Triumph Cafe
Categories: Coffee & Tea, Vietnamese [Edit]
3808 Spicewood Springs RdSte 104
Austin, TX 78759 (512) 343-1875
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Free
- Good for: Lunch
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
45 Reviews for Triumph Cafe
The Bo Luc Lac (Sizzling Pepper Beef) was good. Thai Tea was a large glass but it tasted like liquified cake frosting...nothing like Thai tea. The cans of Bambo O Cafe coffee for home are pretty gross. Everyone including my Vietnamese mom hated it.
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My husband is swamped with work and really needed to catch up this weekend. Since I could use a little catch-up myself, we decided to hit a coffee place with free wifi which was out of our neighborhood, just for a change of scenery. We landed at Triumph. What an interesting place!
The patio outside is beautiful. If it was only 20ยบ cooler outside, we'd be outside for sure. Inside was just "ok." The folks working here were very nice. It was "fairly" clean, though we were here at off hours so it wasn't really crowded. It had a bit of a restaurant/convenience store feel to me, with the constant hum of the drink machine. There was only one outlet that I could see.
I had an iced "tiger spiced" chai tea which was yummy. We did not eat here. I don't know if this was the best place to work, but I'd consider coming back in November when the temps dip just a tad. They also had an interesting selection of handleless ceramic mugs for sale, as well as coffee, teas and other assorted international trinkets.
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Where do you go when you need a zen clock, a fancy necktie, a set of sushi plates, a smoothie, and some Vietnamese food? Triumph Cafe, of course!
This place has what seems to me to be a rather random collection of both gifts and food. Personally, I don't think breakfast tacos should ever be served from the same kitchen as pho. It's just wrong. And, frankly, my experience of the Vietnamese food here proves that theory correct. It isn't that great. It's not really bad, but it's definitely below average, in my opinion. For example, on a recent visit, my shrimp and pork vermicelli was too saucey. There was only one sprig of cilantro in it, and the only other green stuff in the bowl was iceberg lettuce. Worse still, the prices are above average for Vietnamese food. For example, a bowl of vermicelli runs around $7. A single spring roll costs $1.60. And some of the entrees run as much as $12.
However, there's one thing about Triumph which will probably keep me coming back, and that's the fact that they are, to my knowledge, the only Vietnamese restaurant in Austin that has a dog-friendly patio. I like to take my co-dependent four-legged kid with me whenever I can, so this is a huge plus for me. And the patio is really nice, too - large, tranquil, and it has a lovely little koi pond in the middle of it (it's VERY dark in the evening, though, so if you have any desire to actually see your food, don't sit out there).
In short, if the only creatures in your group are of the two-legged variety, then there are many, many, many other places in Austin that serve better Vietnamese food. But if you've got a four-legged friend in tow, Triumph may be a winner in your book.
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On my first day of work they took me out for a welcome lunch and we ended up at the Triumph Cafe. What luck. This place is delicious. I ordered the Sizzling Pepper Beef, which I thought was just a name, but the dish came out full on sizzling in a cast iron skillet. The beef was awesome, the rice was perfect, the spring rolls were delicious. They also have a killer back patio to eat on covered in greenery. Its a really chill place for an evening meal; its surprisingly uncrowded on weeknights.
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Cozy and cute patio area - very nice at night.
That's it folks .... the food is not that great, they have fiddle players with country music inside and awful drinks.
I'm out.
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The triumph is pretty cool. The viet food is alright and super fast. It's cozy. They even sometimes have some quiet live music in the corner. They sell a bunch of cool little gifty things as well... teacups, little figurines, teas.
Then there's the name.
- I'm kinda confused why it's called "triumph" cause I mean, it's not like it's designed around a World-Heavyweight-Champion-of-The-World theme, after the motorcycle brand of the same name, nor re: the band of the same name [S IT FATE, OR RANDOM CHANCE, HOW CAN I SURVIVE?? ARE WE VICTIMS OF CIRCUMSTANCE, WHEN DESTINIES COLLIDE???? SOMEBODY'S OUT THERE SOMEWHERE, WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO COME THEEIRRE WAAY]
- It's in a sorta mildly upscale looking strip mall just before where Spicewood Springs divides into the north & southbound roads. Is that triumphant?
