Looking Closely at Lotus Grill in Farmington

March 25, 2018March 26, 2018 ~ ctsnapshot ~ Leave a comment

Lotus Grill

B+

979 Farmington Ave, Farmington, CT 06032

Screen Shot 2018-03-25 at 2.55.08 PM Not too long ago, Connecticut had a limited selection of Asian restaurants to choose from other than Chinese and Indian. Even hibachi-style restaurants are a recent phenomenon. Within the past ten years, there have been an explosion of Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese and Korean restaurants on the dining scene. Fusion restaurants have started to gain popularity as well. When Lotus Grill opened in 2009, it was the first of its kind in the Farmington area. In the years since, Lotus Grill gained significant popularity for this reason. We decided to see what the hubbub was about.

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Atmosphere: 8.5/10-Lotus Grill embodies the definition of a hole in the wall. When we stepped inside, we noticed how small the interior was for customers to dine in. While the restaurant is largely a take-out one one, we prefer to eat there being from separate towns. We were charmed by the layout but felt a bit compacted.

Service: 9/10- While there are only a couple of employees on duty, the staff prepares the orders for take out and dining in in a timely fashion. We received our meals within 10-15 minutes of ordering on a busy Saturday night. The customers we saw picking up their food did not have to wait long at all for theirs. They also supply you with chopsticks without asking. At many Asian restaurants in Connecticut, a customer often receives chopsticks upon request only. This deviation from the norm speaks to the Lotus Grill’s authenticity.

Price/Selection: 9/10-Lotus Grill offers a wide variety of Vietnamese cuisine. While they are best known for their pho, they also serve spring rolls, sate, dumplings, crepes, vermicelli, lotus curry and various vegetarian dishes among other options The first time we visited Lotus Grill, we had trouble deciding what to try. The prices are more than reasonable, considering that the most expensive option on the menu is $14.99. Most of the Pho dishes cost around $8 or $9.

Taste: 8.5/10-For our appetizers, we particularly enjoyed the sate, which is a grilled meat on a skewer, and the summer rolls. They had plenty of flavor on their own and didn’t require any additives. We found their fried rice dishes, especially the pork and chicken ones, to be the most delicious and filling because of their massive portions and inclusion of egg, onion, peas and carrots. The pho, though tasty, left a bit to be desired. We received only a few pieces of beef in our rare and cooked beef rice noodle soups.

In a nutshell-35/40-Lotus Grill is a unique offering in the central Connecticut area. As a hole in the wall restaurant, it is quaint but could expand so that more customers from out of town could dine in. If you have never tried Vietnamese cuisine before, we recommend trying them because of the variety and authenticity of their dishes.

Venturing to Pho Viet in Newington

December 31, 2014January 4, 2015 ~ ctsnapshot ~ Leave a comment

We’ve placed some entries on the back burner in 2014 to attend to life’s rigor and routine. But alas, here they are! Back in July, we visited Pho Viet, Newington’s first Vietnamese restaurant out of curiosity and our love for Vietnamese cuisine. Personally, I fell in love with Vietnamese cuisine back in college when I visited a cute, hole in the wall restaurant in Farmington. The fresh meats and vegetables lifted my taste buds to a level of flavor they had not experienced before. In the coming years, I visited other Vietnamese restaurants with Christina, but none quite compared. I wondered if Pho Viet could capture my heart and hers in the same fashion.

Pho Viet

Location: 36 Fenn Road, Newington, CT 06111

Website Menu Facebook

Atmosphere: 10/10-The word “beautiful” isn’t one we use lightly, especially when it comes to describing the atmosphere of a restaurant, but it perfectly describes the interior of Pho Viet. We’re not using the word in a conventional sense either, but in terms of owners’ craftsmanship. Most restaurants owners will go through the trouble of decorating their restaurant by utilizing the wall space with pictures and signs, but few care to paint the interior in a way that is truly artistic. The brightly colored walls of Pho Viet remind visitors how deeply the owners care about how their restaurant looks and inviting visitors to experience their culture.

Service: 9.5/10-Knowing how much the owners care about the ambiance of the restaurant, we expected the service to be equally great and we were not disappointed. Pho Viet offers the option of dining in or ordering out. As such, the staff members are always busy attending to multiple different tasks. While it’s commonplace for restaurants to face these challenges, Pho Viet has the edge in that most of the staff members are related. The familial bond makes it easier for them to work as a team and satisfy customers.

Price/Selection: 9/10-Pho Viet offers great prices in terms of its entrees and appetizers. Neither the appetizers nor the entrees exceed $12, giving this restaurant a competitive edge when comparing it to other Vietnamese restaurants across the state. Pho Viet offers a limited number of menu items and this works both to their advantage and disadvantage. Having a limited number of items makes it easier for customers to choose, especially those who have never tried Pho before. It is also an indication that the staff specializes in creating these items. A limited number of vegetarian items, on the other hand, could leave some customers wanting more.

