spring rolls. Another 7x7 top 100 food that is....how shall we say....good, but less than awe-inspiring.
I'll go easy on the service since we stopped in at a bit of an odd time, 4:45 or so on a Sunday. We seated ourself at the long community table and were not offered service. I had to approach the bar to order. Fair enough, given the time of day. From that point on, service was friendly and prompt.
Ordered only the spring rolls this time around. Not bad...but not great. They had obviously been prepared quite a while in advance, so perhaps they would be even tastier and fresher earlier in the day. As it stands, they were good, but did not stand apart from other spring rolls I have enjoyed. They were well packed, with all the ingredients complimenting each other well. The peanut sauce worked well too.
But...when you see a food on the 7x7 top 100 list, you expect a little more. There was no "wow" here, just nods of the head.
Food: 3.5
Valude: 3
Ambiance: 3.5
Service: 3
Get In the Door & go for more...
Big fan of Phan's original Slanted Door in the Mission (yes, that makes me old BUT tasteful) & always game to try new OTD spot.
Cool zen decor: open kitchen, wood walls & concrete floors but sound reverberates ...
I am a "loud talker" & still had to pump up the dinner chat volume!
Dig Bush street location...laid back locals looking for some tasty SD style food without hype of Ferry Building scene.
Nice mix of favorites along with some new dishes.
Classics I CRAVE:
Niman Ranch shaking beef (peppery vinegar & watercress are sooo good w/ beef)
Papaya salad with pickled carrots (big fan of the peanut crunch!)
New Additions:
Arctic char with persimmons & garlic chili sauce
(*My prediction: arctic char is the "new salmon")
Pork meatballs with pineapple chili anchovy sauce (meat was little overcooked/savory sauce saved it)
Next time I have an early morning hankering for Pho, I will be the 1st in line to try OTD breakfast!
I'm going to preface this review by first saying that I am Vietnamese. I don't know, maybe that means I'm a little more critical than other diners who aren't?
I've dined at this new OTD location 3 times now. twice for breakfast and once for lunch. On all occasions the food has been amazing. From the beignets and vietnamese iced coffee, to the pork buns and fried eggs and pate and poached eggs. It is a great twist on some more traditional vietnamese breakfast items and some new things that are to die for. I grew up eating fried eggs with maggi and a baguette, and that really brought me back. YUM!
I was just there for lunch last week and had the most amazing food. My favorite vietnamese dish is the crepe, also known as Banh Xeo, and I had to have it. The crepe was perfect, crisp and refreshing the way it is supposed to be! Now don't forget the Chicken Porridge. this may be the sole reason why I go back to OTD. It is amazing. I really don't know anywhere else in the city to get such greaty chicken porridge, except for when my mom makes it. The flavors are spot on. LOVE IT!
I definitely suggest sitting at the chefs counter, because then you get a great feel for the kitchen and its always fun seeing the chefs make the food!
Also just found out they have wine on tap. Um, genius! It may sound odd at first, but the wines are actually delicious and a great value.
I can't wait to run back for my next visit!
This place has a very nice atmosphere but the food doesn't match the ambiance and is overpriced for what you get. I was initially excited that we are getting some SOMA and Mission food coming to the area, but this place can go back to where they came from.
We started with the rice cakes which I didn't like at all, the sauce had no real flavor and the texture of the cakes felt really mushy. We then ordered the black cod and the lamb leg, as the waiter described it, and brussel sprouts. The cod was nice, it was in a broth so it was very tender but again, not flavorful, and definitely not anything special. The lamb looked like something from a carving station instead of the leg we thought we were getting, if I wasn't as hungry and on our wait to a wine tasting party I would have sent it back, for $22 I expect something of much higher quality.
In all, we spend $90 on two glasses of wine, an appetizer, two entrees and a side dish and felt like we totally overpaid for what we got.
Stopped in for a bite on a Friday night a few months ago. We sat at the bar and ordered the mung bean dumplings (texturally, a little odd, but then I started liking it), the pork meatballs (decent, but not amazing), the crab vermicelli (which does not compare to the crab and cellophane noodles at Slanted Door, but same idea, just not as good), a steamed clam special (which was delish!) and the lemongrass tofu (which was not as good as I would have hoped). The original is still the best, in my opinion, but OTD is a good spot to grab a bite.
Went there for lunch the other day while playing hooky from work.