- And again... it's not like the thing was built precariously into the side of a mountain a few miles up.
If there were 3.5 stars I think I'd give that to the Triumph. Fast, reasonably friendly, alright. Nothing that says "HELLLLLL YEAH! VIETNAMESE FOOD!" when it comes to the overall flavor, imho, tho.
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Damned Austin allergies! Every year I hope the pollen will bypass me and I can avoid the sneezes, runny nose and scratchy sore throat. But not this year...
I find eating healthy and soothing my throat with warm soups helps the most. The tofu vegetable Pho at Triumph was the perfect find. The broth wasn't quite as flavorful as some of the more authentic pho joints, but the abundance of veggies was a welcome surprise. Broccoli, snow peas, carrots, cauliflower, bok choy, celery... it was like a bowl full of steamin' hot vitamins!
Add a lovely outdoor patio seat and an Allegra and you may forget about your allergies for a while.
AhhhCHOO!!!
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This place is a decent quick lunch. My office loves this place. I think the food overall is good. But it is definatly not spectacular. The one dish that I really like is the BoLucLac--for shaken beef. It's really the best in Austin I've found. It's seared beef morsels served on a bed of lettuce and tomato w/ a side of lemon/salt/pepper dipping sauce. The beef quality is excellent and always tender. Even the most picky eaters have absolutely LOVED this dish and now crave it. The patio is nice. The noodles decent. Lunch is booming. Dinner is less crowded.
It was destiny that placed my office just down the street from Triumph Cafe--and for that I will be forever grateful. If you order a bowl of vermicelli, be warned that the large is LARGE, but more is better in this case. The broth is not too spicy, not too bland, and you get a ton of bean sprouts, lime and lemongrass to go along with your order. The rice dishes are great too; very tasty and not greasy or nasty feeling. This is also the BEST place for an order of eggrolls--I'll sometimes get just an order of eggrolls to go on my way home. There's also lots of beverage choices, to include Italian sodas and coffee drinks. Need a lucky cat? Fake sleeping puppy? They've got all kinds of weird stuff to buy, should you be in need. The patio is nice too. Great place for lunch!
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Ok, so there's nothing special per se about this place on the inside, but in the context of the "normal" Vietnamese places, the soup and rice dishes are so good. The prices are very reasonable too.
We're from the San Jose area, so we're used to Vietnamese restaurants and Triumph had far better flavor than most we've been to in California.
There's a great outside eating area out back but this can be a real mosquito magnet, so be forewarned! Normally they don't bit me, but just being out there for five minutes got me bitten three times. No way could I last through dinner!
The only weird thing is the two way road turning into a one way loop road. Be careful at night, and be prepared for someone to go the wrong way. LOL
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One-stop shopping/dining. Finally a place where I can buy a stone that says, "World's Greatest Lover," one of those stuffed animal kittens or puppies that look like they're breathing (some say cute, I say scary as Hell) AND order some Vietnamese food!
I tried the Lemongrass Beef and Curry Chicken. The beef dish had a nice lemongrass flavor, but was a little too sweet and the beef did not taste fresh. It tasted like leftover meat heated up in the microwave. The Curry Chicken was much better. Besides a nice sized menu, Triumph has random gifts: Moleskine books, cute mugs and tea cups, dishes, ties, and more.
I plan on returning to try out other menu items and enjoy the patio. Holding my breath until someone buys me "World's Greatest Lover" stone.
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Triumph Cafe was one of the first restaurants I ever went to in Austin. My landlord wanted to meet there in January '99 when I moved here to sign the lease. At the time, I thought it was the most hilarious place I had ever been to. Where else serves breakfast tacos, vietnamese food, random asian gifts, coffee by the pound, and handpainted silk ties? If you know of such a place, please let me know, but that combo on its own means there is something for everyone. At least if you are on the market for handpainted silk ties.
I went here for lunch about once a week from 2001 to 2004, and since then only a few times a year since my jobs have been much further south. I went again today for lunch, and this reinforced my basic thesis about this place: very consistent, no-nonsense vermicelli bowls.
I'm not a pho person, but don't really recommend the pho here based on all my coworkers who do love pho preferring other pho places. Triumph cafe, IMO, is a vermicelli bowl place. I love their chicken curry vermicelli bowl, and despite the lack of mint and pork, also enjoy their shrimp spring rolls.