Taste: 9/10-Pho Viet’s pho proved to be the most satisfying item on its menu. The restaurant offers a number of unique items such as crispy spring rolls, rice vermicelli and Vietnamese rice dishes and soups, but none proved more delicious than the pho. Pho is a traditional Vietnamese soup consisting of rice noodles, basil, bean sprouts, lime and cilantro in a seasoned beef or chicken broth. We recommend trying the Pho Ga (rice noodles with chicken) or for those more daring, the Bun Bo Hue, a spicy beef soup with Hue style vermicelli.

In a nutshell: 37.5/40-Pho Viet created a totally new experience from the Vietnamese restaurant we dined at in Farmington long ago. It reminded us that no matter how many of the same types of restaurants exist across the state with similar sounding names, it is still worth it to stop by one at your own convenience. You never know when you’re going to be surprised by the owners’ craftsmanship, competitively low prices or quality service that can only come from a true familial bond.

Saigon City in Old Saybrook: Vietnamese with An Artistic Attitude

September 17, 2012January 4, 2015 ~ ctsnapshot ~ 1 Comment

Old Saybrook is a small, seaside town in Middlesex County. It’s also one of the oldest towns in Connecticut with roots that date back to 1624! A New York Times review of Saigon City, a quaint Vietnamese restaurant, inspired us to stop by the town for dinner and a round of mini golf. We felt excited to try a new Vietnamese restaurant for the first time in almost a year. We were equally delighted to find that Old Saybrook still had a mini golf course by the docks. With our two year anniversary around the corner, we were eager to embark on a pre-celebration in this town.

Saigon City

Grade: A

Location: 1315 Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook, CT

Website Menu

Atmosphere: 10/10-When you step into the Saigon City, you’ll notice the beautiful Vietnamese paintings that decorate the walls. Chef Vu Nguyen, who co-owns Saigon City with his wife, Bernadette, painted some of these! This speaks to Saigon City’s authentic, creative atmosphere and to the talent of Nguyen. The paintings represent a wonderful, welcoming expression of the Vietnamese culture. Saigon City’s dining room fireplace is an added bonus, especially for those frigid, Fall and Winter nights. We opted to sit on the deck and soak in the sun. We noticed that Saigon City differs from other restaurants in that it keeps both its interior and exterior clean!

Service: 9/10-We waited a little longer than we expected for refills but, we found our waitress to be personable and efficient. We also give props to the chef(s) who prepared our dishes in under 15 minutes. Vietnamese cuisine (if done well) boasts complexity in its taste and design. The quick preparation time highlights the experience of Saigon City’s chefs.

Price: 4/5-Lunch prices range from $7.95 to $10.95. Dinner prices range from $11.95 to $17.95. If you want a glass of wine, you’ll spend an average of $5-$6. These are some pretty sweet deals! Our experience caused us to re-evaluate our perspective on price. We visited an Italian restaurant the other week in which the price of entrees ranged from $17.95 and above! We expected superior, gourmet cuisine for this amount. We tasted tasty, overpriced cuisine. At Saigon City, you will pay significantly less for dishes with filling portions and damn good taste!

Selection: 5/5-Click on the menu link above and scroll down. This extensive menu spans ten pages! From Vietnamese spring rolls to Red Curry pork, you have plenty to choose from! We suggest you review this extensive menu before you stop by.

Taste: 9/10-Lemon grass, peanuts, limes, vegetables, coconut milk, curry and chili-paste: these are some of the key ingredients to signature Vietnamese dishes. Saigon City’s chefs honored this culinary tradition and the results proved downright delectable! If you’re a fan of spice, you might want to tell your server beforehand. The dishes marked as “spicy” may not taste as spicy as you might anticipate without this suggestion.

Below you’ll find our picks for the top 5 most creative entrees:

1. Saigon Spicy Chicken (Slices of tender chicken breast marinated with coconut milk, yellow curry, and chili pepper. Stir-fried with onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, and clear noodles. Sprinkled with ground peanuts)-$12.95

2. Spicy Vegetarian Curry (Tofu marinated with coconut milk, curry, and chili pepper. Stir-fried with onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, and clear noodles. Sprinkled with ground peanuts)-$12.95

3. Red Curry Pork (Sliced pork marinated with red curry and simmered in coconut milk with bamboo shoots, red chili, and bell peppers)-$12.95

4. Saigon Beef Delight (Slices of flank steak stir-fried with pineapple, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, and cucumbers)-$14.95

5. Squid Sate-(Squid sautéed with carrots, onions, bell peppers, celery, mushrooms, broccoli, bamboo shoots, and baby corn)-$14,95

In a nutshell: 37/40-Saigon City proved that it is possible for restaurants to serve authentic, delicious cuisine at affordable prices. Yes, this includes wine too! You can treat yourself this to an exquisite dinner or lunch without burdening your wallet. We strongly recommend you visit and immerse yourself in the artistic and culinary gem that is Saigon City.

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