The place is a really nice, bright space that has a buzz of activity but (at least at 2 PM on a Tuesday) is not too crowded or chaotic. I was a bit sick so I opted for the Beef Pho noodle soup dish. We also got the Spring Rolls to start, and the shrimp noodle dish. Everything was very plentiful and quite tasty. (Nothing remarkable, but very satisfying - particularly for me in my weakened state...)
I had been a bit confused by the name ("Out the Door"), thinking that they delivered (they dont, far as I can tell) and the association with Slanted Door. (It's quite a lot more casual, and the food is a *lot* more average.) Nevertheless, I was very happy with the lunch experience. Food was good, and service was attentive & friendly. I'm not sure, though, whether I'd make the trip back for dinner in the evening -- it just didnt seem that special. (In addition, the restaurant is located in a slightly odd spot in the Fillmore off the main Fillmore St. drag...) But - good for the casual lunch (and it serves as a superior replacement for the extinct Zao Noodles that used to be in the same general area.)
I've been eagerly anticipating the opening of the newest OTD.
Yay!
I've been twice now and have been happy with both visits.
The first was a take-out affair. It was great and ready within a reasonable amount of time.
The second was a little brunch and I loved it. My girlfriend and I had beef pho, imperial rolls and green papaya salad (standard fare I know, but it's always so great). We ended with some Vietnamese coffee and beignets. Awesome. I wouldn't want to start with it but, I loved ending with it.
I will absolutely be back and I plan on doing that often.
Delicious, unique, tasty dishes that surprise every time. Don't go here for Cheesecake Factory portions, but rather for interesting small items that impress the palate. Everything we had was good.
I agree with the other Yelpers when it comes to the acoustics of the space. GIRL, IT BE LOUD UP IN HERE!! Be ready to shout cause it gets noisy with a crowded house, which it usually is at OTD.
I wanted to like this place. I wanted to really like this place. Especially with all the mediocre reviews.
But, I don't.
It's a waste of time and money.
The fresh shrimp rolls were..too chewy.
The pork meatballs were...too small.
The duck was...dry and tasted waaaaaaaaay too bacon-y. It was gross. We sent it back.
The good? The $16 wine, the tofu dish, and the green beans. Yum, but still not worth the price...sad day. And just 1 block from me :(
2 friends and I went for dinner on a Thursday night and the place was to near capacity. One note of warning in that the acoustics in the place is awful. We walked out of there with our ears ringing and still SHOUTING at each other 30 minutes afterwards b/c it took so long for our hearing to go back to normal.
That being said, we did enjoy the Brussels sprouts, chicken in clay pot, chard, and tofu dishes we ordered. The menu was clean and unpretentious, though I was hoping for more of the Vietnamese inspired flavors in the options.
Probably a better place for lunch when the prices are lower and when you're dining alone at night so that you don't have to shout your head off to be heard.
Service was much better, in that it was prompt.
This restaurant is in a nice location and is beautifully decorated, but there are issues.
* The service. Waited fifteen minutes before anyone said anything to us. Then another half hour for any food to arrive. Our orders were completely messed up. Seems like it's a norm at this restaurant rather than an exception.
* The food is not as good as it is at Slanted Door. The only dish I liked was the crab with cellophane noodles.
The meal at OTD had both its high and low points. I'll start with the positive. The space at OTD is very sleek and modern...in other words, just my style. There were some definite hits during the meal, namely the braised pork - mouthwateringly good! I also really enjoyed the Thai basil ice cream...I always get excited when a restaurant offers a more unconventional ice cream flavor, and this was deee-licious!
However, I had high expectations for this restaurant and the overall experience fell kind of flat. First off, the service was spotty - the waitress came by pretty much immediately after I sat down (my friend was patiently waiting for me) to take our order, and of course we weren't ready, so she said she would come back. It was definitely a while before she returned to take our order. My friend also had to follow up several times to determine the whereabouts of her second glass of wine.
In addition, the rest of the dishes were just ok, in my book. The pork meatballs were probably my least favorite: the vermicelli that they were paired with was sitting on the plate in a cold blob and didn't have the best texture. The brussel sprouts and mussels were both good, but not over the top amazing, which we expected based on recommendations we had gotten for what to order.
The bottom line: I won't be rushing out the door to eat at OTD for dinner again, but I am admittedly intrigued by the breakfast so plan to give that a whirl.
I really wanted to like OTD, especially this new location because 1) it's close to my apartment and 2) I LOVE Slanted Door and pretty much anything Charles Phan does. Perhaps my expectations were too high, perhaps the place just needs more time to get things in order but I was very disappointed w/ my experience.