Triumph's vermicelli bowls are very "clean" -- you get a bowl with lettuce and sprouts at the bottom, and then well-drained boiled vermicelli on top, then the meat and sauce. Unlike a place like Kim Phung, the noodles are not greasy or fried together with the meat.
This review pretty much only applies to the chicken curry vermicelli, the chicken garlic vermicelli, and the chicken w/ lemongrass vermicelli, because that's all I order there, and since they introduced the curry in about 2003 that's literally all I've ordered. If you like non-stir-fried vermicelli bowls, I think this is a great option.
Tends to be a lot busier at lunch than dinner, and for dinner is good only if you like a super casual dinner that feels like lunch. Or are in the market for a handpainted silk tie over dinner.
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Wonderful little cafe on the corner of a small strip center in northwest hills. Triumph Cafe serves up some great coffee, chai, Pho, noodle dishes, spicy foods, and breakfast tacos. They truly have some of the best breakfast tacos I have ever eaten. Huge and filled with fresh ingredients. Very busy during the noon hour though so plan accordingly. On weekends there might be a solo performer strumming and singing. I love the spicy (bring ice and a fan) chili shrimp and the curry chicken with vegetables. The Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk is delicious and is part of weekly my coffee rotation! Careful though because the buzz will last about 12 hours.
In the spring and early summer, the outdoor garden is alive with wonderful flowers, greenery, fireflies, birds, bees, butterflies and squirrels. Once while enjoying the garden, I observed an animal of sorts crawling up from he creek that runs behind the property--a nutria or something. Yes, you can find lots of wildlife here too!
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Let me begin by mentioning that this was both our 'spur-of-the-moment' and, might I add, incredibly stubborn decision later on. It was getting close to 9 on a Friday night and my friend V and I still couldn't agree on a new place to try.
V: NO Mexican. We always end up Mexican.
Me: At the end of the day I end up 50% Mexican. Ha.
V: *starving and irritable, shoots a look dripping with disdain*
Me: Sorry. Sooo no Azul Tequila?
V: *flares notrils, steam emerges*
Me: Ok, ok, I was trippin, jeez! I'm just aching for a beer, alright? Look, I've got a ton of bookmarks. I'll scroll and you choose anything that jumps out at you, yeah?
V: What about Le Soleil? They have BYOB.
Me: *blatantly cringes at the idea of bringing a six pack just for myself* Ooh Triumph Cafe! Fabled back patio, its so-so on the authenticity, but ambiance cures all wounds, right?
And so we head north on Mopac towards Spicewood Springs. It becomes more and more noticeable there are thunder clouds a-threatening as we turn on Spicewood. Oh well. We get in the door with about an hour left before closing, so we order quickly. Still craving beer, I ask the guy behind the register which is his favorite, and he quickly recommends the Kirin Ichiban. Sure, why not? So V and I are now sitting out back by the charming fish pond, the sound of trickling water calming our circuits, and the fresh cool breeze blowing by. For a moment I'm startled at the sight of an owl on their roof overlooking another couple and us, but quickly come to my senses. I bet they do wonders for the grackles. Not.
We start to feel the slightest sensation of raindrops, and move to a corner table beneath a few trees, raising our sai- I mean, umbrella - to cover our backs. Our guy comes out with V's sauteed beef and my lemongrass chicken. V must be the most brutal Vietnamese food critic I know, and immediately she tells me five stars: it was her favorite comfort food as a child and so: triumphant were the cooks here. Thanks Michelle!
Every now and then the owner comes to the back window and cups his hands to the glass to peer out. We think he's over-considerate about the other couple and us being out there with the rain, so we wave it off as a nicety. Other-Couple is still out here, so we can handle it. No biggie. Along with V, I'm also singing in the rain...about my lemongrass chicken and Kirin. However, our tune quickly transforms into shrieks of panick when the wind begins to blow the rain into our beloved dishes - and our faces.
V: Where did the other couple go?
Me: Err...
V: They left! And the rain's getting in our food...
Me: Mmyeah... *back drenched* wanna head inside?
V: *calmly* Yeah.
