Bong Su

2008.04.02
Bong Su [SF]
****

Very good imperial roll, crispy-chewy skins, well flavored filling (crab, pork, mushroom), butternut lettuce cups 1 per each roll, with shiso and other herbs really lifting the rolls up a knotch.

Ahi salad, standard stuff, done well, rare seared fish, good sesame seeds, fresh pappaya balances well with the avocado, dressing a bit harsh on the salty/sharp acid side.

Kobe Beef Pho Soup. Just soup with no noodle. Very good beef, melty tender, flavorful, and served perfectly rare. Soup itself had good complexion and spice flavor, but was not a beef stock base, so it lacked the body of a normal pho soup. After soaking the beef, it rounded up. Negative for the bean sprouts in the bowl, really distracting and works against the soup. Just a bit of chewy noodle or a different vegetable would've done fine.

Bun Cha Noodles. Grilled pork with fish sauce, herbs, lettuce wrap, and cooked cooled vermicelli noodles. Again, standard, well executed, but lacks high-end refinement. This is the same as a $6 bun cha from California Noodle.

Amusee "dessert" of a "lotus tea" with a single candied lotus seed. Interesting combination, nice lotus seed but I can't say I taste lotus in the tea.

Overall food very clean, no bloated feeling after the meal. For the level of haute-cuisine they are trying to be in, there lacks some true innovation/inspiration.

Chic ambiance. Waitstaff tries hard but isn't quite there.

$63 for two all incl., including the new 3.5% "SF Healthcare tax" WTF!!!