It was late Sunday night so I decided to order take-out. Not having seen their menu, I went off my memory and ordered my go-to dishes: Vietnamese spring rolls and cellophane noodles w/ crab. I was told by the waitress that they didn't have the cellophane noodles, which was a surprise since it's one of their signature dishes that is available at all of their restaurants. I asked what other noodle dishes they had, she said they don't offer ANY noodle dishes on the menu. So, I took her suggestion and ordered the grilled pepper appetizer dish instead. All is good until I got there.
As I wait for them to pack up the food, I scanned the menu quickly only to see the cellophane noodle dish (along with THREE other noodle dishes)! The waitress was clearly clueless! Once I pointed out they do have cellophane noodles, she offered to place the order (and charged me for it later). Fine - not a big deal. What really did it was the poor quality of the food that night. The grilled peppers (waitress recommendation) were too salty and boring (the take-out box had about 50 of these peppers with nothing else to go w/ them), the noodles (which I usually love) were way too oily. The only good thing I ate that night were the spring rolls. It was a rather expensive $40 dinner that left more to be desired.
Ordinarily this chain of San Francisco restaurants is top notch - but this latest attempt at repeating the Ferry Building/SF Centre success is poorly lacking. Here's why:
1. Seating: "Please wait for a table" then "There are no tables available tonight." "You can sit anywhere at the bar" then "You can't sit at that part of the bar."
2. Service: We sat down at 7:00p and ordered at 7:15p. Our appetizer came at 8:15 and entrees at 8:30p. And what time did the first bus boy come up to clear our plates? 8:45p. Seriously dude, can I set my fork down first? And when we inquired about our order around 7:45p, they comped a rice cake. Great, thanks for the free $4 side dish.
3. Food: I waited an hour for a small portioned mediocre attempt at what usually is delicious at the Ferry Building? Flavorless, cold and obviously rushed. The one star is because at least it was edible.
I'm game for a great restaurant treating you poorly, but a terrible restaurant treating you horribly is just unconscionable. Save yourself the disappointment if looking for grub on Fillmore and stop in Woodhouse.
Went here for a Sunday brunch recently and sat at the noodle bar/chef counter. The food was amazing from beginning to end. I am a big boy so I ordered lots of food, beignets, 5 spice duck noodle soup, soft scrambled eggs with a miniature housemade baguette, braised beef hash with slow eggs and a couple mimosas. All the plates were a good portion and a value. Remember, they use only the best ingredients from local sources and you can taste the quality in the food.
They also have wine on tap ranging from $4 a glass to $16, something for everyone.
My advice: dont listen to the haters and go eat there right now.
Date & Time: Wednesday September 30, 2009 @ 7pm Opening Day
Company: Michael
Crowd: Extraordinary Mr. Charles Phan, Packed w/ Neighborhood Fans in Small Groups & Couples; Gentlemen in Thomas Pink Shirts & Ladies in Margaret O'Leary Cashmere & Riding Outfits
Music: Mix of Al Green & House Music
Atmosphere: Social
Decor: Sleek, Modern Space. Communal Table, Dual Counter-Seating on TB Barstools in Brushed Aluminum & Bench Seating w/ Marble Tables for Deux & Quatre
Service: Young Attractive Professional in Head to Toe OTD Noir Attire
Imbibe: Beer(One in Particular Priced @ $27, Which We Skipped) & Vietnamese Coffee
Devour: Shrimp Spring Rolls, Rock-Shrimp & Pineapple Soup, Sardines, Pork Chop, Quiche & Shredded Pork, Coconut Water Tapioca
Total: $88.98
Was lucky enough to attend a sneak preview of OTD Bush this morning, and I feel great - nothing like a Vietnamese coffee to get you buzzing, right?
Charles Phan's newest location in Pac Heights is equipped with everything you've come to expect from an Out the Door: Sleek and simple decór, top-notch service, and inspired food with an affordable pricetag.
...But it also offers something completely new: brunch. Items like airy beignets, smoked salmon with tangy whole-seed brown mustard, and soft eggs with soy sauce make this a unique and, most importantly, yummy spot to start the day.
Looking forward to trying the breakfast porridge next time!
Is it possible to install a "comped" counter on this review page? Not good. Not good at all
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I have not yelped in over a year, so we have something special here. Sixty-plus minutes I waited for flavorless eggplant and rice. Vermicelli? Brown rice? Neither are on the menu, a half-ass list of disjointed components as overpriced as the food is unsatisfying as the wine is under-poured as the service is aggressive as the kitchen is listless as the management is out to lunch.