We're each about half-way finished with our dishes, so we flip her beef on top of my chicken, encasing the food in a two-plate shell. We cap our rice with the small bowls they came under, and I grab my Kirin and the empty mug our guy brought me.
Me: You ready?
V: Yeah, run for it!!
*Paw at door handle for a second until realizing it's now locked*
Me & V: Nooooo... [fades into darkness].
Me: NUH-UH: no rain in MY chicken!! *Pounds the base of the glass mug on the door. Nothing. Pounds twice...thrice...quatrice...*
Me: GNAAAAAAHHHH!
After what seems like a few REM cycles of standing in a rainforest during hurricane season, the manager comes running to the door, unlocks it and whisks us inside. In the whirlwind of sincere apologies coming from both parties, they quickly take our carefully constructed shell of plates and my half-finished Kirin, replacing them with fresh towels. In our over-stimulation of sensations, we take the towels and dry off, feeling terrible for dripping all over their just-mopped floors. Once V and decide we're dry enough not to muck up their chairs, we sit down. That's when it hits me: my foood! Gingerly, I walk up to the counter and ask our guy if they still happen to have the half-finished dish and Kirin back there, but his look of sympathy tells me its all over. I begin to say 'Nevermind really, its our fault' but he quickly offers to have one of their cooks whip up another. I tell him since we're just about full there's really no need, but another rice bowl would be nice. He confirms it to the cook and attempts to soothe my loss: 'I'll get you another beer.' Well okay, if you say so.
We are the last customers in the place, apart from the manager's family, who are now getting their umbrellas out to head home. Umbrellas, V! What an after-thought, oh well. We try to finish what we can quickly so not to hold them up any longer - I'm sure its way past their closing time by now. V pulls up the car and I dive in with my take-home rice & Kirin.
And we were half-hoping-half-joking about playing in the rain that night. Wish granted.
[Rating explanation: I love rainstorms and lightning shows]
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Not the best Chinese food, but good.
I had the chicken and fried rice with chicken spring rolls. Nice servings of food and although I was there for their busy lunch time period, i was served quick enough.
The outdoor patio area is great too.
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Ok, this has officially become one of my all-time favorites in Austin. If allergies are bothering you, head over to Triumph for a steaming bowl of Pho (Vietnamese version of chicken noodle soup - or shrimp or beef or whatever protein you want). But be sure to go either early or late at lunchtime, as the line is often out the door and wrapped around the corner. A MUST try: the Pho - I like the white meat chicken. On my visit today, I admired a plate of Curry Chicken Vermicelli - it looked and smelled awesome! This is a very nice cool little cafe with a gift shop area, and various coffees. A nice shaded spacious deck out back. But the food is what rocks.
Update: I think I'm addicted to Triumph's Pho. Last week my friend and I started powerwalking the 4.1 miles around Town Lake (every day!) and in combination with my new healthy exercise, I've been eating healthy. Hence the Pho. 4 times a week. I crave the stuff. Anyway, I digress. Ok, on to the update. I went back to Triumph a few days ago and got the chicken curry vermicelli. Oh man did this dish rock! Not as healthy as the Pho, but a nice departure. Next I'll try the shrimp curry. Did I mention how AWESOME the Pho is?
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Triumph (noun): a notable success. Indeed it was. I've never had Vietnamese food before, so I can't speak to the authenticity of the food preparation, but it sure tasted good.
My friend and I ordered a spring roll ($1.60) Chicken Lemongrass($8), and Pho Tai ($6) for lunch today. We ate about half of what we got; we tried to eat more because it was sooooooo tasty, but we just weren't up to the challenge. They offer extremely generous portions. The chicken lemongrass had a bit of a spicy kick, but the sauce was particularly fresh tasting and light, and the chicken was tender. The broccoli on the side was just barely steamed, which is just how I like it. The soup, which featured noodles, green onions, and beef, came with bean sprouts, jalepenos, lime, and basil on the side so you could add it according to your preference. Maybe that's how pho is always done, but this was my first time, so I found it quite novel.
Because of the temperate weather, we ate on the patio. With plastic chairs and rather worn tables, I don't know if I'd vote it "most romantic," but it did feel tranquil. The landscaping and water feature definitely enhance the outdoor environment.