The building is beautiful, but there's really nothing else good going on here.
My first impression when walking in is that it was a bit noisy and smokey in the restaurant.
We had a 7p reservation and were seated by 7:20p or so.
We had the cellophane noodles which had a great flavor but I would have liked a little more crab.
We had the bok choy which I enjoyed.
We also had the duck which was good.
The servers and GM are super nice and they comped our thai basil ice cream which was nice.
We had two glasses of reisling which were great.
The total was $87 which was a bit high for a more "casual" Slanted Door experience.
Chucky was too busy with that Dog place...unheavenly and did not successfully inseminate until tonight's birth...Sept. 29, 2009 Tuesday.
Chucky gotta pay da mortgage on da place, so prices are super inflated compared to cost of labor and food.
Parking SUCKS...looks good...same Phan stuff. BUT he OWNS the building...NO outside seating, but BUSH is like a Freeway anyway...H
Try it out before the secret gets YELPeeed
Breakfast options are mainly chicken, beef pho, coconut buns, pork buns, etc. Weekend brunch egg options. Chinese jook with pork.
Throughout the day you can get the lemonade or fresh squeezed orange juice, tea pot options or strong coffee.
Vegetable options.
Lunch: similar
Dinner: LOOOVE the fried tofu, mushroom, green onions and vinegared sauce!!! LOOOVE it!!! $7
Dessert: Tapioca beads with coconut SORBET and toasted coconut shaving!!!! YUM $6
You can now make reservations on OPEN TABLE too! It is basically busy with NEIGHBORHOOD people that don't make the parking thing an issue.
But if you are on a budget: go to Little SAIGON, you know, on LARKIN street. You are paying haole prices for Viet/Sino cuisine in a sleek environment with an ok wine menu.
Overall impressions: good food, struggling service, makes that joke about soft openings in Oceans 13 more relevant.
My group of four went during the "soft opening" for this restaurant and while there are some good things going on, I am going to have to see if the "hard" or "conclusive opening" fixes some stuff before I give this more than three stars.
The food is pret-ty choice. We got the rice cakes which were fantastic, fried spring rolls, the steak bavette, halibut, and the claypot chicken, and all of them were received well. The chicken was considered by two people to be the best dish, while Molly came down in favor of the halibut. Everything was a little spicy, which was fun.
The service and decor need some big time work though. The benches are made of some sort of metal that never warms up - apparently, cushions are coming but weren't there when we ate. Our server also wasn't totally sure about some of the dishes on the menu, which again may be corrected by the time the soft hard final opening comes around. Or whatever.
One fun thing - all of our beers came in wine glasses. A little quirky, probably wont happen again, but I thought it gave the evening a touch of class.
Gourmet/Semi-Gourmet Vietnamese food seems like one of the biggest oxymorons in existence. I'd rather have a big bowl of pho on Clement Street or a vermicelli bowl from Cordon Bleu.
Overall, my experience here was ok. My boyfriend I were seated at the bar and were entertained by the cooks in the kitchen. The food was not very tasty but the service exceeded my expectation. We were not in a rush that night, but the server was very apologetic about the backup in the kitchen. To be honest, we hardly noticed, but we scored a complimentary vegetable dish and dessert. Is it bad that I don't even remember what we ate? Enough said...
The food is quite good, service is friendly but unpolished and the prices will leave you feeling like you've just been robbed.
We had the cellophane noodles w/crab, 5-spice chicken and bok choy. The taste on all three dishes were spot on, but the portions were so small I thought we had ordered from the children's menu. Also, the flavors were predominantly Chinese and not Vietnamese.
We had a friendly waiter, but I felt a bit rushed through the meal.
This would have been a 5-star find at half the price.
We've been fans of the Slanted Door and the other Out the Door locations so went to Bush St. to give it a shot. Now this review is on take out because we were told that there was a 30 minute wait but being impatient that evening we opted for take out. Turns out the wait would have been 10 minutes...oh well, next time.
We really, really liked the beef bavette.
We were really, really disappointed with the green papaya salad. There was hardly any papaya just a lot of fillers (cucumber, carrots, and celery-the celery was so overpowering).
Service is still being worked out. Everyone was very friendly but it seemed like they were all running around like chickens with their heads cut off!
Portions are tiny.