This is a casual restaurant: you order at the counter, and the food is delivered to your table. It also seemed to be a store. They sell coffee beans, neckties, trinkets, and some creepy stuffed animals that looked a little too real (they were battery powered to look like they were breathing).
I don't know why you'd go here to get a battery operated puppy, but I do recommend you go here to get some lunch.
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My all time favorite neighborhood restaurant. I love the vermicelli with chicken curry. This curry is unlike any you have ever had. I swear it's made up of garlic, carmelized onions, chocolate powder and coffee. The spring rolls are good and so is the pho. It's kid friendly too. I get the grilled pork vemicelli for the little ones or one of the stir fry dishes with white rice and they love it.
Everyone has their own taste, but try their coffee at your risk. I found it awful - bitter.
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This place gets nuts for lunch. Right around 11:55, a line starts to build and, at times, is literally out the door. (Lunch is counter service... not sure about dinner.)
It's an adorable little place in a strip mall, and they even have gift-type stuff for sale (tea stuff, books, etc.) and an awesome selection of coffee. And the people who work here are very friendly. I don't think I've ever heard someone in a business ask "How is your day today?" as sincerely as the man at the register today.
I've had the lemongrass chicken and chicken curry -- both were great. The curry is heavy on the cinnamon, which I thought was pretty delish. They also offer brown rice as an option -- gotta love that.
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There are lots of great reviews of Triumph Cafe's lunch and dinner. What is not as well known is their breakfast.
I used to go to the Taco Shack across the street. One day I got tired of dealing with all the whelps from Anderson High School so I wandered across the street.
Triumph has huge breakfast tacos for about $1.50. These are about 2x the size of your average taco. They also do a great French toast, which you can get with you choice of meats and a eggs.
A couple of reviewers commented on the coffee. They have 3-4 coffees ready in the morning, including a chicory roast. Your mileage may vary, but I recommend the Costa Rican over the chicory.
Triumph Cafe has a great location, and a wonderful backyard patio. The pho is good, and the goi cuon is decent. But the bun (noodle bowls) are not great, and in general it's not one of my favorite Vietnamese places in town. They have some cleanliness (i.e. roach) issues, which puts a damper on my enjoyment.
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Triumph cafe is a great little gem that my friends introduced me to at lunch. As I'm a creature of habit I always order the same thing at Pho restaurants. It gives me a chance to evaluate the same dish at many places and find the things I like and dislike about their version of it. Triumph is just as good as most of the other Pho places I reviewed but in a more modern atmosphere. It has a nice inside eating space as well as a relaxing outdoor patio which is great on nice days. They also have a little store inside where they sell everything from tea to knickknacks. I always enjoy my time here and the food is great. My dish: The Beef Lemongrass Bun, spring rolls.
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In a Pho Bowl: B-
Triumph is terrific as long as you don't eat there. This statement is more complimentary than it sounds. Because there ARE lots of things to do at Triumph besides eat. You can drink their Chai tea and Vietnamese coffee. You can buy pretty gifts from Asia. You can meditate out on the back porch to the sound of the fountain (as long as you first immerse yourself in a vat of bug spray). Most of all, you can eavesdrop on the conversations going on around you.
Patrons: D+/A+ (depends on your intention)
If you're looking for pounds of bull sh*t in a pair of Dockers, go to Triumph. This place attracts the listen-to-how-smart-and-cultured-I-am types. And they're loud! If you go on Saturday the line extends into the parking lot with these self-important blow-hards, and you'll get an earful of their political and ethical platitudes. And that can be entertaining fodder for Yelps and blogs. Or it can be annoying. Take your pick. Conversely, Triumph attracts no Asians because no self-respecting Asian would eat these bland varieties of otherwise decent menu options. For me, the patrons represent the most deplorable breed of Austinites-- the ones who SAY they like Asian food, but actually just like the cute little tea pots and decorative chop sticks.
Food: D
At first I thought it was clever that this place did both breakfast and Asian dishes. But it's all lousy. Don't bother. The worst: the fried rice, the shrimp curry, the chorizo and egg. Not too bad: the shrimp w vegetable vermicelli bowl. I didn't try the desserts, but they looked stale. Most likely they are there for ambiance rather than sustenance. Xenophobe control for the weird patrons. I have hunch something like cakes and pastries in lit display cases would be a source of comfort for these folks.