After reviewing OTD yesterday, and an email to the manager, I must say the response from management was swift and sincere. Still, I've experienced much better. OTD Westfield's mall will still be my choice or, of course, the mother ship, Slanted Door. Food is fine..just the service is horrifically, horribly, horrid.
As we really enjoy both Slanted Door and Out the Door Downtown, we were excited to try OTD on Bush.… Read more »
I've dined here about five times now as it's located near my work. It's been consistenly busy each time, although we've always gotten a table (or seat at the common table or bar) fairly quickly. Waitstaff has gotten increasingly better the longer this location has been open. For any slip-up, waiters are apologetic and will eagerly compensate. OTD has incredible soups. The Pho and Wonton Soup are amazing. Definitely a favorite lunch spot.
Ok-ish....really small portions, rocky service.
Stopped by for dinner at the counter. Took 15 minutes for anyone to take my order ( crab with cellophane noodles ($16)). I think there was a busboy screw-up, as the guy next to me at the counter came in 10 minutes after me, and got a salad AND a crab with cellophane noodles before I got my noodlels. The waitress comped my glass of wine (unasked).
The noodles with crab itself was very good, though a teensy potion for $16. No veggies, no extras---just $16 for a salad sized plate of noodles with bits of crab.
I am hungry as I type this review. Definitely a place for a starter AND a main.
I was shocked when I came to review this restaurant and saw how low some of its rating were. I went for lunch here last Friday. I sat at the bar and had a wonderful time. The bartender was extremely helpful and she let me taste a couple of wines before I found something I really liked (I ended up going with the $4 wine on tap--Sauvignon blanc I think? Per her suggestion, and it was delicious!).
The restaurant was packed when I arrived, but everything seemed to run smoothly. I ordered the spring rolls to start (it was between the rolls and the papaya salad--such a hard decision to make!) and I also ordered some dikon rice cakes. Then I ordered the Char for my entree.
I've had the spring rolls at Slanted Door before and I absolutely love them there and I must say they are fantastic here too! The sauce on the dikon was super tasty (I almost asked for another order). The char was cooked perfectly and I really liked the greens that came with it. I didn't have any room for dessert, but I ended my meal with a hot Vietnamese coffee and a coconut bun. The staff was extremely attentive and friendly and I didn't feel rushed at all.
The only downside was the acoustics. It was so loud! I feel if I came here with other people we'd have to yell just so we could hear one another. And it was a bit chilly too (not sure if it was the air-conditioning?)
I am greatly looking forward to coming back for dinner and breakfast. I also hope I have enough room to have some dessert next time!
I think great restaurants get reviewed much harsher than average restaurants. If you think of the restaurants in the Pac Hts neighborhood and you think of "good/great" ones the top ones I think of are: SPQR, Dosa, Florio, Fresca, Delfina, and now Out The Door. It is definitely a great restaurant to add to the neighborhood. And as the little sister to The Slanted Door you get yummy food for a reasonable price (not cheap, but good "bang for your buck" if you will).
Ambiance is very important to me, as an architect. I love the vibe and I love the communal tall table at the front . I sat at the marble bar when my friend and I met there for dinner within the first 2 wks of it's opening; which is a fun experience.
I was surprised and impressed by the size of the summer rolls (thinking that as an appetizer they would be skimpy); but even sharing those I was full and we hadn't even received our entree yet! We ordered the crab noodles (a specialty that is also served at The Slanted Door). And they were simple but delicious. We also ordered the chard, which was another simple but yummy flavor really showcasing the vegetable.
The bar tender was very helpful in helping each of us get the glass of wine that we were looking for and gave EACH of us several samples of other wines before we each selected a glass.
Will I go back? Definitely. Have I recommended it? To several people.
I am glad to have them in the neighborhood and hope more people go show their support so we can KEEP them in the neighborhood!
I thought it was pretty good. Although I am a big eater and the food didn't have as much food as I would have liked. The best part was the wine ON TAP! I had a great glass of wine for only $4 bucks!!! I had the crab with noodles was great! Not enough crab though, but still great tasting. Our service was good, everything came on time and no screw ups. Although we did go at 9:15 on a Tuesday night.
I'll be eager to come back here once only after they've gotten the opening kinks worked out.
The Good:
- Cellophane noodles with Crab, a great carryover from Slanted Door.
- Pacific Heights location: we need more restaurants like this in the neighborhood.
- The decor: for the most part the decor is modern and trendy, although in my opinion the pine wall looked lame.
- The pepper appetizer was amazing.
The Bad:
- The menu is very limited. There weren't many dishes that I wanted to try.
- They don't have the duck from the other OTD locations, which is by far and away my favorite.
- The pork dish is terrible. It's served at room temperature, lacks flavor, and has a soggy texture. Seriously, what were they thinking?
- The service is pretty bad. I ordered a glass of wine with my meal and didn't get it until I was almost done eating. And they forgot to bring on of our appetizers (however the did give us a free glass of wine as an apology).
- The corkage is $25. It is only $10 at the downtown location.
- The wines by the glass are pretty boring, and a bit prescriptive.
CHILLING EXPERIENCE
I made a reservation on open table, while driving down the Fillmore with my girlfriend we joked about how cold it would be to sit outside and eat dinner observing others brave the elements, little did we know what was ahead of us. We arrived and were told we could sit at a counter, looked very unappealing, agreed with the hostess we could go for a walk and come back in 10 minutes as there was nowhere to wait.
Returned and were seated at a lovely table, liked the marble top, my girlfriend is 5'2 and sat on the aluminum bench, her feet could not reach the floor, she was cold so we swapped, I sat there we never removed our coats it was so cold the ac was gusting out at our table, I got a fleece from car to use as a pad, our server was attentive and told us she was too cold too.
We had the imperial rolls and mushroom rice cakes for appetizers, followed by the beef bavette and eggplant, the beef was a small portion (7 pieces), we both had the chocolate to appease our poor disposition. Coffee was average; table wear is not in sync looks like they bought it at a close out sale of catering supplier. I Spoke to the manager and gave her feedback, she did not apologize, just spoke of difficulties, no allowance made on the bill for our poor experience, this is just poor etiquette.
So much is wrong with this place, it could be great, its a shame, we both eat in the other 2 restaurants regularly. I believe the leadership needs to step up and make swift changes or this very serious neighbor hood will punish OTD.
went for dinner-- left feeling ripped
where was the f**in crab in the noodles?
slanted door rock though
I have always wanted to go to Slanted Door. Colonial cuisine (French fusions, British fusions etc) is my favorite. So when the more affordable OTD opened, I rallied my friends together to go get a meal. When I entered, I was surprised at the layout and ambiance. I am very particular about lighting (partially because of sensitive eyes, partially because I am aesthetically focused) and the lighting was too bright. It felt like I was in a food court, very echo-y, loud and a bit crammed. I ended up leaving without eating there because for 20 dollars a plate (food looked great, but small portions) I need my sexy lighting. Call me crazy, but going out to dinner is not about only the food, but the experience. I would not go on a date here, or rather a first date.
strange how fillmore has become the designated area for bearing local chains. i can walk from my place on van ness, so i'll take the copies of delfina pizzeria, dosa, and more. especially out the door because i'd sure rather eat here than in the basement of a mall or have to elbow throngs at the ferry building! and as far as i know, they don't serve breakfast or brunch at either of the other locations*. i'm a eat-at-the-bar kind of gal and like the other slanted/out the door locations and heavens dog, there is ample opportunity here.
it's sure to do well, so really i'm writing this review because everyone i met was super friendly, very eager to perfect the new offerings, and excited about the newness of it all and well, that kind of thing rubs off on me.
actually, that's a lie. i have a twin and i hate it when people think that just because they've met my twin they know me. explore the differences. and be excited - just because it looks the same doesn't mean it is!
*we just went for beignets and vietnamese coffee this morning before work.
Great modern look, replete with galvanized bar stools, walnut armed eames-like chairs in orange and black upholstery, requisite pinpoint track lighting, custom sized raw steel benches and the wall tacked with what looks like an unfinished hardwood flooring.
The food is tasty. The iced coffee is neither as strong or as sweet as the kind of cafe sua that's served at other Vietnamese cafes. The beignets were basically Chinese donuts with powdered sugar strewn atop them, no dipping sauce or filling are to be found. Unfortunately, I tainted my chicken pho broth with Sriracha sauce before actually sampling it. I can at least tell you it smelled good. The porridge was a delightful consistency, the rau rum (akin to cilantro) brings a much needed zing to the mix. Both bowls, $8 and $7 respectively use the same super white strips of succulent chicken.
The portion size is Asian. Can you say "under-size me"? It's good for people looking to eat six small meals a day.
I may have been wrong.
The food was much better, the service was good ...."and the wine was delicious."
Suggestion:
They need to shitcan everyone in the kitchen except for the little guy using the woks. I…
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Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Vietnamese
San Francisco, CA
Category: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Union Square
Category: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Korean
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Korean