Outdoor Seating: C
It's absolutely beautiful out there. But you WILL get eaten alive by chiggers. Horrible. From the window it looks like paradise. Once you're out there, though, you'll recognize it for the sojourn into hell that it actually is.
Service: C
The staff is slow and surly. I understand. I'm Italian. It would be like making me work at Mangia. These kids are Vietnamese, and they KNOW the food they are serving sucks. And they stand there and watch as the customers arrive, and then go with their pretty pottery bowls, NEVER KNOWING that the meal they just ate really, really sucked. Given the circumstances, I'm impressed they haven't surrendered themselves to the chiggers.
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We're still eating our way across Austin...
We just arrived yesterday and we've eaten at two Mexican restaurants so far. I have nothing against Mexican food - but I need a little variety. Triumph Cafe came as a suggestion from a list of places to eat from a workshop that I am taking at the Pilates Center of Austin (you can see my review on the studio which I will be adding on to.)
There are many Vietnamese restaurants in Silicon Valley - so we are very familiar with the cuisine. I ordered a bowl of pho with well done brisket. The soup was very flavorful and not over salty. I appreciated the fact that they do not use MSG as a lot of restaurants in our area use it and we avoid those places. The b/f had stir fried pork with green beans. The portion size was very generous and was definitely able to satisfy my b/f's appetite. He also ordered a green salad with chicken - he had to take some of it home as it was more than he could finish.
After dinner, we ventured to the outdoor patio area. The garden area was lit dramatically. If not for the heat, humdity (hey, we're from California! We're not used to the humidity!) and possible bug bites, we could have opted to eat outside. It was dark, but I'm sure that it is very beautiful in the daytime with all the shade trees.
All in all, it was a pleasant experience. Triumph Cafe is comparable to the Vietnamese restaurants we have in the Bay Area.
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I used to go to Triumph for lunch.. but now since i have changed jobs, i go there in the evenings.. Either which way, the restaurant is awesome. The owner is very friendly and also gives good recommendations if you are trying out the place for the first time.
I am sucker for fried rice, and their fried rice is very good. I custom order it and get them to add "curry" to the fried rice.. and it becomes "curry fried rice"- regular fried rice with pizazz. If you do not like "curry' flavor, stay away from it. But if you do like it, please please try it.. I noticed that if the person taking the order hasn't been with the place for a long time, then they get confused with this order (looks like I am the only one ordering it with the curry) but slowly now everybody understands the order easy enough..( this tells me it is catching up..yay!!).
I especially like sitting outside on the patio.. it is very relaxing and it is dog friendly..! I often take my dog with me.
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Wanna kill 4 birds with one stone (not that I'm into killing things... it's an expression... give the boy a break)?
Often I find that I need a new tie, a pound of exotic imported blue mountain coffee, a small glass object to give to mom for mothers day, and... well... I'm hungry.
Triumph is the perfect solution. Trust me when I say that you can kill all these birds (poor feathered creatures... unless they are grackles then they can burn in hell) with one trip to Triumph.
Seriously though... the rice noodle bowls are really tasty, filling, and I don't go into a coma 1.5 hours after eating there. Good stuff... give it a shot!
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Where have you been all my life Triumph? Finally I find a restaurant with good food and an beautiful, peaceful rain forest-like patio atmosphere.. We ordered tonight and then found a table under the dense foliage.. So quiet.. Literally 2 snails had claimed our table before us and I had to encourage them to dine elsewhere.. We tried the Bo Luc Loc, Pork Chili Sauce and a big, tall glass of Soy Milk. You gotta love a place that serves big, tall glasses of Soy Milk. The Pork Chili Sauce was freaking outstanding.. very spicy and tasty. Bo Luc Loc was OK, chunks of beef without too much seasoning... I can forgive a little taste with that atmosphere. Only funny thing. .why do they sell neck ties????
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I like the Triumph Cafe although I will admit that I have been there 10 or 12 times and have always ordered exactly the same thing - Pho with White Chicken. Why venture out when you know what you like? I routinely go there with the same person and he always orders something different (an experimenter, I guess)...I must admit, his dishes were somewhat questionable. So, go. Try the Pho with the White Chicken and have iced water with lemon. It's very, very good.
p.s. I'm taking away one star because I'm a repeat eater there (as in I always order the same thing).
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I have been going to Triumph Cafe for quite some time and agree with Melissa that it seems to be one of Austin's best kept secrets. The strip mall front might throw you off, but don't let it. Behind it is a nice cafe with a wonderful little courtyard. They have wi-fi and a great collection of papers and magazines if you just want to go to hang out for a while.
My favorite is the vermicelli bowl. They have one of the best in town. I haven't counted but I am guessing there are at least 10 varieties of this well balance meal, so I never tire of it. I haven't tried much else, why experiment when you have exactly what you want.
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4 star outdoor view, 3 star food.
Very green outdoor garden. very quiet. You can hear birds chirping and pond water flowing. It's a romantic place.
Bo Luc Lac is a big disappointment. Although they highlighted it on menu, it's over cooked beef. I only like tender medium rare type. Pork dish is good because pork can be well done.
A lot of beverage choices, like soy milk, mint water, Chai, etc.
They also sell different coffee beans.
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This place has great noodle dishes! I also really like the outdoor patio area. It's really green and pretty out there, (but there are also a lot of flies).
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This is another one of Austin's best kept secrets. Easily accessible off of Spicewood Springs, you'll always find a parking space. The food is good and comes out fast, and for such a tiny little strip mall location, this place has an unexpectedly pleasant and undoubtedly romantic patio.
My personal favorite dish is the Lemongrass Tofu, and I rarely stray away from this. However, several of my friends swear by their Pho, and I know their fried rice is quite tasty. Very generous portions, too.
If you can handle the caffeine (believe me, this stuff is potent), then try the Tiger Spice Latte. Hot or cold, it's GOOD stuff.
Also, Triumph an unusually good selection of cafe-like, French desserts -- which is a surprising offering from any Asian food restaurant, but I have to say these desserts are worth the trip. I used to make special trips just to eat their Eclairs, which rather unfortunately, are only available intermittently. I was so visibly disappointed every time they didn't have them, that the manager/owner of the store offered to call me whenever they DID have them -- I pounced on this kind offer.
And you can't talk about Triumph without mentioning the free wireless internet!
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With so many resteraunts out there boasting how thier the best in their genre of foods. It seems hard to find something a little different. And thats exactly what I find when I eat at Triumph cafe.
From the english speaking employees that can adjust and comprehend to your needs as well as fresh made lattes and others mixed coffee drinks. On top of that there was a unique wine list, not some list jamed together with Woodbridge and Yellow tail. The wine list actually fited the cuisine.
I've been coming to Triumph Cafe myself for a while, as a Vietnamese American, borned and raised in Austin, I really feel as though this place has a Austin Feel to it. Outdoor setting, live music sometimes and a local family story to come with it.
Today I had one of there proud curry dishes, every time I proclaimed i wanted something new or different, i was given a statement "our curry is good here", But I was never a big fan of curry so i didn't give it a shot till today. Let me tell you, i never knew curry could taste this great. It has just a hint of spice and alot of flavor. Even my moms curry isn't good like this. ( thats a very bold statement). Although this place wasn't your average mom and pop Vietnamese resteraunt, it didn't have 100% vietnamese foods like fried pork intestines and Clay pot Fish. But for the price, service, and taste it well deserves 4star+ in my book.
The one thing that did kinda disappointed me was the lack of Vietnamese desserts. I don't blame them though, these things have a shelf life of 2-3 days and I doubt it would sell to such a large americanized clintele.
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What a nice suprise to find this place while looking for caffiene options near my new office! I often have to correct my husband to tell them that "cafe" doesn't necessarily mean "coffee shop" but in this case, it does. I came in for their Vietnamese coffee (cafe sua da) and their Vietnamese toast. What a delight! When I was younger, I thought my Grandpa invented this because I never saw it at restaurants, but now I guess I was wrong. It stays true to tradition minus the powdered sugar. I will definitely come back for dinner one time. Hopefully, it all goes well; I will keep you all updated!
UPDATE: I came back for lunch and ordered vermecelli noodles with pork and vietnamese eggrolls (this is one dish) (bun thit nuog cha gio). It was different. The pork, which is traditionally charbroiled, was cooked in a peanut sauce. I've never tasted anything like it. It tasted good, but it was not what I was expecting/craving for. The noodle was too fat. I don't think this is anyone fault who works in the kitchen, it is just the brand. There weren't a lot of veggies. I just saw iceberg lettuce. The egg rolls were too big and undercook. Too big? What I mean is that it is filled with toomuch stuff that isn't the norm.
I would still cruise on over for breakfast, but I am hesitant to try lunch there... perhaps my meal was atypical, though.
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The proprietor of this establishment had the stroke of genius to combine a coffee shop with an Vietnamese food outlet and attach it to an awesome patio. They succeed in each part making the whole much greater than your average shady Asian food restaurant in town, and keep me coming back.
First off when you walk in the door you notice the impressive assortment of teas and coffees available for purchase to take home with you. But you didn't come here to fill your pantry; you came here to fill your stomach with tasty goodness.
Their beverage assortment is quite impressive. I'm particularly fond of their peach iced tea. They also offer more drastic forms of caffeination involving coffee beans and a device that, to quote Dave Barry, "resembles a small nuclear reactor." However, this only serves to delay the colonic uprising that your body threatens if you don't feed it soon, and so you must press on to the food menu.
I must admit, the food menu can be hit or miss on some dishes, but there really are only so many ways to combine vermicelli with grilled meat. I am a particular fan of their spring rolls, which are large, in charge, and obviously made fresh since their rice paper is still soft and not dried out following an extended stay in the refridgerator as found in most restaurants.
As far as entrees go, you must press on beyond the occasional boring, run-of-the-mill dish that you can get at any vietnamese restaurant and order the most exotic, nutritious, and all-around-best item on the menu: The Combo Fried Rice. Fried rice not exotic you say? Well, this fried rice is special. It comes with a combination of meats, such as beef, chicken, shrimp, and pork. It also comes with both peas *and* carrots, and some other food thingies mixed in there. But most importantly of all, it's laced with crack. Ok, it's probably not crack, but there is something special in this fried rice the captivates the mind, body, and taste buds, instantly addicting those that order it. Any restaurant that can captivate my palate in such fashion is definitely worth 5-stars. It's the best fried rice in town, in my opinion, and I'm somewhat of a connoisseur of shady Asian restaurants.
If you're like me and want to make yourself feel better about ordering fried rice, you can have them add veggies for a small extra charge, which helps your body to think that it's actually being nourished while you're busy enjoying the fried bits of happy. And if you dodge the lunch rush your food is usually out a few minutes after you order, hot off the wok. If you can still fathom consuming more, they have an interesting array of chocolate and baked goods to top you off.
The patio is awesome as well making Triumph a great place to get lunch on a nice day. Also, on weekend evenings, you never know what you'll get when you walk into Triumph. Musical groups from every category you can imagine show up here from time to time, and its always something interesting.
So next time you're in dire need of a latte and some fried rice, drop by Triumph. They'll take care of you.
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Okay okay, so this place is really not that unique or particularly interesting in terms of Vietnamese food (it has ye olde vermicelli with grilled meat, fried rice, etc. etc.) but WOW is it great. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night craving their lemongrass chicken, it's that serious! I don't know what they do to their food that makes it stand out from the rest of the Vietnamese restaurants here, but rest assured, their food is always fresh, hot, and perfectly cooked every time I've come here. Cute patio too!
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Theres something at Triumph Cafe thats keeps me coming back for more. When i have Vietnamese friends in town from Htown, i always bring them to Triumph Cafe and there always satisfied.
I've only recently started going Triumph for about a year now, its ont my favorite resteraunt but the overall feel of this places makes me feel welcomed and as though i'm a friend. The difference is when i go to other Vietnamese places i'm stared down like they've never seen a American guy that loves Vietnamese food.
the food at Triumph Cafe holds great texture and variety. I'm not vietnamese but i do know good food. I've almost never been ddisappointed with anyhing i order here. There spring rolls are big and filling,, the surefire bang for the buck. I like how the don't put fatty pork in there rolls. My kids always takes it out at other places. A traditional dish at triumph cafe that always hits the spot for me is the Bo Luc Lac. Its a normal dish you can find at most chinese-vietnamese resteraunts, but theres something in the onions that makes this dish stand out.
If you got a open mind and a hungry stomach and willing to try